Newborn Sleep Course

Lesson 1 • Hormones and Sleep Regulation

Examines cortisol, melatonin, and prolactin roles in infant sleep. Connects hormonal patterns to feeding schedules and caregiver behavior.

Lesson 2 • Newborn Sleep Architecture Basics

Covers active and quiet sleep states unique to newborns. Provides the biological baseline needed for all subsequent sleep guidance.

Lesson 3 • Circadian Rhythm Development

Explains how the circadian system matures from birth through three months. Links light exposure and feeding cues to rhythm entrainment.

Lesson 1 • Communicating Safe Sleep to Caregivers

Develops skills for delivering safe sleep guidance without judgment. Addresses cultural practices and caregiver resistance with evidence-based responses.

Lesson 2 • Environmental Risk Factor Assessment

Trains practitioners to identify and document environmental sleep risks. Prepares them to conduct structured home or clinical environment reviews.

Lesson 3 • Bedding, Clothing, and Swaddling Safety

Addresses hazards from loose bedding and improper swaddling technique. Connects clothing and swaddle choices to thermoregulation and hip safety.

Lesson 4 • Core Safe Sleep Principles

Introduces the foundational safe sleep recommendations supported by pediatric research. Anchors all environmental assessments to infant safety outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Hunger Cues vs. Other Waking Triggers

Teaches practitioners to distinguish hunger cues from comfort-seeking and discomfort. Reduces unnecessary feeding interventions and caregiver anxiety.

Lesson 2 • Newborn Stomach Capacity and Feeding Frequency

Quantifies stomach size growth and its direct link to feeding intervals. Sets realistic expectations for nighttime feeding frequency by week of age.

Lesson 3 • Formula Feeding and Sleep Patterns

Compares formula-fed infant sleep patterns to breastfed norms. Helps practitioners give accurate guidance without feeding-method bias.

Lesson 4 • Introducing Longer Nighttime Stretches

Outlines developmentally appropriate timelines for extending nighttime sleep. Connects caloric intake strategies to gradual night-stretch lengthening.

Lesson 1 • Contact and Motion Settling Methods

Reviews holding, rocking, babywearing, and motion-based settling approaches. Evaluates each method's effectiveness and sustainability for caregivers.

Lesson 2 • Understanding Sleep Associations

Defines positive and negative sleep associations and their behavioral mechanisms. Establishes the conceptual framework for all settling interventions.

Lesson 3 • Building Independent Settling Skills

Introduces age-appropriate strategies for fostering self-settling in newborns. Balances responsiveness with gradual skill-building for long-term sleep success.

Lesson 4 • Sucking as a Sleep Association

Analyzes pacifier use and nursing-to-sleep as sucking-based associations. Guides practitioners in advising on pacifier introduction timing and weaning.

Lesson 1 • Nap Biology in the Newborn Period

Explains how nap architecture differs from nighttime sleep in newborns. Connects nap quality to nighttime consolidation and overall sleep pressure.

Lesson 2 • Common Nap Problems and Solutions

Identifies catnapping, nap refusal, and late-day nap issues. Provides structured troubleshooting steps for each common nap challenge.

Lesson 3 • Wake Windows by Age

Defines developmentally appropriate wake windows from birth through twelve weeks. Teaches practitioners to use wake windows as the primary nap scheduling tool.

Lesson 4 • Nap Environment Optimization

Applies safe sleep and association principles to the daytime nap setting. Ensures nap environment consistency supports skill transfer to nighttime sleep.

Lesson 1 • Post-Regression Sleep Consolidation

Outlines the path from regression disruption to improved sleep consolidation. Prepares practitioners to guide families into structured sleep training if desired.

Lesson 2 • Intervention Strategies During the Regression

Provides evidence-informed responses to regression-related sleep disruption. Balances caregiver sustainability with infant developmental needs.

Lesson 3 • Neurological Basis of the Regression

Explains the permanent shift in sleep architecture occurring around four months. Distinguishes this regression from temporary disruptions caused by illness or growth.

Lesson 4 • Preparing Families Before the Regression

Delivers proactive education strategies to set caregiver expectations early. Reduces caregiver distress by normalizing the regression before it begins.

Lesson 1 • Writing a Clear, Actionable Sleep Plan

Structures a written sleep plan with daily schedules, response scripts, and goals. Ensures caregivers can implement the plan without practitioner support.

Lesson 2 • Documenting and Communicating Plans

Covers professional documentation standards for sleep plans and session notes. Prepares practitioners for multi-provider communication and record-keeping.

Lesson 3 • Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Plans

Establishes follow-up protocols for tracking sleep plan outcomes. Teaches data-driven plan adjustment based on caregiver feedback and sleep logs.

Lesson 4 • Selecting Appropriate Sleep Strategies

Matches evidence-based strategies to each family's goals, values, and capacity. Prevents one-size-fits-all recommendations that reduce plan adherence.

Lesson 1 • Adoptive and Foster Family Contexts

Adapts sleep guidance for infants with unknown histories or early trauma exposure. Emphasizes attachment-sensitive approaches for non-biological caregivers.

Lesson 2 • Medical Conditions Affecting Sleep

Identifies common medical conditions that disrupt newborn sleep patterns. Trains practitioners to recognize when medical referral is required.

Lesson 3 • Multiples: Twins and Triplets

Addresses the unique scheduling and settling challenges of multiple-birth families. Provides synchronization strategies that reduce caregiver burden.

Lesson 4 • Caregiver Mental Health and Sleep

Connects caregiver postpartum mental health to infant sleep outcomes. Equips practitioners to screen for distress and provide appropriate referrals.