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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)

Let your baby nap on the go

Dr Pamela Douglas9th of Jul 202317th of May 2024

Two mothers sit on stairs outside while their babies nap on their laps

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.

Babies don't need to be taught to sleep.

They can be trusted to take the sleep they need, dropping off in the carrier, the pram, the car capsule or after a feed when the sleep pressure is high enough. As long as your baby has enough milk in the tummy and plenty of adventures outside the house, sleep looks after itself.

Babies daytime naps are often very brief. Trying to keep your baby asleep for long periods during the day can result in excessive night waking after a few weeks. Less day napping equals more night sleeping, as a pattern over time.

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

Plan enjoyable days outside the home to help with baby sleep

Being relaxed about your baby's daytime sleep helps create healthy night-time sleep patterns

Sleep your baby in the midst of light, noise and activity during the day

Is it a problem if your baby cat naps during the day?

Babies with a pattern of long naps during the day might have unmanageably late bed-times or wake excessively in the night

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Next up in Possums baby sleep 101 (brief & simple)

Active evenings help babies' night sleep

a caucasian baby playing in the bath

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.

To keep the settings of your baby's body clock healthy, it's best if evenings are like daytime, filled with light, noise and activity.

It's not necessary to dim the lights in the evening. When your baby's

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