Let’s see if this scenario sounds familiar: Your baby wakes up after a solid night’s sleep. You feed her, change her, maybe even sneak in a quick cuddle or a walk outside. You rock her to sleep and place her gently into her crib, ready for a nice, long nap. You breathe a sigh of relief—this is your chance to finally get a break.

Oh, the joys of separation anxiety. You know, that moment when your baby suddenly loses it the second you step out of the room and makes you feel like the world’s worst parent for daring to leave them with someone else? Yep, we’ve all been there. It’s like your baby’s new job is to make sure you never leave their sight.

Hey, mama! Welcome to another Little Winks video blog. I’m Anna, and today I’m answering a question I get asked a lot—**Can you teach your baby to sleep independently while still needing night feeds?**

Short answer: Heck yes, you can! You don’t have to choose between your baby learning to fall asleep on their own and meeting those late-night nutritional needs. It’s totally possible for your little one to develop great sleep skills and still need those night feeds. Let’s break it down!

Okay, now that we’ve survived the flight (yay us!), let’s talk about what happens when you arrive. Ah, family visits. The excitement! The joy! The reality check that your baby still needs naps and you can’t attend every BBQ or dinner gathering like you used to. I’m a social butterfly, so the thought of missing out on the fun can be hard to swallow. But guess what? That little bundle of joy? They can’t “vacation” like we do. They still need their sleep.

Ah, New Year’s resolutions. We all make them, and let’s be honest—most of us break them by the second week of January. We all start strong with the big plans: “This year, I’ll finally organize my closet,” or “I’ll exercise every day!” But by February, it’s more like, “Yeah, I’ll try again next year…” 

But here’s a resolution that’s not only possible, but will make a HUGE difference in your life as a parent (and as a human being): Teaching your baby to sleep.

Okay, mamas, let’s talk flying with a baby. If you’ve ever looked at a flight schedule and thought, "How am I going to survive eight hours stuck in a window seat with a squirmy little human who’s used to crawling all over the house?"—you’re not alone. The thought of flying with a baby can be terrifying. It’s like you're a newbie traveler all over again—except this time, your carry-on includes a little person who has zero concept of personal space.

Alright, mama, you did it! You packed for the whole family and—you ready for this?—you even remembered your own underwear. Triumph! 🎉 We all know that packing for a trip can feel like preparing for battle, especially when you’ve got a baby in tow. Whether you're heading to a tropical paradise (lucky you!), visiting family, or tagging along on a work trip, one thing is for sure: hotel stays with a little one are a whole different ball game.

So let’s get down to it. Any waking before 6:30am is considered a night waking. Mama don’t have enough energy to be starting her day any earlier than that, even if coffee is involved.

7am is the ideal wake time. A 7-7 schedule is what parents of littles should aim for.

There are certain things in life that are not the way we thought they would be. As a parent, I’m sure you can think of a few situations that were surprising to you:

“I never would have thought that mesh underwear would be my choice of lingerie.”

“Didn’t think the first tattoo I’d have to have removed was Sharpie from my toddler’s stunning work of body art (i.e. colouring on Mommy while she closed her eyes for just a sec).”

It’s the Holy Grail of mama questions: Why won’t my baby stop crying?!

If we were given the option between having free Starbucks for life or having our baby go down without any fussing … it would be a tough choice. Because do those tears ever tug at our heart strings and leave us in a perpetual state of exhaustion, weariness, and defeat.

Well, I don’t have the means to offer you free Starbucks for life, but I can get you on that journey to help baby stop crying. I’m not even kidding. Let’s talk tears.

When I find a parent hack or product that is a game-changer in the mamahood, I have to share the love.

So let’s talk about the Kiddie Couch. My word, this one is a lifesaver.

Here in Canada we experience winter weather all over the map, from rain to hail to blizzards … and that’s just Tuesday. Sometimes it’s tough to get outside ... or you just can’t force yourself to get up off the couch to go to the park again (no judgement here). So finding ways to help our kiddos get their energy out inside is crucial.

My family travels a lot, whether it’s into the mountains for a camping trip, staying in hotels for a wedding, or crossing the ocean via airplane to my hometown in NZ.

And despite the number of travel products I’ve been sent over the years, the SlumberPod is one of the few sleep tools that I get on a soap box about. It really did change the sleep game for me and my family.

When they reached out to let me know that they had a new product ready to go, I was keen to try it. And (no shock here) it didn’t disappoint.

Picture this: You saunter down to the beach, hand-in-hand with your partner and small children, a cute sunset tote bag hanging off of your shoulder. A warm breeze gently plays with your hair. You’re in your hottest bikini, toes painted, sunscreen ready. You lay back onto your towel, take a deep breath and:

“MOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM! Parker HIT me!”

If you are a mama that prefers to be outside of the house more than in, then this product is for you. As a parent who has done two maternity leaves (thank you, Canada!) and has a husband who also runs his own company, I found that staying inside day after day made me feel trapped and listless. I didn’t know how to do naps-on-the-go well. Cue my saving grace: the SlumberPod.

Does anyone else feel that trying to understand your baby is like learning an entirely new language? That’s how I felt when I had my first little one.

I mean, the happy cooing baby was easy enough to understand. Okay … but now you’re staring at me. Things are good. Stay calm, stay calm … ahh, no! She’s starting to fuss. What does this mean? Dirty diaper? Tummy gas? Are you hungry, hurt, tired? WHAT DO YOU WAAAANNTT?

There was once a young mother whose baby was 3 weeks old,

crying through the night with a sound loud and bold.

The mother woke repeatedly to soothe her babe so small,

exhausted from the effort that each day took quite a toll.

Though she loved to hold her wee one close,

We've all heard the phrase “It takes a village.”

Personally? I'm a huge fan … and not because I can cart my kids off to grandma’s or let a friend change my baby's diaper all in the name of “It takes a village,” but because I truly believe that my children (and I) will be better humans for doing life alongside other positive influences.

(Will my hubby and I always be their #1 safe people? Yes. Absolutely).

Our partners all come in different shapes, sizes, personalities and comfort zones. But we all have the ability to put our littles to sleep if we try … even if we are flying by the seat of our pants.

How do you empower your partner to put your baby to sleep?

Anxiety happens when your toddler is feeling unsure and questioning the changing world around them. You are their world, and when this world opens up, they need to know you are there for them in the most vulnerable part of the day (going to sleep).

So how can we help them relax and let the worries of today go? I’m glad you asked.

Ah, micro naps. The assassin of wake windows. The silent enemy. They strike when we least expect it: Subtly, but always hitting their mark. They turn a great day with the kids into an all-day, frustrating naptime battle.

What are micro naps and why do they happen? Let me share some stories with you: