Join Dr. Craig Canapari and Arielle Greenleaf as they explore the intricacies of children's sleep issues with clarity and a touch of levity. They'll unpack the science behind sleep and offer evidence-based strategies to improve nighttime routines. As the director of Yale's Pediatric Sleep Center and an accomplished author, Dr. Canapari brings a wealth of knowledge, while Arielle's expertise as a Pediatric Sleep Consultant provides practical insights for parents seeking tranquility at bedtime. Together, they're your guides to better sleep for your little ones—and for you.
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You're Not Doing It Wrong: Breastfeeding and Sleep, with Dr. Lauren Hughes
Episode 20
Monday, September 7, 2026 • Duration 01:00:48
Can you keep breastfeeding and still work toward better sleep? Craig and Arielle talk with pediatrician and lactation consultant Dr. Lauren Hughes about newborn feeding, bottles, milk supply, and the difference between sleep training and night weaning. They also get into the advice that leaves parents feeling trapped: stretch every feed, never offer a bottle, assume every night waking means hunger.
Key Takeaways
Sleep training and night weaning are two separate decisions. Lauren sleep trained her twins at eight months and did not night wean them until eighteen — a baby can learn to fall asleep without help and still get every overnight feed they need.
Six hours counts as sleeping through the night. It may not be the six hours you wanted — 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. qualifies — and reframing the target is sometimes the entire intervention.
Milk storage capacity runs from roughly two to twelve ounces per breast and has nothing to do with breast size, which is why dropping a night feed is a non-event for one parent and tanks supply for another. How long you can go before engorgement is roughly your own ceiling, since engorgement is what tells the body to make less.
"Normal" is far wider than parents are told: in the newborn weeks three hours is a maximum, not a minimum — babies can eat sooner, and three hours is when you wake them. Breastfed babies average about 24 ounces in 24 hours, range 19 to 32.
It isn't nipple confusion, it's flow preference — babies take the path of least resistance, so a fast bottle beats the work of the breast, and paced feeding is the fix. Offering a bottle once a week from about a month old heads off the refusal that surfaces the week daycare starts.
The research on feeding method and sleep genuinely conflicts, and neither host picks a side. Under six months exclusively breastfed babies wake more often, though most studies find no difference in total sleep; after six months most find breastfed infants sleeping less — and much of the older literature simply asked parents, whereas Rudzik's actigraphy study found no difference in measured sleep even as formula-feeding mothers reported more.
(35:05) - What dropping a night feed does to supply
(38:48) - Under six months versus over six months
(40:18) - How many ounces a baby actually needs
(44:22) - Can breastfeeding and sleep training coexist
(46:37) - Six hours counts as sleeping through the night
(48:23) - Room-sharing, bedsharing, and the AAP
(50:43) - Why parents hide bedsharing from their pediatrician
(55:14) - What the AAP actually recommends
(56:31) - Rapid-fire feeding and sleep myths
(57:59) - Lauren's sleep hack and confession
(59:02) - You're not doing it wrong
(59:43) - Where to find Dr. Lauren Hughes
Bonus Episode: Summer and Back To School Sleep Challenges
Episode 14
Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 39:25
Tips for Infants, Toddlers, and Teens
In this episode of the Sleep Edit podcast, hosts Dr. Craig Canapari and Arielle Greenleaf provide evidence-based tips and strategies to help parents manage their children's sleep during the summer and back-to-school transitions. They discuss common issues such as later bedtimes, disrupted routines, increased screen time, and the impact of travel on sleep patterns.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer
01:09 Meet the Hosts
01:24 Summer Sleep Challenges
03:55 Pandemic Sleep Patterns
05:08 Structured Days Hypothesis
07:57 Managing Heat and Sleep
09:58 Travel and Sleep Tips for Infants and Toddlers
16:06 Vacation Sleep Realities
19:47 School-Age Sleep Strategies
20:50 Replicating Schedules for Special Needs Children
21:47 Bedtime Recommendations for Different Age Groups
23:07 Managing Screen Time During Summer
24:01 The Benefits of Summer Camps and Jobs
24:49 Camping as a Sleep Reset Tool
26:41 Traveling to Adjust Sleep Schedules
27:25 General Summer Sleep Tips for Parents
32:23 Adjusting Teen Sleep Schedules Before School Starts
Your child's cortisol is not a problem you need to manage — and most of the scary sleep advice that says otherwise is built on a misreading of the science. Craig and Arielle take on the claims that spread fastest online and hold up worst: the "overtired baby floods with cortisol" story, rigid wake windows, the 3-6-9 rule and the Wonder Weeks, magnesium lotions, melatonin as a quick fix, and the "biologically correct" 7 p.m. bedtime. It's an episode about why simple, absolute rules go viral while real answers — nuanced, and dependent on your actual child — do not. They close on the hardest question a tired parent faces: in an unregulated field full of confident strangers, how do you tell a trustworthy sleep expert from a good marketer?
Key Takeaways
The "overtired child floods with cortisol and can't sleep" claim gets the science backwards. Poor sleep can nudge cortisol up, but cortisol is a marker of inadequate sleep, not its cause — and it is not something parents need to manage at home.
