Sleep Consultant, Newborn Care Specialist, and Parent Coach Certifications for Women Who Want Their Time Back
Hey, I'm Marli.
I spent 13 years climbing the corporate ladder. I made it to HR director. And I was missing my kids' whole lives to do it.
I kept thinking there had to be a better way. A way to earn a real income without handing over every good hour of my day to someone else's priorities.
There was. It was sleep consulting.
I built my sleep consulting practice, The Cradle Coach, around my three kids. Since then, we've helped over 5,000 families finally get the sleep they need.
And somewhere along the way I realized something. So many women want exactly what I wanted. Flexibility. Purpose. An income that doesn't cost them their family.
That's why I lead The Cradle Coach Academy. We train women to become certified pediatric sleep consultants, newborn care specialists, and parent coaches, and to build businesses around the families they love.
One academy. Multiple training paths.
Our students are moms, nurses, teachers, doulas, nannies, and occupational therapists. Some have a background in child development. Plenty don't. You don't need a medical degree to become a sleep consultant with us.
What they all have in common? They're done with the 8-to-5 grind. They want to help families. And they want to be present for their own.
Who we built this for
How to grow your business without recreating the same burnout you left behind.
Phase 3: The Scale Without Burnout Method.
Business training to launch your sleep consulting business and land your first paying clients.
Phase 2: The 90-Day $5K Sprint.
Step-by-step video training covering everything you need to know about infant and child sleep, plus a hands-on practicum where you work with 5 volunteer families.
Phase 1: The 12-Week Certification Accelerator.
The Cradle Coach Academy certifies you as a Pediatric Sleep Consultant, supporting families with children from newborn to 7 years old.
The program is built in three phases:
2-7 year old sleep guru, certified pediatric sleep consultant
karen winters
National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, functional medicine expert
Jessica Royston, Holistic Health Coach
registered nurse specializing in neonatal care & postpartum and Certified Lactation Counselor
Bachelor’s in Special Education, Master’s in Early Childhood Education.
Kerri D’Amico, RN, IBCLC
Caley Kukla, M.Ed.
founder, Certified Maternity, Baby and Toddler Sleep Consultant and Newborn Care Specialist
Melissa perry
executive assistant & student cheerleader
Victoria parks
expert mentor & community support coach
Rachel fiorello
owner/CEO, certified baby and toddler sleep consultant
Marli Klaus
Built by practitioners. Backed by expertise.
This matters because families do not need one-size-fits-all help, and students do not need shallow training. They need broader perspective, better judgment, and support from people who know the work from different angles.
Dr. Sujay Kansagra, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Child Neurology at Duke University and Director of the Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program
Dr. Uma Khusnutdinova, MD, IBCLC
Katy Bourzikas, MSN, APRN, CPNP, CLC
tcca grad, Founder of Little Pumpkin Sleep Solutions, medical doctor (MD), Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Lactation Counselor, TCCA grad, and Sleep Consultant behind Well Rested Wee Ones.
Dr. Anya McLaren-Barnett, MD,
A McMaster Children’s Hospital sleep expert with dual Board certifications in Pediatrics and Respirology.
The Cradle Coach Academy brings together instructors, mentors, and subject matter experts across sleep, newborn care, child development, lactation, pediatric health, early childhood, and family support.
Our students are not learning in a vacuum. They are learning inside a training environment shaped by clinical insight, hands-on experience, and real work with families.
- Real experience before you graduate. Our 5-family practicum means you've already helped real families before you ever take a paying client.
- Business training built in. Launching and growing your business is part of the program, not an upsell.
- Mentorship and support. You're never figuring it out alone.
- Taught by a working sleep consultant. Everything we teach comes from a practice that has supported over 5,000 families.