Meet Liza Kaplan Montanino

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liza Kaplan Montanino a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Liza, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My purpose has changed with age! Becoming a parent, and living through the pandemic, really refocused me and played a large role in my decision to leave a corporate job after 15 years and start my own sleep consulting agency. In spring 2021, I felt burnt out and desperate for work that would help me feel connected to others and give back to those who were struggling. I’ve been obsessed with my kids’ sleep since my daughter was born (9+ years ago!), and when I discovered that it was possible to teach parents how to improve their children’s sleep, the decision to make a career pivot gave me a sense of fulfillment, hope, and renewed energy; I knew it was the right next move.

As a small business owner and full-time dual-certified sleep consultant (in pediatrics and children with special needs), I work with clients 1:1, and frequently do guest speaking/teaching/Q&A sessions inside various postpartum groups around Westchester, NJ, and CT, as well as speak at local toddler centers, private preschools, and public schools. I also partner with a number of organizations to teach group workshops and lead webinars–both virtual and in-person–about how to improve sleep habits and hygiene, the direct link between sleep and maternal mental health, and many other sleep-related topics. Such organizations include Postpartum Support International, The Motherhood Center, Little Spoon, NYC Health & Hospitals, Be Her Village, Our Birthing Center, Extra Lucky Moms, and Take a MOMent to name a few.

Having suffered from severe PPD and PPA myself, and having successfully supported hundreds of parents through the sleep training process–leading them from desperate and exhausted to hopeful and well rested–I’ve become extremely passionate about working to disrupt the narrative that equates parenthood with sleep deprivation.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Liza Kaplan Montanino is the founder of Rock-a-Bye Baby Sleep. She is a dual-certified pediatric and special needs sleep consultant through the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management and Institute for Pediatric Sleep & Parenting, respectively. She is also a graduate of the Sleep Health Intelligence Program through Dr. Anya McLaren-Barnett, cofounder of the Westchester Mama & Child Wellness Expo, and sleep expert in The Indy Lab’s Parenting Center. She is a sleep instructor with Virtual Village Parenting, a newborn care professional, lactation educator, and an active member of CAPPA and HVBN. Liza leads workshops, webinars, and group seminars on the importance of sleep quality and how to improve sleep struggles, presenting to parents, clinicians, schools, and postpartum support networks nationwide, including Postpartum Support International, The Motherhood Center, WPA, Midwives of New Jersey, and others. She is passionate about working to disrupt the narrative that equates parenthood with sleep deprivation by educating parents on the important connection between sleep and maternal mental health, and proudly supports neurotypical and special needs families on their journey toward continuous, more restorative sleep so that both children and their parents are better positioned to thrive.

Currently, Liza is working hard to bring sleep education into the hospital system–training physicians on sleep science and health, and teaching sleep support classes to those postpartum–to educate and empower new parents on the intricacies of newborn sleep before discharge, so they are better positioned to thrive during the first few weeks home with their new baby.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The 3 qualities that I think served me best on this journey have been perseverance, courage, and initiative. Being an entrepreneur is not an easy road, filled with lots of highs and lows, and has required a lot of humility and flexible thinking. I’ve learned that if I want people to know what I do, and how I can support them, I need to be comfortable talking about my skill set in front of a broad audience, and not be afraid to hear “no.” Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve become really vocal about my business, asking happy clients to share my name with their friends, friends of friends, etc., doing a lot of cold outreach to other perinatal professionals, offering to do group sessions free of charge, etc. For me, working in a service-based industry that is all about helping people who are struggling means abandoning any nerves I may have about what others may think, and just putting my offer out there. This is the same approach I take when networking with other birth workers and medical professionals, learning about the ways our work and/or demographics overlap, and finding new outlets to share my knowledge with various communities. This approach has led to a number of teaching opportunities, referral partners, course offerings, and more.

My best piece of advice for anyone starting out is to expect the nerves and fear that come with trying something new, and then use those things to push you forward, even when it’s hard.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Always, yes! I’m particularly looking for women’s organizations (doula agencies, childbirth educators, wellness centers), physicians (pediatricians, OB/GYNs, therapists), and/or postpartum support groups who serve women in the perinatal period and are interested in incorporating newborn and infant sleep education into the information they share with their communities. Let’s set up families for success right from the beginning by giving them the knowledge to meet their baby’s–and their own–needs with more confidence and less guesswork!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rockabyebabysleep.com
• Instagram: @liza_rockabyebabysleep
• Facebook: Rock-a-Bye Baby Sleep
• Other: email: [email protected]

  Book a free sleep assessment: https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=23677419&appointmentType=category:Complimentary%20Sleep%20Assessment