LaTory Whitney

If your baby wakes frequently, startles easily, or seems unable to stay asleep for long stretches, it’s natural to assume they’re “under tired,” “overtired,” hungry, or in need of a better schedule. But beneath those surface explanations lives something far more foundational: Your baby’s nervous system state at the moment sleep begins. Sleep is not just a behavior. Sleep is not a skill. Sleep is a biological state that can only stabilize when the nervous system feels safe enough to let go....

Sleep is one of the most common challenges parents faces—especially when a baby struggles to settle, wakes frequently, or seems impossible to put down. When exhaustion sets in, it’s natural to want to “fix” sleep as quickly as possible. But here’s an important reframe: Sleep is not just about tiredness. Sleep is about regulation. When we understand how a baby’s nervous system works, sleep begins to make much more sense. In this article, we’ll explore key insights from pages 3–5 of Sleep,...

In the baby sleep world, most parents are taught that better sleep comes from applying the right method. Cry-based approaches. Timed check-ins. Rigid schedules. Step-by-step programs.But there is another path — one that begins much earlier than methods. It begins with the nervous system. These two diagrams represent two fundamentally different philosophies about how sleep develops. One starts with regulation and safety . The other starts with technique and compliance . Let’s explore what...