Episode Details

As parents, we are all desperate for our babies to sleep. 

Yet we’re often unsure how to support our infants to sleep in a way that feels right. Harsh sleep training methods don’t sit well, but neither does chronic exhaustion.

The good news is that there is an alternative: one that is attachment-focused, keeps us connected to our babies even during the night, and importantly, supports the whole family.

In this episode, I am joined by Gabrielle Ferrara, a nurture neuroscience practitioner, infant sleep coach, and licensed clinical social worker with training in perinatal mental health.

Gabrielle shares a neuroscience-informed look at infant and toddler sleep, challenging common myths around independence, self-soothing, and sleep training. Together, we explore what’s developmentally normal for babies, why frequent night waking is protective, and how connection and responsiveness support healthy brain development.

Gabrielle and I chat about: 

• What biologically normal infant sleep really looks like
• Why babies need closeness to feel safe – day and night
• The impact of parental stress on baby sleep
• Common but overlooked sleep disruptors (reflux, iron, airway issues)
• Co-sleeping vs. bed sharing and how to do it safely
• Why sleep is a biological function, not a behavior to be trained

Gabrielle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Jersey and Florida, Certified in Perinatal Mental Health and a Nurture Neuroscience Practitioner trained through The Nurture Revolution by Dr Greer Kirshenbaum. She supports parents using a nurturing, neuroscience-informed approach to infant sleep, emotional regulation, and maternal mental health.

Gabrielle’s own transition into motherhood deeply shapes her work. After relocating from New Jersey to Tampa, Florida during her third trimester, she became the primary caregiver to a high-needs baby, navigating reflux, feeding challenges, and significant sleep struggles. This lived experience informs her compassionate, non–sleep-training approach to supporting families.

She offers 1:1 sleep support for parents of babies ages 0–3, pregnancy and parent circles, and nurturing sleep and parenting workshops. She is passionate about helping parents feel supported, regulated, and less alone in early motherhood.

Resources that Gabrielle mentioned:

• The Nurture Revolution – Dr Greer Kirshenbaum
• Safe Infant Sleep – Dr James McKenna
• How Babies Sleep – Dr Helen Ball
• Instagram: @cosleepy

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