The Responsive Family Sleep Podcast

Your baby isn’t a baby any more – suddenly they are a toddler. After that first birthday the unrealistic expectations just keep coming. We expect so much from our young toddlers that they just aren’t ready for yet. In this 4th episode of my series on realistic sleep expectations by age I’m focusing on younger toddlers between 12-24 months. In many ways these toddlers are more like babies, especial...

Wake windows – helpful or stress inducing….it really depends on the family. However, wake windows are commonly shared as precise, exact rules we must follow or else (insert some fear based message). In this episode I’m sharing some thoughts on wake windows including the fact that they are not an evidence-based concept so you can feel free to ignore them if you find them stressful. I talk you throu...

Parenting is hard, and there are so many rules, shoulds, and external expectations that can lead to feelings of mom guilt. In this episode I’m joined by Dr. Jillian Neill, a psychologist specializing in the parenting transition. We talk about: What is mom guilt. Guilt verses shame verses regret. The ways in which external expectations, rules, and shoulds create mom guilt. The structural factors an...

There are so many unrealistic expectations perpetuated about older baby sleep that it’s no wonder that so many parents are confused and overwhelmed about what’s going on. This episode is the third in my series on realistic expectations. While you hear a lot about older babies sleeping through the night and not feeding, the reality (and research) tells a very different story. In this episode I help...

It’s January, and you may be thinking about bringing some order to the chaos that the holidays brought to your sleep routines. In this episode, I’m sharing some tips for getting back on track and into a good rhythm with sleep. This is a good time to keep things simple, work towards more consistent rhythms and routines, and also check in to see if your little’s needs have changed in the midst of th...

You finally feel like you got the hang of things, and then your baby is in a whole new phase! This is a really common feeling in this phase of babyhood. This episode is the second in my realistic expectations by age short series. I’m sharing some key points about sleep in this very in-between age, and how parents can sometimes be both a step ahead of their baby and a step behind. Throw in all the...

We tend to think of baby and parent as separate beings, separate nervous systems. And yet in so many ways they are part of an inter-connected, inter-dependent system. In this episode I’m talking with Meaghan Beames, an experienced Registered Massage Therapist, CST practitioner, mom, and the founder of the Beames CST Training Center. Our discussion focuses on regulation, coregulation, and the paren...

What is normal for newborn sleep? How can parents have more realistic expectations? Our culture is full of unrealistic expectations about baby sleep and it creates so much stress, worry, and anxiety. This episode starts a short series I’ll be weaving through my other episodes over the next few months on realistic expectations by age. In this episode, I’m focusing on some important points about new...

Early parenting is an intense time that can challenge us physically, emotionally, and mentally. A wonderful tool for coping with the intensity, challenges, and changes that come with parenting a young child is mindful parenting.  In this episode I’m joined by Sultana Karim, a therapist with a specialty in both the perinatal period and trauma. Our conversation springs from a wonderful parenting gro...

To those in the US who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving. This is a short episode to kick off the holiday season. There’s so much pressure to create traditions and have perfect family holiday rituals right from the start. In this episode, I encourage you to consider what you’d like to carry forward from your own childhood, allow for organic traditions to unfold, and remember you don’t have to have it...

How can you make informed decisions when you don’t know all your options? Well, you can’t! From sleep setups and safety to navigating big sleep transitions and parent led changes, knowing your options makes a huge difference. In this week’s episode I’m joined by my bestie, doula, educator, and doula business coach Kaely Harrod for a conversation about the challenges of making decisions without all...

Have you ever noticed how much sleep information and advice seems to be very generic, one size fits all? As if all babies have the exact same sleep needs and it’s only a matter of being consistent to get all babies sleeping alike. In this week’s episode, I’m unpacking why continuing to talk about baby sleep in these one size fits all type ways is wrong, unhelpful, and really out of step with what...

