We recently connected with Kenyon Gatlin and have shared our conversation below.

Kenyon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Honestly, I never imagined I’d be doing what I do today. My original dream — and one I still plan to pursue — was to become a registered nurse. I’ve always been passionate about the medical field; science lights me up, and caring for people has always felt like my calling.

While working as an EMT on a 911 ambulance and attending school to become an RN, I also nannied for two families. One of them asked for my help sleep training their baby, and that’s when I first saw the power of healthy sleep skills — not just for the baby, but for the entire family. At the time, I saw it as a useful skill, not a future career.

Then my entire world shifted. My daughter’s birth was traumatic, and she spent 59 days in the NICU. She was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) at birth, resulting in her being transferred to the highest level NICU. She required a treatment called therapeutic hypothermia. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia — conditions that affected her airway and made breathing and feeding incredibly difficult. She required a G-tube to receive nutrition, and our lives revolved around therapies, specialist visits, and simply keeping her stable. My husband and I decided it would be best for me to put nursing school on hold so I could stay home and care for her full time.

When she finally came home, I was exhausted and overwhelmed, to say the least. I found myself googling every day, desperate to figure out how to help her sleep independently and for longer stretches. Through my research, I became fascinated — even obsessed — with the science of newborn sleep: the biology, the developmental stages, the research. My “science brain” kicked into overdrive, and I knew that once she was medically cleared and developmentally ready, I wanted to teach her independent sleep skills.

And when the time came, I did. By four months old, she was sleeping beautifully — long, consolidated stretches overnight and predictable naps during the day — and the transformation was life-changing. My partner was shocked; he honestly didn’t believe it was possible. I remember telling him that I’d been thinking about helping other parents do the same, and he said, “You should — if that’s a thing.” That little comment planted the seed.

From there, Nite Nite Baby was born — a business built from lived experience, medical knowledge, and the belief that no parent should have to navigate sleep deprivation alone. What started as something I did for one family years ago has now become a calling that allows me to support families through one of the most exhausting, overwhelming seasons of their lives.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Kenyon Gatlin, founder of Nite Nite Baby, a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, former EMT, and most importantly, a mama to the most beautiful and resilient little girl.

My path to sleep consulting was anything but linear. While working on an ambulance running 911 calls in Los Angeles County, I was also a nanny — caring for two little boys who had been sleep-trained from a young age. They went to sleep easily, napped beautifully, and slept through the night without issue. In contrast, I had cared for children who lacked healthy sleep hygiene — their schedules were unpredictable, their moods and behavior were all over the place, and sleep for the whole household was fragmented. The difference was stark, and it made a deep impression on me.

Fast forward to my pregnancy, when I was caring for a 4-month-old whose mom was in the process of sleep training him with guidance from a certified pediatric sleep consultant through the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management — the same program where I would later earn my own certification. I was the one implementing the naps and daily schedule, and within just two weeks, I saw an incredible transformation. He began napping independently and sleeping soundly through the night. I remember thinking: I have to do this for my own daughter one day.

Then life took an unexpected turn. I had a crash C-section where I was put under general anesthesia, and my daughter was born lifeless. She had to be resuscitated and was transported to a high-level NICU shortly after birth, where she was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) — a type of brain injury caused by lack of oxygen at birth. She underwent therapeutic hypothermia (cooling therapy) for several days before being slowly rewarmed, and we were told she would likely never walk, talk, or do anything outside of a wheelchair.

Our 59-day NICU stay was filled with uncertainty, tears, and endless prayers. She struggled with severe feeding difficulties due to laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia, which led to her needing a G-tube and multiple therapies to help her safely eat and meet her milestones. Those early months were the hardest of my life — but they completely reshaped who I am as a mother and as a professional.

Today, that same baby who was once labeled as “unlikely to walk or talk” is thriving beyond every expectation. She’s talking a million miles an hour, running around, laughing, learning, and living completely free of any limitations. She is truly a miracle, and she’s the reason I do what I do.

Out of that experience, Nite Nite Baby was born. I support families worldwide, working with children from newborns all the way through big kids up to 10 years old. Each family receives a customized sleep plan tailored to their child’s specific needs based on their age, development, and each parent’s unique parenting style. I walk alongside families as they implement their plans through one-on-one coaching and continued support, helping them navigate changes with confidence and consistency. I also host virtual and in-person workshops on newborn, infant, toddler, and neurodiverse sleep, offering guidance that’s both evidence-based and realistic for today’s modern families.

