Meet Heidi and The Dream Team: Your Passionate Baby Sleep Consultants


Heidi Holvoet, PhD - Founder, sleep consultant, author

Heidi Holvoet, PhD, award-winning author, baby and toddler sleep consultant with over 12 years experience and certified lactation counselor. Heidi has received awards such as the National Parenting Award (NAPPA) and a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) for her books and website.

Heidi Holvoet, PhD

Association of Professional Sleep Consultants

She is also a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants of which she was one of the earliest contributors. She obtained her PhD degree in physics at the University of Ghent in Belgium.

Continued education, such as most recently: "Keeping Infants Safe, Healthy Brain Development" on Care Courses for Care Professionals, Infant Mental Health and Development Foundation Program at The Wonder Weeks Academy, a foundation program approved by the British Psychological Society.

And the PSI and 2020 Mom Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training at PostPartum Support International .

Featured alongside pediatricians Dr Robert Hamilton and Dr Harvey Karp in Kids in the House's LiveTV episode Let's talk about sleep.

Proudly featured by Yoga Girl in her lovely From the heart Podcast - The Sleep Episode .

Read more about Heidi .

Contact Heidi Holvoet, PhD

Tessa Marks

Tessa is a Dutch psychologist and yoga teacher living with her (French) husband and 22-month-old girl in Geneva.

Tessa Marks

She has worked for over 10 years in the humanitarian field mainly providing psychosocial support to mothers, other caregivers and (their) children all over the world, from Asia to Africa to South and Central America with agencies such as the Red Cross, the International Rescue Committee and UNICEF.

At the moment she is working towards opening up her own independent practice.

Tessa became a huge fan of Heidi's approach while struggling with their daughters sleep and not wanting to let her cry it out.

She could not be happier to now be part of the team and have the chance to offer parents and their babies the same non-judgmental support and to work together with parents and baby on a gentle approach to more sleep with respect for everyone's needs and rhythm.

Stephanie Sanders

Steph is originally from Colorado, in the US, and currently lives with her two kids and husband in the Swedish Countryside.

Stephanie Sanders and baby son

Before settling in Sweden, Steph traveled extensively which included completing her bachelor’s and studying Public Relations at Bond University in Australia and backpacking through Central and South America.

She also was Project Coordinator and then Program Coordinator of the S.O.U.L. Foundation which partners with over 40 communities in rural Uganda and focuses on education, women’s empowerment, food security, and maternal health.

In addition to her work with Baby Sleep Advice, Steph teaches yoga and mindfulness. Teaching since 2011, she believes yoga helps cultivate self-understanding, deeper relationships, and a more compassionate worldview.

She had completed several yoga trainings including her 200-hour teacher training, Restorative Yoga Level 2, and Prenatal and Postnatal YTT.

She has also completed her Conflict Resolution and Mediation training.

After the pregnancy and birth of her daughter, Steph experienced motherhood as a pathway to inner growth with the potential for building community. She enjoys sharing the intersection between holistic traditions like yoga and meditation while also tending to our nervous systems and the demands of modern living.

You can find out more about Steph at stephsandersyoga.com or on Instagram @stephsandersyoga.

Inge Marks

Inge Marks

Inge is Dutch and studied Biological Psychology and Animal Sciences.

She worked in the field of animal welfare all over the world. After Inge's son was born she settled down in Germany with her husband. She became a passionate advocate of natural baby sleep and parenting.

Knowing how difficult this is in today's hectic world she found herself in Heidi Holvoet's gentle approach.

She is very happy to be part of Heidi's team and can't wait to help parents understand their baby better and provide advice where needed and a listening ear where wanted.

Celia Ponzo

Celia Ponzo

Celia is Italian and Swiss living with her husband and toddler daughter in Seychelles. Her pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey with her daughter inspired her to pursue her studies in maternal health.

Celia is a Maternal Support Practitioner (doula) with a background in Medical Anthropology and Public Health and focuses on providing expectant families and new families the knowledge they need to welcome the life changing experience of having a baby with confidence.

Based on science, her teachings always promote listening to your innate instincts to guide your way in parenting.

Find out more about Celia on www.birthnbeyond.net Follow her on instagram birth_beyond_

Dr Leah Alexander, M.D., F.A.A.P.

In 2018, Dr Leah Alexander, M.D., F.A.A.P., joined Baby-Sleep-Advice.com to fact-check all articles for medical accuracy. She is keeping a meticulous eye, in particular on content that directly impacts your baby's health and safety.

Dr Alexander began practicing pediatrics at Elizabeth Pediatric Group of New Jersey in 2000. She has been an independently contracted pediatrician with Medical Doctors Associates at Pediatricare Associates of New Jersey since 2005.

Heidi Holvoet, PhD

After graduating from Kalamazoo College and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, she completed her pediatric residency at Overlook and Morristown Memorial Hospitals. Dr Alexander is board certified in General Pediatrics.

Outside of the field of medicine, she has an interest in culinary arts. After attending culinary courses at the French Culinary Institute, she opened a catering business, Global Palate, LLC in 2007. As owner and executive chef, she catered small group parties for six years.

In addition to her ongoing pediatric work, Dr Alexander is freelance writer with Upwork.