I never planned on becoming a sleep practitioner. 

 

Like many parents, I thought sleep deprivation was simply part of motherhood. 

 

For years, my children were decent sleepers. Then, seemingly overnight, everything changed. 

 

My middle daughter suddenly needed someone sitting beside her bed to fall asleep. If we left before she was asleep, she screamed. If she woke up during the night and we weren’t there, she screamed again. 

 

Multiple times. 

 

Every night. 

 

At the same time, my youngest daughter was experiencing significant gross motor delays. We were navigating appointments, physical therapy, home exercises, and all the emotions that come with wondering how to best support your child. 

 

Meanwhile, my son was graduating Pre-K and turning into a mini-adult before my eyes. But the exhaustion kept me from feeling completely present during his big moments. 

 

I felt pulled in every direction. 

 

I wanted to be present for my children. I wanted to support my youngest daughter. I wanted to be patient. Engaged. Connect. 

 

Instead, I was exhausted. 

 

Not just tired. 

 

Exhausted. 

 

The kind of exhausted where even the things you love begin to feel impossible. 

 

The workouts stopped. 

 

The hobbies disappeared. 

 

The energy to be myself slowly faded. 

 

Then a colleague shared a few evidenced-based sleep strategies she had learned at a conference she attended. 

 

I’ll be honest–I wasn’t expecting much. 

 

But within days, everything changed. 

 

My daughter began falling asleep independently. 

 

She stayed asleep. 

 

For the first time in months, I got my evenings back. 

 

I was watching my favorite shows again. Sitting on the couch with a snack. Have conversations that weren’t interrupted every few minutes. 

 

Most importantly, I started feeling like myself again. 

 

Sleep isn’t just about sleep. 

 

It’s about reclaiming the mental space, energy, and capacity to enjoy your life. 

 

Because helping children sleep is only part of the story. Helping mothers reclaim themselves is what Her Rest Matters is all about.