The Joy Of Deep Sleep

“What about my bedtime story…”

ight from day one, some people are just natural born sleepers, capable of nodding off just about anywhere, and at any time of day or night.

For most of us though, getting a good night’s sleep can sometimes take a little work.

Especially if you’re also busy mastering the ancient art of talking and walking.

Kayleigh…

Luckily for those Greystonians struggling to get their little ones to enjoy great big sleeps, Kaleigh Povey has come up with Sleepease.

Here’s the lowdown…

To the mum pushing her buggy down at the marina, I see you. I see so many of you. Wrapped up. Earphones in. Walking alone. So many of us walking alone. In the hope our babies are, finally, sleeping, allowing us to drop that mental load for a brief and blissful moment.

Sleep. The thing that waxes and wanes, changes again, the inquiring neighbour asking, “Is he sleeping through the night for you yet?”.

“He’s 8 weeks old, lady,” is what you really want to say back.

Your mother or mother-in-Law warns you not to “form bad habits” while you try your best to hold and nurture your precious little being. Holding them or rocking them or
feeding them is the only thing that seems to work. But still, you’re wrong.

Then there’s Instagram. “Put them down drowsy but awake”, wake windows, leave them to cry and they will ‘learn’ to self soothe – all the things that seem to evade you despite your trojan efforts.

So, I’ve got something I want to share with the mums at the marina — as a sleep coach, as mum of two boys and a medical social worker who has supported hundreds of families through some of life’s most challenging crises.

I’ll start with the most important point, and something I have seen time and time again in my work as a sleep coach.

1. You don’t have to leave your baby alone to cry for sleep to improve.
2. Sleep can get better. Sleep will get better.
3. Whether your child is 5 months, 15 months, or 5 years old, their sleep can improve.
4. You can work out why it isn’t “good” at the moment and mind yourself in that. The right support is essential.
5. Some babies struggle with sleep, and this often comes down to their temperament — not because you fed them to sleep or held them too much. Sensitive, alert, high-needs, ‘orchid’
or ‘Velcro’ babies thrive on co-regulation and need extra comfort and support from you to help them sleep.
6. As a medical social worker, with specialist training in Attachment and Trauma, I know there can be less obvious reasons as to why some children’s sleep might be disrupted. There are red flags you can watch out for.
7. Over-tiredness can be a major issue, affecting your baby’s overall sleep. Sensitive babies often mask their sleep cues so well that it feels like they never want to fall asleep. The good news is, there are simple strategies you can implement to address this and see noticeable improvements in no time.
8. Back to the leaving your baby alone; there are so many tweaks and changes you can make that will improve your child’s sleep. Often a little adjustment will make a huge difference.
9. All of this applies to breastfed/ bottle-fed/ co-sleeping/ cot-sleeping little ones.
10. And yes, dads, I see you too.

There are many ways I can support you, ranging from completely free resources, no-strings-attached to personalised one-on-one guidance:

1. Free Sleep Clinics: Join me at the library after songs and stories for free sleep clinics where we can chat about your little one’s sleep challenges. Keep an eye on our Instagram for the next date, link below.
2. Local Collaborations: I partner with baby and toddler groups like Moo Music and The Yoga Barre to offer support and advice in your community.
3. Instagram Tips: Follow me on Instagram for free, practical sleep tips tailored to your baby’s age and stage.
4. Professional Talks and Podcasts: I deliver talks for events like Mum Talks, podcasts such as Private Midwives, and corporate wellness programs, helping organisations support employees navigating parenthood.
5. Send Me Sleep Voicenote Check-Ins: Share your latest sleep dilemma via voicenote and we’ll chat back and forth to find solutions. (€20 per session)
6. Baby Sleep Groups: Attend my online or in person group workshops with other parents and their babies to hear honest, relatable experiences and get expert advice on improving your baby’s sleep.
7. One-to-One Support: Work directly with me through one of three personalised
consultation options designed to meet your family’s specific needs.

Background on Kayleigh

Kayleigh is a certified sleep coach and founder of Sleepease, a business dedicated to helping parents navigate the challenges of their child’s sleep, using gentle and responsive methods. Kayleigh is a highly experienced clinician with over a decade of service providing psychosocial care to parents and children impacted by childhood illness.

Her extensive background includes working as head medical social worker at one of Ireland’s leading children’s hospitals, where she gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in supporting families during some of the most traumatic and challenging times in their lives.

Kayleigh has long been a passionate advocate for infant mental health and throughout her career, she has worked with parents and children facing a range of issues, including childhood illness, bereavement, trauma related to birth, adjustment to illness or injury, postpartum depression and anxiety, parent mental health, and domestic abuse.

Kayleigh now supports parents through local Baby & Toddler Sleep Groups, SMS Voicenote Support, One-to-One Support and Online Masterclasses.

And for GG readers, there’s a 10% discount with the promo code GG2025, valid until February 1st.

You can find out more about Kayleigh and Sleepease here, follow on Instagram here, contact online here, and book a session directly right here.