A New York City mom has cracked the code of getting her four children under the age of two to sleep through the night.
Forty-one-year-old Courtney Barry (@drcourtneyortho) recently shared some of her sleep secrets in a reel on Instagram, where she revealed that all four children -- who share one bedroom -- were sleeping through the night by just six to 10 weeks old.
Barry, who works as an orthodontist and shares her four children with her husband Matthew, 40, told Newsweek that many aspects of their routine rely on consistency.
"Our approach centers on a predictable wind-down after dinner [such as a] bath, calming activities, same bedtime, [and] keeping bedtime consistent every night," Barry said.
The mom of four is also upfront that support played a role. She and Matthew were able to work with a night nurse during the newborn phase, something she said was invaluable while juggling demanding jobs in NYC.
The cornerstone is predictability for their fail-safe nighttime routine. Every evening follows the same rhythm: dinner at 5:30 p.m., cleanup, bath time around 6:45, followed by bottles and books, then lights out.
Even when traveling, Barry said they try to stick to the same schedule, staying as close as possible to their home time zone. "The underlying principle: well-prepared, well-timed routines reduce night disruptions and help kids adapt quickly," she said.
She's equally intentional about physical readiness for sleep -- clean diapers, nighttime diapers when needed and making sure babies finish a full feed before bed.
Afternoon bottles are spaced carefully so the babies are hungry enough at bedtime, and last naps don't run too late, reducing the risk of wired, overtired evenings.
For the parents, the hardest moments came not at night, but during the day. "The older kids do not nap as long as the younger babies, so we need to 'ninja swoop' in to grab some kids while making sure we did not disturb the other babies," Barry said.
Adjusting to each other's noises -- crying, laughing and waking -- was another hurdle, though one that resolved within a few days.
Barry's reel has gone viral on Instagram, clocking up more than 288,000 views. In the comments, users were impressed by how the family has mastered the ultimate sleep strategy.
As for the future, Barry knows new challenges are coming. The older children have already figured out how to unzip each other's sleep sacks.
Climbing out of cribs is likely next. For now, the plan is simple: maintain structure as long as possible and deal with the next phase when it arrives.
"Like this whole experience of raising four little babies, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she said.