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Possums Baby Sleep 101 icon

Possums Baby Sleep 101


  • Introduction to this brief & simple section of The Possums Baby Sleep Program
  • Key things to know about babies' sleep
  • The dial on your baby's nervous system
  • Babies' sleep needs
  • Differences in babies' sleep
  • Normal baby night waking
  • Night waking in babies - how much is too much?
  • Babies' body clock
  • Babies' sleep pressure
  • Babies need sensory nourishment
  • Babies' bedtime
  • Feeds and cuddles help babies sleep
  • Babies and sleep safety
  • Key steps to help with babies' sleep
  • Set a regular wake-up time for your baby
  • Baby sleep superpower #1: milk = sleep
  • Baby sleep superpower #2: rich stimulation = sleep
  • Let your baby nap on the go
  • Active evenings help babies' night sleep

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  • Possums Baby Sleep 101
  • S1: Possums baby sleep 101 (brief & simple)

Babies' bedtime

Dr Pamela Douglas9th of Jul 202317th of May 2024

mother and baby cuddling in bed

This page is part of a collection of short articles called Brief & simple, which together make up a quick summary of The Possums Sleep Program in plain language. For comprehensive information and support, please go to The essentials section of The Possums Sleep Program, and begin to work your way through the program's online text and videos.

In most countries around the world, babies don't go to sleep in the evening until close to parents' bedtime. The problem with an early bedtime is that after a few weeks it might result in excessive night waking.

Early bedtimes might also result in your baby's body clock being ready to start the day early in the morning when it's still dark. This results in a lot of groaning, grunting and wriggling, even if baby's eyes are closed, because they no longer need more deep sleep!

Acknowledgements

I'm grateful to Professor Sophie Havighurst, Ros June, and Caroline Ma at Mindful, The University of Melbourne, for their feedback on the articles in the Brief & simple section of The Possums Sleep Program. They helped to keep the language plain and the concepts as accessible as possible. For comprehensive information and support, please go to The essentials section of The Possums Sleep Program, and begin to work your way through the program's online text and videos.

Recommended resources

Baby bedtimes are closer to parent bedtimes in cultures of the global majority

Babies who go to bed too early in the evening might end up with excessive night waking a few weeks later

Is your baby having trouble sleeping because of gut pain?

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Feeds and cuddles help babies sleep

a mother breastfeeds her baby to sleep

This page is part of a collection of short articles called Brief & simple, which together make up a quick summary of The Possums Sleep Program in plain language. For comprehensive information and support, please go to The essentials section of The Possums Sleep Program, and begin to work your way through the program's online text and videos.

Going to sleep with a feed and a cuddle is normal way for human babies to go to sleep. It is much easier than trying to put babies down while they are still awake!

Going to sleep with a feed and cuddle doesn't…

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