**Hi! I’m Dolly Gothard**, a Holistic Sleep Coach and mother of three, writing for Kidz Under Construction. When I’m not supporting families through gentle sleep journeys or writing about responsive parenting, you’ll find me with my husband Alex and our three children – Maya (6), Theo (4), and little Nora (18 months) – right here in the Pacific Northwest. I’m usually outside on forest walks, tending our small herb and vegetable garden, or curled up on the couch with a stack of picture books and a warm cup of herbal tea. I love slow mornings, rainy days that invite cozy indoor play, and watching my children’s unique personalities unfold without pressure to fit into anyone else’s timeline.
Motherhood with three children has been my greatest teacher. Each of my babies arrived with their own temperament and sleep needs, and none of them followed the neat “sleep through the night by six months” stories I kept reading. Maya was a sensitive, high-alert baby who needed near-constant closeness. Theo was a reflux baby whose discomfort made every sleep transition feel impossible. Nora, our third, taught me how different the same family can look the second and third time around – she was more settled, but I was more tired and had less bandwidth. Navigating three very different little people while trying to stay responsive and connected (instead of simply “fixing” them) is what ultimately led me to holistic sleep coaching.
After feeling torn between the strict schedules I was told to follow and my deep desire to honor my children’s cues and our family’s values, I discovered the work of Lyndsey Hookway. I completed her Holistic Sleep Coaching Program, a globally respected training that views sleep as part of the whole child and whole family system – not something to be forced into a rigid mold. The program deepened my understanding of infant sleep science, child development, nervous system regulation, breastfeeding dynamics, and the emotional needs of both babies and parents. It gave me practical, gentle tools while reinforcing that there is no single “right” way to sleep train.
Today I work with a wide range of families who are looking for alternatives to cry-it-out or highly prescriptive methods. Some come to me with highly sensitive or “spirited” babies who become overtired or overstimulated easily. Others have little ones navigating reflux, allergies, or developmental leaps that temporarily disrupt sleep. I support breastfeeding families who want to preserve night feeds while gently improving rest, parents who bedshare or room-share and are looking for respectful transitions, and moms and dads who tried more rigid approaches in the past and felt it damaged connection or increased everyone’s stress. I also work with parents who are carrying their own anxiety, birth trauma, or sleep deprivation and need support that feels compassionate rather than another thing to “get right.”
At KidzUnderConstruction, I write about gentle, responsive, and holistic approaches to infant and toddler sleep. Our site intentionally covers a spectrum of philosophies — from more structured, behavioral methods to the gentler, connection-first methods I specialize in — because we believe families deserve honest information and the freedom to choose what aligns with their values, their child’s temperament, and their unique circumstances. There is room for both.
My goal is simple: to help parents feel seen, supported, and equipped with tools that reduce sleep struggles while protecting the bond they’re working so hard to build. Because when children feel safe and connected, and parents feel resourced and respected, everyone sleeps (and lives) a little better.