Logo - The Possums baby and toddler sleep program.Logo - The Possums baby and toddler sleep program.
menu-icon-libraryfull programsmenu-icon-audioaudio program
what is the possums sleep program?building this program from the scienceresearch that shows it workstestimonials from parents
speak to dr pam
login-iconlogin

Welcome back!

Forgot password
sign up
search

Search programs

Baby Sleep (0-12 months) icon

Baby Sleep (0-12 months)


  • Is your baby unsettled or having trouble sleeping because of gut pain?
  • Will burping, pausing for 'rest and digest', or holding baby upright after feeds make your baby more settled?
  • Is your baby unsettled or having trouble sleeping because of reflux?
  • Is your baby unsettled or having trouble sleeping because of allergy?
  • Is your baby unsettled or having trouble sleeping because of lactose?
  • Do breastfed babies have sleep problems because of hunger?
  • Will probiotics help your unsettled baby?
  • Is your baby (< 6 months) with sleep problems hungry and needing to start solids?
  • Is your baby (6 months +) with sleep problems hungry and needing more solids?

Listen to audio program

Next article

Sign up now
  • Baby Sleep (0-12 months)
  • S5: Busting myths
  • CH 1: Is it hunger, allergy, or your baby's gut?

Will probiotics help your unsettled baby?

Dr Pamela Douglas17th of Jun 202427th of Dec 2024

crying baby; probiotic

Research shows that probiotics can help when your breastfed baby cries and fusses a lot

Research shows that probiotics decrease the amount of time that breastfed babies spend crying and fussing. All probiotic strains seem effective, but Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 has been shown to be the most effective.

Probiotics have not been shown to have this effect in fussy babies who are formula-fed.

Having said this, many or even most of the families I've seen over the years are already giving their baby a probiotic when they come to see me, yet their little one has continued to cry and fuss a great deal. It's only once we work together through the Possums five domain approach to crying and fussing, which includes The Possums Sleep Program, and important elements of Possums Breastfeeding & Lactation, that we start to see a much more dialled down baby. You can find out about the five domain approach starting here.

Do probiotics work by changing your baby's gut microbiome?

Often it's said that probiotics work by changing the gut microbiome, which decreases baby's pain. But it's been shown in the research that probiotics don't change the infant gut microbiome.

There is also no evidence, and no good rationale, to link the highly variable gut microbiome of our babies, even our crying babies, with physical experiences of pain. When baby's sympathetic nervous system is frequently dialled up high, this has an impact on the gut microbiome composition, but there is still no scientific reason to think of this as causing pain.

Importantly, research studies in this field do continue to have big blind spots about the impact of breastfeeding challenges on baby crying and fussing. I think this blind spot in the research means that we have to take these findings about probiotic use in fussy breastfed babies with a grain of salt, and not especially rely upon it.

Research looking at probiotic use in fussy breastfed babies doesn't take into account the effects of lactose overload

This is because none of the studies investigating probiotic use in crying breastfed babies have taken into account the possibility of lactose overload, a breastfeeding problem which really does cause inflammation of the large gut and pain in babies. It is possible that this inflammation may downregulate somewhat in response to baby taking Lactobacillus reuteri.

But what really matters when you have an unsettled breastfed baby is that you have help to directly deal with any cause of lactose overload in your baby, as well as all the other underlying problems that can make babies cry and fuss a lot.

You can find out about lactose overload here.

Currently, it seems sensible to try Lactobacillus reuteri if your breastfed baby is fussing a lot, given the research. But to my mind you'll be best able to dial your baby down and make the days and nights most manageable if you are able to deal with the actual underlying problems which cause breastfed babies to dial up a lot, discussed in here in Possums Breastfeeding & Lactation.

Research shows that biotics don't improve baby sleep

A systematic review has found that biotics, which include probiotics in over half the studies but also prebiotic and synbiotic supplementation, don't improve sleep durations in babies in the first year of life.

Selected references

Matin M, Brockway M, Badejo A. Effect of biotic supplementation on infant sleep and setting behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Beneficial Microbes. 2024:https://doi.org/10.1163/18762891-bja18700034.

Quin C, Estaki M, Vollman DM, Barnett JA, Gill SK, Gibson DL. Probiotic supplementation and associated infant gut microbiome and health: a cuationary retrospective clinical comparison. Scientific Reports. 2018;8:8283.

Vaz SR, Tofoli MH, Avelino MAG, Da Costa PSS. Probiotics for infantile colic: is there evidence beyond doubt? A meta-analysis and systeamtic review. Acta Paediatrica. 2023;113:170-182.

Finished

share this article

Next up in Is it hunger, allergy, or your baby's gut?

Is your baby (< 6 months) with sleep problems hungry and needing to start solids?

baby sleeping while being held in mother's arms

If your baby is waking excessively in the night, it's most likely because of disrupted body clock settings, not hunger

If your baby's body clock settings are disrupted, he will look for a feed each time he wakes in the night. He isn't waking excessively because he has developed a bad habit of wanting to feed, as you might sometimes hear!

  • A baby who is breastfeeding for long periods in the night without settling back to sleep (and who is otherwise tracking well on her growth chart percentile line) is excessively wakeful because her

logo-possums
decoration

About us

AboutCode of ethicsSpeak to Dr Pam

Programs

Browse sleep programsAudio programsGet advice

Help & Support

FAQsContact us

Legal

Privacy policyTerms & conditions

Get sleep tips and Possums updates straight to your inbox

Receive tips, updates, offers and more from Possums. We respect your privacy, and we'll never spam you. Unsubscribe anytime.

Dr Pam logo

© Dr Pamela Douglas 2025

Visit to learn more about the Possums project