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When it comes to infant sleep, few topics are more misunderstood—or more burdened by cultural myths—than the expectation that babies should “sleep through the night.” Pediatric sleep and development specialist and author of Rest Assured: The Heart and Science of Nurturing Baby Sleep, Louise Herbert, joins us to explain what’s really happening in a baby’s body and brain during sleep.

Louise breaks down the biology of circadian rhythms, sleep pressure, and night wakings—clarifying when frequent waking is normal, what can sometimes underlie it, and why responsiveness and proximity are protective, not problematic. We also explore how stress and separation impact early brain development, why sleep training often overlooks fundamental physiology, and how parents can align their routines with their baby’s natural rhythms to improve sleep for everyone.

This conversation replaces confusion and guilt with evidence and understanding, helping parents see night wakings as a feature of healthy development—not a flaw to fix.

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Louise Herbert: Rest Assured 

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