The real story behind Sleeping it Real
Before you trust me with your family’s sleep, I want you to know the person behind Sleeping It Real. Lucie - the mum, the worrier, the ex-zombie, and the woman who’s been exactly where you are now.
When I became a mum for the first time, I struggled - far more than I ever expected. I came from a fast-paced career where I was always in control, and suddenly I had none. After a difficult birth, months of recovery, and a baby who wouldn’t sleep, my anxiety spiralled. I remember telling my husband that I was scared of her - I guess mainly because she felt so unpredictable. It always felt like she was over-tired, whatever I did didn’t seem to help, and I never knew what each day (or night) would bring.
I became obsessed with wake windows. I spent hours in a dark room trying to get her to nap, dreading the nights so much that I'd delay going to bed. I followed a very famous sleep plan (which will remain nameless!) and felt like a complete failure when my baby didn’t behave the way the book promised she would.
I still remember a friend calling her baby “her little side-kick,” and feeling really low, because I just didn’t feel that connection. Everything felt hard, lonely and endless.
One day, at breaking point, I wandered into a weigh-in clinic and cried. A lovely health visitor sat with me, listened without judgement, offered practical support, and gently followed up in the weeks after. She didn’t just give me a few pointers, she held me through some of the roughest weeks of my life. That experience has stayed with me ever since.
Everything I’ve been through - from those early months right through the toddler years - has shaped what I believe now
Every child and every family dynamic is unique, and they need a tailored approach - not a one-size-fits-all plan that leaves parents feeling like they’re failing.
Often, parents need emotional support just as much as sleep advice - someone to listen, encourage, and help keep things consistent when life feels overwhelming.
When you’re already exhausted or anxious, sleep guidance must be clear, easy-to-follow, and realistic.
A parent’s wellbeing matters just as much as their baby’s. Sleep deprivation deeply affects mental health, confidence, and the ability to function day-to-day.
Real life requires flexible plans that adapt to your days - not rigid routines that keep you stuck at home in a dark room.
Babies thrive when they’re given both comfort and clear, consistent boundaries. Looking back, so much of my anxiety came from not knowing how to balance responding to my baby with giving her the structure she needed to feel safe. I was either over-comforting out of panic or following rigid rules that didn’t feel right - and neither helped. It wasn’t until I learned how to combine responsive comfort with structure and consistency that things finally started to improve. That balance - Loving Boundaries - is at the heart of my approach.