Program outline + exactly what you'll learn
the details
program Outline + Exactly what you'll learn
To ensure you are a top-of-the-notch Consultant with the highest level of education in the field, our Instructors include:
Pediatric Sleep Consultant with 10+ years of experience in the field, Pediatric Neurologist (MD) & Pediatric Sleep Specialist, Lactation Consultant, Registered Nurse (NICU specialty), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, General Practice Medical Doctor, Health and Wellness Coach, Behavioral Therapist
Section One: Best In Class Sleep Education
- How We Got Started
- The Role of a Cradle Coach Academy Certified Sleep Consultant
- What is “Sleep Training”?
- Is Sleep Training Always Necessary?
- What Ages Do We Help? (Newborn to 7 years)
- Controversies in the Sleep Industry
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
The Details
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
In this module, you will learn what sleep training is, if it is always necessary and about controversies within the sleep consulting world.
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Instructors: Marli Klaus and Dr. Sujay Kansagra
In module 2, you will learn about the science of sleep, establishing routines and a healthy sleep foundation, creating the perfect sleep environment, meeting children's emotional needs, and much more. Dr. Kansagra talks through the research behind sleep training safety and outcomes.
- Leaders in the Sleep Industry
- Understanding the Most Common Approaches and Techniques
- Pick Up/Put Down
- The Sleep Lady Sleep Shuffle
- The Gentle 3 Minute Drill
- The Controlled Crying
- Full Cry It Out
- Shush-Pat
- Personalities and Parenting Philosophies and When to Use Which Approach
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
- The Science Behind Sleep
- The Stages of Sleep
- Signs of an Overtired Baby
- Establishing Routine and a Healthy Sleep Foundation
- Nutrition
- Perfect Sleep Environment
- The Bedtime Routine
- Morning Wake-Up
- Emotionally Filling Your Child’s Needs
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Instructor: Marli Klaus, Melissa Perry
In module 3, you will learn about the current leaders in the Sleep Industry, the most common philosophies, detailed explanations of a wide variety of methods and techniques for sleep training and how to identify which method is ideal for each family based on temperament and parenting philosophies.
In module 4, we will cover the breastfeeding relationship in detail, including what to expect in the first year, cluster feeding, dream feeding, introducing solids and the sleep consultant's role in the breastfeeding relationship.
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
In module 5, you will learn all about newborn sleep; what to expect in the first 4 months of life, establishing healthy sleep foundations in these early months, the 4 month sleep regression, swaddles and pacifiers, and so much more!
In module 6, you will learn about gut health for babies, everything from nursing/bottle feeding through first solid foods, mom's nutrition while nursing, foods to avoid that can impact sleep, and more!
- How Breast and Bottle Feeding Affect Sleep
- Breast vs. Bottle Feeding
- Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mother and Child
- The First Year: Typical Amounts and Patterns
- Cluster Feeding
- Dream Feeding
- Introducing Solids
- The Wonder Weeks
- How Skin-to-Skin Affects Breastfeeding
- How to Calculate Average Milk Consumption
- Key Differences Between Breast & Bottle Fed Babies
- The Sleep Consultant’s Role in a Breastfeeding Relationship
- The First 4 Months of Life
- TCC's Newborn Sleep Survival Guide Baby’s Sleep: What is to be Expected?
- Night and Day Confusion
- The Art of the Swaddle
- All About the Pacifier
- Babies Love White Noise
- Where Should Your Newborn Sleep?
- Establishing a Sleep Routine for Your Newborn Short Naps and How to Help
- Common Newborn Sleep Mistakes
- The First Major Sleep Regression
- Mother/Baby Relationship
- Breastfeeding
- Postpartum Depression
- Grief/Loss
- Adoption
- Colic/Reflux
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Sleep Apnea
- Separation Anxiety
- Swaddling
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
- Gut Health for Baby
- Nursing to First Food: Infant Nutrition
- Mom’s Nutrition While Nursing
- Toddler Nutrition
- Nutrient Dense Meals and Snacks
- Foods to Avoid and Add
- Specific Foods for Sleep
- Weaning from Nighttime Feedings & How to Know It is the Right Time
- Common Sleep Problems and How to Deal with Them
- Sleep Regressions/Developmental Leaps
- 4 months, 6 months, 8-9 months , 12 months,, 18 months, 2 years
- Sickness
- Teething
- Rocking to Sleep
- Pacifiers
- Bottle or Nurse to Fall Asleep
- Transition Out of Pack 'n Play, Rock 'n Play, Co-Sleeping, or a Swing
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
In module 7, we will address common sleep problems including weaning nighttime feeds (when and how!), sleep regressions, illness & teething, pacifiers, sleep associations and more!
