True North - Little Dipper's Origin Story and Why We're a Different Kind of Sleep Coach

Have you ever been out at dusk or after dark with your child, and gazed up at the twinkling stars together? One star and planet coming to light at a time, until the sky is illuminated in a wondrous display of celestial magic? I remember this feeling as a young child, cozied up and star-gazing with the people I loved most. Time stood still and nothing in the world mattered other than being in that moment of sweetness. 

sunset snuggles

on the beach, with the kids, sandy wrestling, and stargazing afterward - this is why I became a parent. I look at this picture often, especially when I need to recreate a comforting and joyous feeling on a less than joyous day. And yeah, I lost the wrestling match and got sand in places I didn’t think possible.

When I ventured into the world of entrepreneurship and the business of sleep, what I wanted to do was bottle up  that feeling of security and wonder. I wished, and still wish to this day, that I could just mail a bottle of “feel good” to all parents, everywhere.  Parenting is hard as &$%# and it’s easy to forget just how simple it can be. We are all part of this interconnected universe and love and light surround us, even in the darkest nights. 

So I guess I don’t have to tell you that I haven’t been able to package up and FedEx any good feelings or sleepy stardust. But, at Little Dipper we do our best to recreate those good feelings every day.  Little Dipper isn’t just about coaching parents on how to improve their child’s sleep -- we’re about helping you find your “true north” – the lasting sleep strategies that will work best for your family. Because the truth is, that sleepy stardust is already inside of you. Trust me.

Polaris , also called the North Star, is the most famous star in the little dipper constellation, and probably in the entire sky.  We all hold a unique “truth north” in our hearts. It just gets clouded by a virtual tsunami of BS: social media, blogs (guilty), commentary from your parents, grandparents, neighbors, co-workers, or the lady in the check out line, and more social media.  At Little Dipper, we help you cut through the noise and your faltering self-confidence, to find solid footing and the mindset to achieve your family’s best rest. 

I realize that not everyone has fond memories of star-gazing from childhood. And I’m over-the-top fortunate to hold these feelings dear to my heart. The good news is that if you’re a parent, you have the opportunity to create this wonder with your child no matter what. I urge you to walk outside tonight as the stars are coming out, even if bedtime is pushed a little late. And feel the sweetness of connecting with your baby or child under the starlit sky. 

snuggles under the stars

I adore this photo of my husband and youngest, December 21, 2020, at Maple View Farms in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, witnessing the “Great Conjunction.” It was such a special event and spectacular astrological phenomenon to witness — with all my sweeties under the stars.

For those of you who are curious about how Little Dipper came to be, feel free to read on and enjoy my recently updated “About” Story, which you can also find on our website: 

I didn’t realize how much I coveted sleep until my first child was born. 

His sleep was crap, and it rocked my world. 

I’d shut myself in the bathroom, run the hairdryer and frantically bounce him, desperate for him to just sleep. All the sleep books, websites, and Instagram posts quickly overwhelmed me with a million conflicting responses. It left me beating my head against the wall.

Finally, I hired a trained sleep coach to get a plan that my husband and I could actually stick to. That turned out to be the best decision of my life, as both a human and a burnt out parent.

That advice rabbit hole, the darkness I felt, and the light I finally found all led me to become a sleep coach myself more than nine years ago. With my Masters in Public Health (MPH) in Health Behavior and Health Education from UNC-Chapel Hill, my certification from the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants, multiple yoga certifications (including kids yoga), and years spent working with The Baby Sleep Site and the Huckleberry sleep app, I’ve brought mindfulness and deep scientific understanding to my approach to sleep coaching. In the process, I’ve become an advocate for and guide to the life-changing magic and human right of quality sleep.

I founded my own practice, Little Dipper, in 2017 so that parents like me and you can get our lives and joy back again. Across my career, I’ve helped thousands of families reach their sleep goals, and today, Little Dipper is here to help you reach yours.

Our deeply educated team of sleep coaches guide you using my signature Mindful Method for Sleep™ process, equipping you with what too many sleep gurus skip over: the importance of a parent’s mindset. We use simple mindfulness techniques to tap into your mental health and improve the well-researched relationship between a parents’ nervous system and their kid’s. Having partnered with hundreds of families, we’ve found that this is the key to that total transformation of going from sleep-deprived to thriving together.

We champion sleep as a family value, and Little Dipper proudly serves all types of families, parents, and kids, regardless of income level or background. As parents of families who are gender-diverse and neuro-diverse, our practice is dedicated to supporting and celebrating your unique, wonderful family, meeting you where you are in your sleep (or lack of sleep!) journey.

In all that we do, we’re here for you because we remember exactly what it’s like. We’ve been trapped in that pitch-black bathroom, desperate for a real plan. That’s exactly why we create them. Helping you find your “true north” is our true north. 

Here’s to discovering yours together.

Sincerely,

Liz

Liz Harden, MPH (she/her)
Founder & Lead Sleep Coach & mom to 2 kiddos who sleep well (but not because they come by it naturally!)