Born and raised in Billinge, Lancashire, Louise Morelli says her childhood was filled with love, laughter and fun with her older brother and sister. “Family has always been so important in my life and not seeing my family has been the hardest part of Covid life,” says the British entrepreneur.
Louise moved out to Monaco with her partner around 15 years ago, which she describes as “a new adventure and a great decision” and the couple later married in the Principality. A passionate runner, Louise is often seen whizzing around Monaco. “We live on the Rock, so the last hill home during a run is always a killer,” she laughs. The health enthusiast has recently developed a fondness also for Tibetan yoga, which she practices daily.
Monaco is home for Louise and her husband. It is where their daughter was born and attends school, and where Louise is an active member of the community. She is a member of St Paul’s Anglican Church, as well as a Council Member, and additionally helps out with their Mother and Baby group, which runs on Monday and Thursday mornings.
“Being a new mom in Monaco can be a challenge,” Louise confesses. “I found it surprisingly lonely when my daughter was a new-born. Thankfully there are a few parks here where you can meet other mothers and there’s the brilliant Mother and Baby group at St Paul’s which gives moms a bi-weekly place to go, make new friends and have a coffee/tea and a chat. For me, it was a lifesaver. There are a growing number of activities available and thankfully we are blessed with beaches nearby and access to nature.”
And how does Louise compare her upbringing to that of her 6-year-old daughter? “Oh my goodness, it is so different,” she insists. “Monaco apartment life is not at all like my childhood experience. I grew up on a street with many other children and we were in and out of each other’s houses all day. There was a freedom and simplicity then that is difficult to achieve today. In Monaco, space is limited and playdates need to be organised. For many of us, though, the biggest difference is that our families do not live nearby. Thankfully we have technology so that video calls can happen, but there is nothing like visiting family members in person and sharing hugs.”
Growing up, Louise wanted to be a doctor and although that dream did not pan out, her fascination with the human body and mind continued. “People really interest me,” she reveals. This led her to obtain a qualification as a Baby Sleep Consultant and launch her own business, Gently to Sleep. “Sleep deprivation is a huge part of parenthood and it is torture. My daughter didn’t sleep through the night until she was 15 months old. I was totally exhausted and when I finally managed to get her sleeping well – and, by default, me sleeping well – the process of achieving good sleep for our daughter then sparked an interest in all things sleep and ignited a passion to help other families.”
Louise describes witnessing exhausted parents in survival mode regain their joie de vivre. “I really want them to have the energy to be the best parent they can be and appreciate their parenting journey. I absolutely love my work.”
Parents approach Louise with a range of issues including: frequent night waking, poor napping, struggling to settle little ones to sleep, bedtime battles or more pro-active needs, such as needing help to get babies into a good routine. “The great thing is that all sleep challenges can be improved or resolved and in a way that feels right,” explains Louise. “I see a lot of guilt and self-criticism from parents, and especially moms, when their little ones aren’t sleeping well. There’s a lot of pressure to be the perfect parent and parents, and especially moms, often feel judged if their baby isn’t sleeping through the night. But they shouldn’t feel this way.
“More often than not, I see parents who have been responsive and intuitive and have done everything necessary to ensure their baby sleeps well. They just reach a point where all the things they have been doing to get their baby to sleep, suddenly become less effective, so the time comes to change this and encourage their little ones to fall asleep easily and stay asleep.”
Louise points out that there is a lot of misinformation around infant sleep and how to encourage little ones to sleep better. “Many people think that encouraging great sleep means automatically using the ‘cry it out’ method – leaving a baby to cry and not responding – and this simply isn’t true. There are many ways to ease little ones into independent sleep and sometimes simply changing the timing or length of sleep, or making adjustments to the sleep environment, is all you need to make a huge difference. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and my aim is for all parents who work with me to feel that the route they choose feels right for them and fits their philosophy and needs as parents. No judgment, just kindness and support.”
Any tips for those with young children during the current pandemic? “Life with Covid has certainly been interesting. The initial period of confinement with school closures was a huge change in the daily rhythm of life and I really felt for our daughter not being able to socialise with her peers. My best tip for parents is to keep a routine in place as much as possible and get outdoors as much as you can. Fresh air, movement and nature work wonders for wellness.”