What sets me apart is the combination of clinical insight, lived experience, and empathy. My healthcare background gives me a deep understanding of safety and child development, while my motherhood journey keeps me grounded in compassion and reality. I’ve lived the sleepless nights, the alarms, the medical appointments — and I know how hard it can be to function when no one is sleeping.

I’m also working on launching a YouTube channel, where I’ll be sharing more of our family’s journey through mom-vlogs — from our experiences as a NICU and G-tube family to the everyday moments of motherhood, growth, and balance. My hope is to create a space where parents feel seen, supported, and reminded that there’s no one “right” way to do this — just the way that works for your family. I especially want to make things simpler for parents who find themselves in the same stage of life I once was — coming home from the NICU, juggling countless appointments and therapies, and trying to navigate a new world of medical needs while still just being “mom and dad.” I feel so blessed that I was able to stay home and coordinate all of that care for my daughter, but I know many parents don’t have that option. So if I can create a platform that helps connect them to the right resources, support, and information, and makes that process even a little bit easier, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

What I’m most proud of is turning our family’s challenges into something purposeful — something that helps other parents reclaim rest, confidence, and joy. My heart is in helping families not just get more sleep, but thrive.

At its core, Nite Nite Baby isn’t just about bedtime routines — it’s about restoring balance, confidence, and peace to families who feel overwhelmed. Whether it’s helping a baby learn to self-soothe, supporting breastfeeding moms through sleep transitions, or giving exhausted parents the tools to finally rest — this work is about transforming lives, one night at a time.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

In the sleep consulting industry, the odds can definitely feel stacked against you — there are thousands of consultants out there now, many of whom are moms or doulas branching into the same space. I knew from the beginning that if I wanted to stand out, I had to think differently about how I marketed myself and how I connected with families long-term.

At most community events or vendor fairs, people hand out business cards. But to me, business cards felt outdated — they end up at the bottom of a diaper bag or in a junk drawer, and if you’re anything like me, you just throw them away. So instead, I created something useful: a refrigerator magnet designed specifically for parents of babies and toddlers.

It has a wake window chart for ages 0–3 years, so parents reference it every single day — during the newborn fog, through nap transitions, and beyond. It’s something they actually want to keep on their fridge, holding up their child’s artwork or a family photo. Every time they look at it, they see my logo, my name, and a QR code that takes them straight to book a free call with me.

I knew that not everyone I met would need my services right away — but I also knew that sleep challenges can appear at any stage of a child’s life. So when their baby hits the four-month regression, or their toddler starts climbing out of the crib, or a second baby comes along and sleep suddenly unravels — I’m the consultant they already know and can access within a second by scanning my QR code.

It’s been one of my most effective and rewarding marketing decisions. It’s not flashy or expensive — it’s practical, personal, and long-lasting. And in a sea of business cards, I became the fridge magnet families look at every single day as their children grow.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has been the connections I’ve built within my local community. Early in my business, I listened to a podcast with a woman who later became my mentor, and one piece of advice she gave stuck with me — build genuine relationships. So I made it a daily habit to do exactly that.

Every evening after my daughter went to bed, I sat down and reached out to at least five professionals in the pediatric world — pediatric dentists, occupational therapists, doulas, midwives, pediatricians, chiropractors, you name it. I visited their websites, learned about what they did, and found ways our services could complement each other. Then I sent thoughtful cold emails asking to connect.

To my surprise, many people responded enthusiastically. I started scheduling networking calls, learning how they support families, and sharing how I help parents through sleep challenges. My goal wasn’t to sell — it was to form real partnerships and become a trusted referral source for one another.

Interestingly, most of my clients haven’t come directly from those first conversations, but from the extended network those professionals belong to — other doulas, chiropractors, and therapists who heard my name in their groups when someone asked for a pediatric sleep consultant recommendation.

It took months of planting those seeds before I saw results. I worked with a few families pro bono at first, ran giveaways, and kept showing up consistently. Now, I’m finally seeing the fruit of that effort grow, and I’m deeply grateful for the incredible community that continues to connect me with families who need my help

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nitenitebabysleep.com/
• Instagram: @nite.nite.baby | https://www.instagram.com/nite.nite.baby/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580064444109