Does baby sleep make you anxious? Does your anxiety keep you from sleeping? Either or both of these things can be true. The relationship between anxiety and sleep as a new parent is complex. IN this episode I’m joined by Clare Donofrio, a perinatal psychotherapist, to talk with me about the ways our anxiety shows up in relationship to sleep in early parenting. Clare shares some ways you can recogn...

In a world that pushes non-responsive sleep training at every turn, it’s understandable that you might worry about the idea of over responding to night wakes. In this episode I talk about the importance of responding to your little’s nighttime needs and also where there is some nuance. It’s important to get to know your baby so that you can learn what’s a sleep noise verses signaling for you. I’ll...

We all need community, and yet finding that community can be a real struggle. So many of the parents I support with sleep are searching for parenting communities that lean responsive, as so many of the spaces they move through regularly are full of sleep training advice. In this episode, I’m joined by Elizabeth Hubley of the mama love collective to talk all about community. We dive into the cultur...

There is so much incorrect information thrown around about what makes a good nap. It can lead parents to worry that their baby isn’t getting the rest they need if their naps are short (or cat naps). In this episode I’m calling out the misinformation around cat naps. I talk about what a short nap is, some ideas around what makes a healthy nap, and some thoughts around the concept of an ideal nap le...

New parent sleep and mental health can be such a tricky topic, with so many blanket statements thrown around. In this episode I’m joined by Dr. Emma Basch, licensed clinical psychologist, for a wide-ranging and nuanced conversation about postpartum mental health. A few of the many things we discussed include: Most people struggle with the transition to parenthood, and what some signs are that you...

As the sun sets earlier we use a lot more artificial light in the evening. In this episode I’m walking you through what to consider when it comes to light sources as you move through your evening, why it matters, and what some tricky places are in your home. Let’s do a light check before the sun sets any earlier. Resources related to this episode You may find these earlier episodes helpful. Sleep...

Parenting is hard sometimes, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed or triggered by hard parenting moments. In this episode I’m joined by Sheena Hill, a Responsive Parenting Coach, to talk all about parenting triggers. We discuss common triggers and why they are more or less likely to happen based on how well we are meeting our own needs, temperament, and neurodivergent brains. We talk about how our...

Should I ever wake a sleeping baby? Doesn’t sleep beget more sleep? There’s such a widely held belief that more sleep is always better and so we should never wake babies, and yet that’s not really true. If letting your baby sleep however they sleep is working for you, that’s great – keep doing it. But if you are struggling with your baby’s overall sleep pattern, have other kids, or a schedule that...

About Austin Austin Rees (she/her) is a mother to four children and has been engaged in the health field for 25 years. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Craniosacral Therapy Practitioner. She is the founder of Nourish and Align, providing craniosacral therapy for all stages in life; using an individualized approach for each client and fami...

Almost every parent I know wants more sleep. Society and the sleep consulting industry tells us that the answer to that need is to change the baby’s sleep. While working to improve and optimize our little’s sleep is one way to get more sleep, we tend to overlook that there are almost always ways to support parent sleep without changing baby sleep. In this episode I’m sharing some simple ways to be...

Learning how to set limits can be hard for many parents. I see so many parents struggle with this as their baby transitions from infant to toddler. In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Rosensweet, a Peaceful Parenting Coach who has had a big impact on my own parenting journey. Our conversation focuses on setting limits – both the how to but also the important context around limits. We talk about c...

Bedtime is a tricky time for babies and toddlers and also for us parents. After a long day, your cope is likely low and you are ready for some down time. If bedtimes have been a struggle lately, then you are likely anticipating a frustrating experience. In this episode I’m sharing some tips to help you reset your mindset and emotional capacity headed into bedtime. I’m also explaining how your mind...

Bedtime routines are a great way to support better sleep for your little, but did you know your whole evening flow affects their sleep? In this episode I’m sharing some tips for how to move through your evening for a smoother bedtime. First, I highlight 2 really common mistakes I see that can make bedtime more challenging. Then I walk you through 3 steps that set you up for a more peaceful bedtime...