The Follow-Up: Do I Need to Sleep Train?

In this episode, we talk about one of the most loaded parenting topics out there, baby sleep.

Do babies need to be taught to sleep, or is sleep something you should just let happen? And if a family wants support, when does it actually make sense to work on sleep skills?

I sit down with a pediatric sleep expert to unpack what sleep teaching really means, why there is no single right approach, and how families can make choices that fit their needs without guilt or pressure. We break down the idea that sleep is a learned habit, not a moral issue, and why both feeding to sleep and teaching independent sleep can be loving choices depending on the family.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why sleep does not have to be all or nothing

• The difference between newborn sleep shaping and independent sleep skills

• When families often decide sleep support feels helpful

• How feeding, timing, and consistency affect sleep

• What research shows about sleep teaching, stress, and attachment

• Why sleep regressions are about growth, not failure

• How better sleep can support parental mental health and reduce burnout

• How sleep habits connect to toddler behavior and boundaries later on

Want more? Listen to the full, original episode.

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