Navigating Infant Sleep: A Holistic Approach for New Mothers

Infant sleep is one of those topics that feels both incredibly simple and incredibly complicated. On the surface, babies are born to sleep—it’s a natural biological function. Yet, for most healthy, typically developing children, it’s often society and adults who complicate sleep.

When you’re in the thick of postpartum life—running on little sleep, trying to balance recovery, feeding, and everything else—it can feel impossible to know what to do. That’s why having someone guide you through the differences between infant sleep and adult sleep can make or break your postpartum experience. Babies aren’t little adults; their sleep cycles, needs, and rhythms are very different. When we try to make them fit into our adult expectations, frustration usually follows.

Understanding the Basics of Infant Sleep

Infant sleep is not just about the hours spent in a crib. It’s about understanding your baby's unique sleep patterns. Babies have shorter sleep cycles than adults. They wake more frequently and need help transitioning between sleep stages. Recognizing these differences is crucial for your peace of mind.

Why Terminology Matters

Another layer of confusion often comes from the way we talk about sleep. Words like roomsharing, co-sleeping, and bedsharing are often used interchangeably, when in reality, they mean very different things. And those differences matter—especially when you’re talking with your provider or your baby’s provider.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Roomsharing: Baby sleeps in the same room as you, usually in a bassinet, crib, or sidecar sleeper.

• Co-sleeping: An umbrella term that means sleeping close enough to respond to your baby’s cues, whether that’s in the same bed or same room.

• Bedsharing: Baby sleeps in the same bed as a parent or caregiver.

  
  

Using the correct terminology with health care and postpartum professionals helps you make informed choices about what’s safest and most practical for your family. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution—what matters most is understanding the differences and choosing what supports healthy and safe sleep for both you and your baby.

A Personal Example: The Power of the Five S’s

I’ll share a personal story that really showed me how simple adjustments can make a huge difference.

My son has never been what I’d call a “problem sleeper.” Our typical nights look like this: we go through his bedtime routine, I nurse him to sleep, and then comes the tricky part—rolling away. It usually takes 15–20 minutes for him to get into a deep enough sleep that I can unlatch and move without waking him.

For a long time, I didn’t mind. I love the cuddles, and since we were bedsharing, I often just drifted off next to him. But as he got older and I started craving a little more personal time in the evenings, I decided to try something new.

I had been reading up on infant sleep strategies and came across the Five S’s—a technique popularized by Dr. Harvey Karp. It stands for:

• Suck (nursing, pacifier, or bottle)

• Sway (gentle movement)

• Shush (white noise or soft shushing sounds)

• Swaddle (or holding snugly to mimic the feeling)

• Stomach/side sleep (holding baby safely in a side or tummy-down position until drowsy, then placing them on their back to sleep)

  
  

Here’s what it looked like for us: I nursed him as much as he wanted, then put on Bob Marley’s "Three Little Birds." I held him snug against my chest (to mimic swaddling and tummy sleep), swayed to the beat, and softly shushed him.

Within 20 seconds—yes, 20 seconds—he was out cold. And not only did he fall asleep faster, but he also slept deeper and longer. It was such a simple change, but it completely transformed our evenings.

Simplifying Sleep for You and Your Baby

The truth is, infant sleep doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it often feels. When we understand the biological needs of babies, use accurate language to communicate with providers, and experiment with gentle, proven techniques, we create space for rest—for both our little ones and ourselves.

Sleep may never look perfect (and that’s okay), but with the right tools, we can navigate this journey together.

Finding Support for Better Sleep

Bringing a new baby home often means entering a season where sleep feels unpredictable and exhausting. Nights blur together, your patience runs thin, and it’s easy to wonder whether you’re doing something wrong. Many parents tell me they expected some disruption, but not the level of depletion that comes with broken nights and the pressure of figuring it all out alone.

If that’s where you find yourself, I want you to know: you are not failing, and your baby isn’t broken. Sleep challenges don’t mean something is “wrong”—they simply mean you and your little one need support that respects both biology and connection.

Holistic sleep counseling is about more than schedules and strategies. It’s about understanding how your baby’s sleep actually works, identifying gentle approaches that align with your values, and finding realistic ways to bring rest back into your home. You don’t have to choose between nurturing your baby and getting the sleep you desperately need—you can have both.

If you’re ready for guidance that feels compassionate, practical, and tailored to your family, I’d love to walk alongside you on this journey. Together, we can restore confidence, calm, and peace to your nights.

For more personalized support, consider our 2-Week Guided Sleep Journey.

2-Week Guided Sleep Journey

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