In module 8, we will dive into the sometimes challenging topic of baby and toddler naps, including daytime wake windows, wake windows vs. set schedules, nap transitions and more.
- All About Naps: 4 months to 4 years
- Daytime Wake Windows
- Wake Windows vs. Set Schedules
- Transitions and When They Occur
- Signs Baby is Ready to Transition
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
- Four Key Elements of Toddlers
- Communication
- Nutrition
- Emotional Well-Being
- Consistency
- What to Do When a Toddler Climbs Out
- Transitioning from Crib to Toddler Bed
- Night Terrors vs Nightmares
- Nighttime Fear
- Vomiting
- All About Toddler Naps
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
In module 9, the focus is on toddlers and the four key elements to be aware of when working with toddler families, what to do when a toddler climbs out of a crib, how to transition to a toddler bed, night terrors, nightmares and more!
In module 10, we will cover toddler emotional development, bucket-fillers and red flags so you feel confident supporting families with children in this age range and ensuring their emotional needs are met throughout the process.
- The First Three Years: Big Picture
- Development, Bucket-Fillers and Red Flags
- 0-6 Months
- 6-12 Months
- 12-18 Months
- 18-36 Months
- 36-38 Months
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
In module 10(b), we go into even more detail regarding the difference between supporting an infant family and a toddler family so you can feel confident and ready to support children all the way up to age 7 years or beyond. Gain confidence in handling tantrums, setting and holding boundaries, early morning wakings and so much more.
In module 11, we will dive into everything you need to know about handling other sleep scenarios you may face, such as multiples, room sharing, adopted children and more. We also share a Medical Discussion featuring Uma from Little Pumpkin Sleep (Medical Doctor) and Katy from Well Rested Wee Ones (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner).
- The Prep Work
- Prep Plan Components
- Connecting with the Child
- Family Meeting
- Tantrums
- What is a Tantrum?
- Why Do They Occur?
- The Process of a Tantrum
- Calm Down Techniques
- Boundary Holding
- Early Morning Wakings
- Naps & Quiet Time
- Using Incentives
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Twins
- New Baby/Siblings
- Room Sharing
- Adopted Children
- Managing Early Morning Wake-Ups
- Travel
- The Benefits of Sleep
- Medical Discussion with Uma from Little Pumpkin Sleep (Medical Doctor) and Katy from Well Rested Wee Ones (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner)
Coursework to be submitted for feedback + topic quiz
- Case Studies covering everything in section 1
- Component 1 Final Project
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Section Two: The Client Process
- The Client Process Roadmap
- Receive an Inquiry
- Potential Action Steps
- New Client Action Steps
- Client Red Flags
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- The Client Process Roadmap
- Receive an Inquiry
- Potential Action Steps
- New Client Action Steps
- Client Red Flags
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Client Intake Forms (Google form templates provided)
- Infants (0-18 Months)
- Toddlers (18 Months - 4 Years)
- Preschool + (4 Years - 7 Years)
- Gathering Information
- Medical Information
- Pediatrician Approval
- The Root Issue
- Personality and Philosophy
- Client Intake Forms
- Infants (0-18 Months)
- Toddlers (18 Months - 4 Years)
- Gathering Information
- Medical Information
- Pediatrician Approval
- The Root Issue
- Personality and Philosophy
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Building the Sleep Plan
- Stating the Sleep Habits and Problems
- Stating the Goals
- Parents Goals and Sleep Consultant Goals
- Expectations for the Child
- The Plan
- Simple Phases
- Stating How You'll Communicate
- Sleep Plan Walkthrough
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Building the Sleep Plan
- Stating the Sleep Habits and Problems
- Stating the Goals
- Parents Goals and Sleep Consultant Goals
- Expectations for the Child
- The Plan
- Simple Phases
- Stating How You'll Communicate
- Sleep Plan Walkthrough
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Presenting the Personalized Sleep Plan
- Explaining the Follow-Up Support Process
- Empowering Clients
- Presenting the Personalized Sleep Plan
- Explaining the Follow-Up Support Process
- Empowering Clients
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Follow-up Support
- Boundaries in Your Business
- Responding to Issues
- Refunds, Policies, and Protection
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Keeping Organized
- Online Systems
- Personal Systems
- Apps
- Adding Delight
- Commonly Asked Questions About Volunteer Experience
- Finding Volunteers + 1:1 Mentorship Throughout the Volunteer Process
- Final Project Section 2
- Follow-up Support
- Boundaries in Your Business
- Responding to Issues
- Refunds, Policies, and Protection
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
- Keeping Organized
- Online Systems
- Personal Systems
- Apps
- Adding Delight
- Commonly Asked Questions About Volunteer Experience
- Finding Volunteers + 1:1 Mentorship Throughout the Volunteer Process
- Final Project Section 2
Coursework to be submitted for feedback
Section Three: The Business Accelerator
You're Certified - Now Let's Launch and Grow Your Biz!
