Baby Sleep: Truths, Myths & Figuring Out What Works (with That Sleep Doc) | Episode 63

This week I'm joined by Dr. Sujay Kansagra - you probably know him as That Sleep Doc, where he's built a following of 700K+ across social media. He's a professor at Duke and director of their Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program, he's authored five books (including *My Child Won't Sleep*), and he even invented a smart crib mattress along the way. His expertise spans sleep disorders across every age, from infants through adults, and he brought all of that knowledge into this conversation with total ease and zero judgment. **Here's what we got into:** - **How to spot credible sleep info online**- what to look for (and watch out for) in a space with no real regulation - **Late-pregnancy sleep struggles**- what's actually going on (iron, sleep apnea, caffeine metabolism) and when to loop in your OBGYN - **The 0–6 week newborn phase**- why it's normal for this stretch to feel like chaos, and the small routines that can help - **Safe sleep, realistically**- what to do when your baby won't sleep anywhere but on you, and the safest way to handle those exhausted middle-of-the-night moments - **Sleep myths, rapid-fire**- "sleep begets sleep," "never wake a sleeping baby," "wake windows," "nursing to sleep is a crutch," and what the actual sleep science says about each - **What "sleeping through the night" really means**- (hint: there's no official definition, and the number you're picturing is made up) If you've ever felt like everyone else has figured out sleep and you're just surviving - this one's your permission slip to relax the rules a little. ***More from Dr. Sujay Kansagra:*** Check out the Lullabee Smart Crib Mattress Grab his book: My Child Won’t Sleep Follow @ThatSleep Doc on Instagram, TikTok, FaceBook, & YouTube Checkout Dr. Jade Wu ***More from this episode:*** Listen to episode 54: What I Wish I Knew About Baby Sleep Before they Were Born (from a mom of 4) ***Helpful Timestamps:*** - 00:00 Baby Sleep with That Sleep Doc - 09:49 Pregnancy Sleep Troubleshooting - 13:40 Zero to Six Weeks Normal - 15:11 Early Routines and Tools - 19:39 Safe Sleep Versus Reality - 27:20 Sleep Begets Sleep - 29:37 Wake a Sleeping Baby - 31:40 Sleep Drive and Caffeine - 33:19 Wake Windows and Cues - 42:51 Define Sleeping Through the Night ***About your host:*** !🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold\_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! **!👉🏼 A request:** If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK ***Disclaimer*** Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. **Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services** Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link