A little bit about me…
Hello everyone…
I’m Laura - founder of Hush and Hugs Infant Sleep Consultancy, and a proud mum of two wildly different boys.
Motherhood has taught me more than I ever imagined - patience, creativity and the art of finding calm in chaos. Everyday is a blend of cuddles, wild games and learning moments - thanks to my two sons who couldn’t be more different.
My eldest is bursting with energy - always curious, always on the go, very independent with a zest of life that fills every room - a natural explorer with a heart full of fire. Life with him is loud, joyful and beautifully unpredictable.
Then there’s my youngest, who brings a beautiful calm to our home. He has a gentle, content nature - happy to observe, to play quietly and to soak up the world at his own pace. His peaceful presence often balances out the whirlwind around him.
Raising two boys with such contrasting temperaments opened my eyes to just how unique each child truly is - especially when it comes to sleep.
I faced the same struggles so many parents do: broken nights, confusing advice and the emotional toll of not knowing what was “right.” What helped one of my children left the other unsettled.
My eldest is very independent with sleep, he started sleeping through the night (10-12 hours) from 12 weeks old. All he needed was his comfort toy, a hug and a kiss goodnight and then I wouldn’t see him again until the next morning.
YES… I AM VERY LUCKY!
However…
My youngest was born during Covid and yes as you all know… it was a VERY difficult time for everyone! So I can’t blame him for being clingy, unsettled and just not very good with people in general. He built a very strong attachment to me around bedtime and my poor husband was left feeling quite useless as he couldn’t help take any of the pressure off of me as our little one just didn’t allow it! So it is safe to say that his sleeping habits were very different to his brother!
This was completely new territory for me, as I was so use to having at least 10 hours of sleep a night with my eldest, to now having to rock, to pace the room, to hold and feed my youngest to sleep, having several waking’s each night to eventually having to co-sleep just so that we both got a couple of hours of decent sleep each night.
Through that experience, I learned to listen more closely, to respond more intuitively and to trust that sleep doesn’t have to be forced - it can be supported with love. It was in the trial, error and deep listening that I discovered the power of a gentle, responsive approach to sleep.
That experience is the heart of Hush and Hugs, and why I do what I do.
Honouring tradition, Nurturing Trust…
As someone that comes from an East Asian background, raised in a culture that values dedication, deep respect for elders and the quiet strength of caregiving. In many households like mine, parenting was rooted in discipline, duty and high expectations. Parents often believed that strict guidance and tough love were necessary to shape resilient, responsible children. Emotional expression was often subtle or restrained - love was shown through sacrifice, not always though words or affection. Academic achievement, obedience and family honour were deeply valued. Children were expected to behave maturely from a young age and to meet standards that reflected well on the family. Sleep, play and emotions were sometimes seen as secondary to structure and hard work.
While this approach created generations of strong, capable individuals, it also sometimes led to emotional distance, pressure and a lack of space for children’s voices or needs.
Growing up within this tradition, I understood love as action - measured in long hours worked, meals prepared and the relentless pursuit of “what’s best for the child”, even if it was never spoken aloud. While I’m deeply grateful for the strength and resilience that this upbringing gave me, I also remember the silence around emotions, the pressure to be good and the sense that rest or comfort had to be earned.
Honouring rest: The Wisdom of the Confinement Period…
In my East Asian heritage, the first month after childbirth is treated with reverence. This is known as the ‘Confinement Period.’
It’s purpose is to allow the mother to fully rest, recover and rebuild her strength following labour and delivery. It is a month where mothers are lovingly sheltered - kept warm, fed warm nutrient-rich foods such as bone broths, ginger-infused dishes, herbal tonics to restore vitality and improve circulation and cared for by family or elders.
I experienced this tradition first-hand after giving birth to both my sons. I was cared for and looked after by my mother in law, I remember the smell of ginger and sesame oil wafting from the kitchen, the insistence that I stayed wrapped in warmth (I have a Winter baby and a Summer baby) so staying warm during Winter was wonderful but then having to do the same during a heat wave was not as pleasant! Even having to bath in ginger water for a month was suppose to be good for me. I wasn’t allowed to do housework or heavy lifting and to a point even having longer cuddles with my baby was too much!