- Module One: The Heart Work and Laying the Foundation
- Module Two: The Nitty Gritty and Logistics
- Module Three: Getting Your Business Started on Any Budget
- Module Four: Create Your Digital Assets (Logo, Cover Photos and More-Detailed Walk-Through of Canva + Templates)
- Module Five: Website, Domain, and Email
- Module 1: Know Your "Why" & Your Way
- Module 2: Get Specific With Your Goals
- Module 3: Know Your Niche + "Who"
- Module 4: Name Your Business
- Module 5: Your Brand Basics
- Module 6: Digital Setup (Your Biz, Live Online)
- Module 7: Get Legal
- Module 8: Money Moves – Business Financial Foundations
- Module 9: Build Your Website (with Showit template)
- Module 1: Visibility Strategy Overview
- Module 2: Social Strategy Foundations
- Module 3: Strategic Partnerships
- Module 4: Client Referrals Made Easy
- Module 5: Building an Email List
- Bonus: Using AI to 10x Content Creation
- Module One: What is the Difference Between Sales and MArketing?
- Module Two: Types of Buyers - The Turtle and the Hare, Low/Mid/High Intent
- Module Three: What is Relational-Based Marketing?
- Module Four: Social Media
- Module Five: Strategic Partners
- Module Six: Client Referrals
- Module Seven: Other Non-Relational Based Marketing Strategies
- Module One: Sales Pep Talk
- Module Two: Sales in the DMs
- Module Three: Sales Calls
- Module Four: The Fortune is in the Follow-Up
- Module 1: Sales Introductions & Pep Talk
- Module 2: Selling in Direct Messages
- Module 3: Sales Calls
- Module 4: Objection Handling
- Module 5: The Fortune is in the Follow Up
- Module 1: Set the Tone Before They Hire You
- Module 2: Onboarding That Builds Trust
- Module 3: Delivering with Clarity + Confidence
- Module 4: Ending Strong + Referral Ready
- Bonus: Setting Up Dubsado
- Creating Forms
- Created Canned Emails & Automating Emails
- Create Your Packages & Proposals
- Set-Up Automations & Workflows
- Module One: Choosing a Platform
- Module Two: Optimizing Your Profile & Bio
- Module Three: Messaging
- Module Four: Creating Reels
- Module Five: Selling in Stories
Bonus!
PHASE 5: SCALE PREP — “I’m Ready to Grow”
- Module One: Create Your Strategic Freebie (template included)
- Module Two: Drive Traffic to Freebie (paid vs. organic)
- Module Three: Setup Email Workflows (email templates included)
- Module 1: Identifying + Creating the Right Digital Product
- Module 2: Selling Digital Products Organically
- Module 3: Building Affiliate Income
- Module One: Create Ad Account
- Module Two: Types of Facebook & Instagram Ads
- Module Three: Add tracking to your website (Invisible Lead List)
- Module Four: Create Your Ad Audience
- Module Five: Creatives and Choosing Winner
- Module Six: Creating Traffic Ads (templates included)
- Module Seven: Create Lead Ads (templates included)
- Module Eight: Create Retargeting Ads
- Module Nine: Checking Ads for Effectiveness/Making Tweaks
- Module One: Create Ad Account
- Module Two: Types of Facebook & Instagram Ads
- Module Three: Add tracking to your website (Invisible Lead List)
- Module Four: Create Your Ad Audience
- Module Five: Creatives and Choosing Winner
- Module Six: Creating Traffic Ads (templates included)
- Module Seven: Create Lead Ads (templates included)
- Module Eight: Create Retargeting Ads
- Module Nine: Checking Ads for Effectiveness/Making Tweaks
Bonus!
