Hi, I’m Ozlem Tugba Ergen, an architect by profession, but these days, most people know me as “mom.” I’m a mother of two: a sweet and spirited 6 year old boy and a joyful baby girl who just turned one.
My journey into motherhood completely shifted my world. It gave me a new lens, one that made me see beyond building physical structures to now building routines, shaping little minds, and navigating the sometimes chaotic (but always meaningful) world of parenting.
My first deep dive into parenting didn’t start with a perfect nursery or a Pinterest board. It started in the middle of a pandemic.
My son was born just before COVID hit, and raising a baby during lockdowns, with childcare services limited to key workers only, was… overwhelming, to say the least.
was juggling work, baby bottles, sleep deprivation, and zero in person support, all at once. That season taught me resilience and became the root of my passion.
I may not have formal degrees in child psychology or pediatric sleep science, but I have something just as valuable: lived experience, real research, and a relentless curiosity. I read books, talked to pediatricians, consulted sleep experts, tested every baby product under the sun, and asked every “why” until I got answers.
And slowly, over time, I became the go to parenting researcher in my circle not because I had all the answers, but because I was willing to find them.
One moment that changed everything for me?
My son’s sleep struggles. For over a year, he barely slept. He would wake up every hour on the hour. The only way I could settle him was by breastfeeding, rocking, or walking him endlessly in his buggy.
I remember doing laps around the same park daily so much that I unintentionally lost a ton of weight just trying to get him to nap. If I stopped walking, he’d wake. And if he woke, we started all over again.
I was exhausted.
Emotionally and physically drained. So, I finally reached out to a sleep consultant, and stumbled across a book that changed our lives: Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West (aka The Sleep Lady).
I followed her gentle sleep training method — the chair method — where I slowly moved further from his crib every few nights. And guess what? In just three weeks, my son went from waking every hour… to sleeping 12 hours straight.
No tears. No trauma. Just trust and tiny steps forward. It was one of my biggest parenting wins.
That moment gave me the confidence to keep learning and sharing. Today, through Hello Baby 101, I offer what I wish I had back then real stories, honest advice, practical tools, and gentle encouragement for other parents navigating the beautiful mess that is raising tiny humans.
I’m now navigating a whole new parenting journey with my baby girl, who has her own unique habits, challenges, and needs. Each day brings something different, but I remain committed to learning and growing as a parent. Despite the ups and downs, I never stop seeking knowledge, and I’m excited to continue sharing my experiences along the way.
Motherhood isn’t something you can fully prepare for, it’s something you live. And I’m still learning every day. I hope my experiences can help lighten your load, offer hope on the hard days, and remind you that you’re not doing it wrong you’re just doing something really hard.
With love,
Ozlem