What's normal, what's a regression, what's a signal.
Sleep is the single biggest predictor of how the next day feels — for your child and for you. Here's what's typical at each age, what a regression actually is, and when a sleep pattern is telling you something bigger.
Sleep is the single biggest predictor of how the next day will feel — for your child and for you. This section covers what's normal at each age, what a regression actually is, and when a sleep pattern is telling you something bigger.
Babies need
14–17 hrs
AU Dept of Health, 0–3 mo
Primary-age
9–11 hrs
AU Dept of Health, 5–13 yr
Teens need
8–10 hrs
AU Dept of Health, 14–17 yr
Baby sleep (0–12 months)
1 of 8 live4-month sleep regression: what's actually happening
The one every parent hits. What changes, why, and how long it lasts.
8–10 month sleep regression
The second big shift. Separation anxiety, naps dropping, and how to ride it out.
Newborn sleep 0–3 months: what to expect
Hour by hour — what newborn sleep actually looks like, cleared of myth.
Safe sleep: the current Australian guidelines
Red Nose Australia's guidelines, plain-English, kept current.
Self-settling: what it is and when it works
The research on self-settling, the temperaments it helps, and the ones it doesn't.
Night feeds: when do most babies drop them?
The weight, the developmental stage, and why your baby might be different.
Day/night confusion in newborns
Why your newborn sleeps all day and parties all night — and what shifts it.
White noise: does it help, is it safe?
The evidence on white noise for infant sleep, and the safety cutoffs.
Toddler sleep (1–4)
1 of 7 live18-month sleep regression
The one that catches experienced parents off-guard. Language, molars, big feelings.
When to drop the day nap
The signs your toddler is done napping — and what happens when you drop it too early.
Cot to bed: timing and method
When to move, how to make the first week liveable.
Early waking under 3
Why toddlers wake at 5am, and the small tweaks that often shift it.
Nightmares vs night terrors
They look similar. They aren't. How to tell them apart and what each needs from you.
Bedtime battles 2–4
Why bedtime breaks at this age, and the three shifts that usually help.
"They keep coming into our bed"
The developmental reasons, the practical options, and what the research actually says.
Older child sleep (5–17)
1 of 6 liveHow much sleep a school-age child needs
The AU Department of Health band, plus what sleep debt actually looks like by Friday.
Bedtime resistance 5–10
Why evenings turn into a negotiation at this age, and the things that tend to work.
Sleep anxiety in children
When the problem isn't the sleep — it's the worry about going to sleep.
Screens and teen sleep
What the melatonin research actually shows — and what it doesn't.
Devices before bed and sleep problems
What the evidence actually shows about phones in the last hour before sleep — and the family rule most AU sleep clinics suggest.
Teenage sleep patterns: why they're different
Phase-delay, biology, and why early school starts fight your teen's circadian clock.
Sleep as a signal
2 of 5 liveSleep is often how neurodevelopmental patterns first announce themselves. If a sleep issue is persistent and not shifting, this is where to look.
Sleep and neurodevelopment: the overlap
How sleep difficulties intersect with ADHD and autism — clinically reviewed.
Sleep issues and ADHD: the deep dive
Up to 70% of children with ADHD have sleep difficulties. What the pattern looks like and what helps.
Sleep issues and autism: the deep dive
Why autistic kids often sleep differently, and the supports that actually help.
When sleep problems are a red flag
The specific patterns that warrant a paediatric conversation, not another sleep-training book.
Your child's sleep isn't working: what to try first
A structured path — small shifts first, then bigger ones, then professional help.
Other parts of being a parent
All topicsCome for a 3-minute walk-through. Leave with a plan.
Clinically reviewed. No diagnosis. No sign-up. Built with Australian clinicians.