$3k in 10 Days: Live Webinar Strategy
- Webinar Template
- Webinar Walk-Through: What to Include, What Not to Include
- Live Webinar Ad Strategy
- Selling After Webinar
- Email Templates
Marli Klaus
After 12+ years in corporate leadership and HR, Marli discovered sleep consulting and scaled her business so quickly she replaced her $150K salary in just 7 months. Now, as Owner and Lead Mentor of The Cradle Coach Academy, she trains and mentors TCCA students to achieve their desired freedom and success.
Melissa Perry
Melissa is the founder of The Cradle Coach Academy. She is a certified maternity, baby and toddler sleep consultant and owner of The Cradle Coach. She has also received her certification as a Happiest Baby on the Block educator and a certified Newborn Care Advanced Specialist from the Newborn Care Training Academy.
Lead Sleep Instructors
Specialist Faculty & Guest Experts
Dr. Sujay Kansagra
Professor of Pediatrics and Child Neurology at Duke University and Director of the Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program. Dr. Kansagra co-leads Module 2: Sleep Science, bringing his clinical expertise and research to the foundations of the curriculum. He also teaches a dedicated workshop on Sleep Training Safety and the Research Behind It as part of our continuing education.
Caley Kukla, M.Ed.
Bachelor’s in Special Education, Master’s in Early Childhood Education. Over a decade of experience in early intervention, therapy, and preschool teaching—Caley leads our modules on child development and behavior, with a focus on brain science and Attachment Theory.
Kerri D’Amico, RN, IBCLC
With nearly two decades of hands-on hospital experience in neonatal and postpartum care, along with certified lactation expertise since 2016, Kerri shapes our infant care and feeding curriculum as the Assistant Clinical Manager at Jupiter Medical Center.
Jessica Royston, Holistic Health Coach
Certified through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Jessica brings her own journey as a mom of two to guide modules on postpartum wellness, maternal self-care, and the mind-body connection in newborn care.
Karen Winter, 2-7 year old Sleep Guru
Specializing in toddlers and preschoolers (ages 2–7), Karen brings over 20 years of experience working with children—as a 4K teacher, nanny, autism line therapist, and in-home daycare provider. Karen teaches Module 10B: Serving 2-7 year old children and serves as a student mentor for this age group.
Rachel Fiorello, Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Rachel has been a Sleep Consultant at The Cradle Coach for over 10 years, serving thousands of families in their journey to better sleep. Rachel specializes in children newborn to 4 years of age and brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as a student mentor.
Katy Bourzikas, MSN, APRN, CPNP, CLC
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Lactation Counselor, TCCA grad, and Sleep Consultant behind Well Rested Wee Ones. Katy brings pediatric nursing expertise and sleep-training savvy to your program, leading the Medical Concerns & Sleep Training module.
Dr. Uma Khusnutdinova, MD, IBCLC
Founder of Little Pumpkin Sleep Solutions, Uma blends her medical training (MD), lactation expertise (Certified Breastfeeding Specialist), and sleep certification to lead our IMedical Concerns & Sleep Training module with a holistic, personalized approach.
Dr. Anya McLaren-Barnett, MD, Pediatric Respirologist & Sleep Medicine Physician
A McMaster Children’s Hospital sleep expert with dual Board certifications in Pediatrics and Respirology. She delivers two medical workshops—covering Snoring in Children and Recognizing Pediatric Sleep Apnea.
Our faculty list doesn’t stop here. Since 2018, we’ve hosted monthly expert workshops, bringing in leading voices from medicine, child development, lactation, psychology, and beyond. What you see above is just a sampling of the specialists shaping our certification program—our full library includes dozens of additional trainings designed to keep you current and confident.
Want to chat with us directly to get your questions answered and learn how this will work for you?
Book a Call with Marli, owner of The Cradle Coach Academy and lead mentor/sleep instructor in the Live Program! Marli has daytime and weekday availability.
Book a Call with Michelle, graduate of The Cradle Coach Academy's Sleep Consultant Certification Program. Michelle has weekend and evening availability.
