Putting into practice what I learned a few months too late with my son, we paid careful attention to her sleepy cues and began placing her in her crib for naps early on. I was determined to give my daughter, Simone, a better sleep foundation from the start. Friends and family told me I was just lucky that I had a good sleeper, but I knew that it was something I worked hard to have. I read every baby book and sleep book I could find and in time, I had a child that was sleeping on his own for naps and sleeping 12 hours at night every night. Why did this child need to be held all of the time? Why did he scream every time I put him down? And why did he want to only sleep on me for the first four months of his life? I was exhausted and had to figure out all of this on my own because we didn’t live near any family. The birth of our son, Jonah, brought a lot of confusion. We were told at a birth class we attended that most first-borns are easy babies and would normally sleep well.
My husband and I moved to Austin, Texas when I was 34 weeks pregnant.
I was an elementary school teacher and reading specialist for 8 years in New York and Pennsylvania before I had kids. I received my BA in English and Elementary Education from Colgate University and my Master’s in Education from SUNY Cortland. I’ve always had a passion for teaching and helping people. I’d love to tell you about myself and how I became a child sleep consultant. Hi! I’m Lori Strong and if you’re exhausted, I’m so glad you’ve made it here.