Fact or Fiction? Child Sleep Science with a Pediatric Neurologist and Sleep Specialist

There is a lot of terminology and misconceptions thrown around in the pediatric sleep world especially on social media. Can they self- settle? Are wake windows a real thing? And what about regressions?


I welcome back Sujay Kansagra who is a pediatric neurologist and sleep medicine physician at Duke who has dedicated his life to helping kids (and their parents) sleep better. He knows sleep and the importance of it. He was on my show before on an episode called Sleep-training: What the evidence does or doesn't say.

He joins me to discuss:
If genetics play a role in sleep and if there is such a thing as a “good” or “bad” sleeper
If “wake-windows” are evidence-based
If there’s a certain age we would expect a baby to “sleep through the night”
The truth behind sleep regressions

To connect with Sujay Kansagra follow him on Instagram @thatsleepdoc and purchase his book at amzn.to/3GEqUsZ


Additional Resources About Sleep:
Review of Sleep Training Data: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17068...
Cortisol and Sleep Training Research Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27221...
Short Sleep Gene: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/08/415...
"Sleeping Through the Night" Article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20974...
Wide Range of Normal Sleep During First Year: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12563...
Sleep Regressions and Data Behind Fixed Months for Regression: https://www.babysleep.com/sleep-advic...


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00:00 – Intro
02:15 – Welcome Back, Dr. Kansagra
03:17 – Why He Started @ThatSleepDoc
05:04 – Do Genetics Affect Sleep?
06:46 – The “Good Sleeper” vs “Bad Sleeper” Label
08:35 – Are Wake Windows Real?
10:50 – Why Overtired Kids Struggle to Sleep
13:17 – Are Sleep Crutches Always Bad?
15:08 – Letting Go of Sleep Guilt
17:34 – Parenting Isn’t a Checklist
19:53 – When Should Babies Sleep Through the Night?
23:01 – Does Weight Matter for Sleep Training?
25:08 – Why Sleep Is More Than Just Sleep
26:12 – What Do We Know About Sleep Regressions?
28:58 – The Pressure of Modern Parenting
30:00 – Every Baby Is Different
31:05 – Final Message: Sleep Is Hard, But It Gets Better
32:14 – Where to Follow Dr. Kansagra
33:14 – Final Thoughts and Review Reminder


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Keywords: doctor, pediatrician, baby sleep training, how to get baby to sleep, toddler bedtime routine, night wakings baby, infant sleep problems, sleep regression baby, baby won’t sleep at night, sleep tips for new parents