Myth Busting - Common Sleep Myths

Eat, play, sleep: 

You may hear people suggest using a routine called eat, play, sleep when a baby is awake. This is a very old concept and is now considered outdated. If it works for your baby, that’s great. But if it doesn’t, there’s no need to force it. 

Sleep schedules: 

Some babies thrive on routine, while others don’t, it all depends on temperament. Knowing your baby’s average wake durations (based on the averages for their age) and watching for tired cues is key to creating a sleep rhythm that suits their unique needs. Watch for average wake durations and tired cues to create a sleep rhythm that suits your baby’s unique needs. 

Self-soothing: 

Self-soothing is part of a baby’s temperament, it’s not something that needs to be taught. Some babies settle easily on their own, while others need more support. You don’t need to teach self-soothing to improve sleep. Providing comfort and helping your baby feel safe is what truly matters. Independent sleep naturally comes with brain maturation when a baby feels safe enough to fall asleep alone. 

Naps, is complete darkness needed?: 

Daylight naps are great for newborns! Since babies are born without a circadian rhythm, napping in natural light during the day helps their brains learn the difference between day and night, supporting healthy sleep. Ditch the black out blinds for naps forever! Keep naps in the daylight, especially in the newborn days. Once your baby is older than a newborn, napping in daylight is still really beneficial, however, some babies prefer a dimmer (not blackout pitch black) environment if they are a highly distractable temperament. 

Drowsy but awake: 

Not all babies can be put down drowsy but awake, and that’s okay! Whether a baby settles to sleep independently depends on their natural temperament. It’s not something that needs to be taught or practised. If it works for your baby, great! If not, there’s no need to force it. 

Cat naps: 

They are normal and common. Cat naps refer to short naps that many babies take. While they’re sometimes seen as “bad,” research shows they are biologically normal and very common until around 8–10 months of age. 

At this stage, babies often need fewer naps throughout the day and can handle longer periods of awake time, which can help consolidate naps and make them longer. However, that isn’t always the case, some babies continue to need and thrive on shorter naps even beyond 8–10 months. 

If your baby takes short naps but is happy and content for the rest of their wake time, there’s no need to worry. Shorter naps are perfectly okay. 

MYTH: Long naps equal better night sleep. 

False. There’s no direct link between longer nap lengths and night sleep. It’s about balancing sleep pressure and meeting individual needs. Some babies thrive on longer naps, while others sleep better overnight with shorter ones. 

MYTH: Your baby "should" sleep 12 hours straight by 6 months. 

False. Sleep needs and patterns vary widely. Biologically, most babies continue to wake at night for food, connection, and safety check-ins well beyond 12 months. 

MYTH: If your toddler wakes overnight, it’s a behaviour issue. 

False. Overnight waking is usually due to development, needing food, sleep pressure changes, connection needs, or sensory and emotional growth. 

MYTH: If you support your child’s sleep, they’ll never learn to sleep alone. 

False. Supporting your child’s sleep now does not prevent them from developing independence later. 

MYTH: You’ll ruin sleep by responding overnight. 

False. Responding to your baby’s needs overnight builds trust and connection. It does not “ruin” their sleep. 

The truth about sleep associations 

What are sleep associations? 

They’re the things your child connects with falling asleep - like feeding, rocking, humming a song, putting on a sleep sack, being pushed in the pram, bum patting, back rubbing, leg squeezes, white noise, or simply a parent’s presence. 

• There are no "bad" sleep associations. 
• They only become tricky if they stop working for your family. 
• In fact, the more sleep associations you layer in, the easier it is to adapt when things change. Using multiple sleep associations at the same time can make sleep more flexible and feel more manageable for you as a parent.