The Middlemiss (2012) study used to argue that sleep training is harmful had no control group and studied infants in an unfamiliar inpatient setting, nothing like sleep training at home. Better-controlled work, including Gradisar's randomized trial, found infant cortisol did not rise after sleep training. A few hard nights are brief, harmless stress — not the chronic toxic stress that genuinely affects development.
Wake windows describe something real — sleep drive builds the longer a child is awake — but the rigid, age-based formulas online are not research-based. Watch the child in front of you and their 24-hour sleep totals, not a chart. "Average" sleep needs span wide ranges and were never meant as individual targets.
Magnesium lotions have no evidence they do anything; melatonin is a hormone, not a routine fix for healthy children, and should follow behavioral changes and a conversation with your pediatrician. Melatonin is now the most common substance U.S. children accidentally ingest — store it like medication.
For most children before puberty, a bedtime roughly between 7:30 and 8:30 works well; an artificially early bedtime mostly manufactures bedtime battles. And the pediatrician is the first stop for sleep questions — "evidence-based" has become a marketing phrase, so ask any consultant how they actually make decisions.
Episode 18: Your Questions, Answered
Episode 18
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 57:44
We opened the mailbag. Craig and Arielle grouped dozens of listener questions by theme and worked through them — covering infant sleep and the SNOO, night wakings that seem to defy logic, 4 AM toddler wake-ups, bedtime resistance, a 5-year-old with "bad dreams" that aren't actually scary, daycare nap chaos, and a rapid-fire round on floor beds, crib-to-bed transitions, and whether you have to sleep train at all. Some of it is practical, some is reassuring, and a few answers hinge on the difference between a behavior problem and a medical one.
Key Takeaways
Safe sleep comes first. In the first six months especially: flat, firm surface; room-share without bed-share; no soft bedding. If an infant genuinely can't tolerate lying flat, that's a pediatrician conversation, not a sleep-training one.
When night wakings look random on the "same" schedule, average total sleep over seven days. Clock-time schedules can hide big variation in actual sleep amounts — and total sleep is what the child's body is optimizing against.
A pattern of 4–5 hours of solid sleep followed by wakings every 2–3 hours almost always points to a sleep-onset association. If your child falls asleep with you present, they tend to need you present to transition between each subsequent sleep cycle.
The right order for night weaning, room transition, and sleep training: get the baby into their own sleep space first, then address feeding, then sleep train. Don't layer sleep training on an unresolved feeding problem, and don't put an infant on a floor bed.
A toddler whose sleep is consistently wrecked by mild congestion deserves a look for obstructive sleep apnea — especially if they snore when well. Benadryl only "works" because it sedates; it doesn't dry up viral secretions, and OTC cough/cold products aren't recommended under 6.
You don't have to sleep train. If your child and household are sleeping well enough, there's nothing to fix. Sleep training is a tool for when someone in the house is suffering — not a milestone to hit.
Craig and Arielle take a turn in the hot seat this week — sharing their own sleep habits, gear, and personal struggles. From frigid bedrooms and weighted blankets to trazodone, magnesium, and light therapy glasses, this episode is part confessional, part practical guide.
They also dig into CBT-I for insomnia, the phenomenon of orthosomnia (when sleep tracking makes your sleep worse), what melatonin actually does at a low dose, and how to think about supplements when the evidence is thin but the risk is low.
Timestamps
4:23 — Our personal sleep histories
6:36 — Restless leg syndrome & childhood sleep anxiety
34:40 — Why a hot shower helps you sleep (the science)
36:00 — Craig's meditation practice & pre-bed habits
39:20 — Arielle's history with insomnia & trazodone
41:10 — What sleep medications actually do (and don't do)
44:17 — Magnesium glycinate — the evidence
47:35 — L-theanine — even less evidence, still worth trying?
48:11 — Melatonin: Craig's 1mg dose & the heart failure study
52:00 — How we're actually sleeping in 2026
Key Takeaways
Both hosts have struggled with sleep throughout their lives — and that's part of why they do this work.
Sleep anxiety in children (and adults) responds well to CBT-I; the behavioral components are often more important than the cognitive ones.
RE-AIR Episode 11: Navigating Holiday Sleep Challenges: Tips for Parents
Episode 11
Monday, December 15, 2025 • Duration 31:58
Holidays can be a time of joy, family, and fun—but they can also throw a wrench into your child’s sleep routine. Whether it’s late-night celebrations, travel to visit relatives, or adjusting to time zone changes, holiday sleep disruptions are a challenge for many parents. But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.
In this episode of The Sleep Edit, we cover practical strategies for navigating holiday sleep challenges for children of all ages. From tips for maintaining flexibility while traveling, to handling sugar-fueled energy spikes and keeping routines intact, this conversation is packed with actionable advice to help your family enjoy the season while staying (relatively) well-rested. They’ll even share some pro tips, like the ultimate New Year’s Eve bedtime trick you won’t want to miss.
Remember: holiday sleep doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to work for you and your family. So, give yourself some grace, enjoy the cookies, and focus on the quality of your time together.
Welcome to The Sleep Edit, the podcast that helps tired kids and parents sleep better. Each week, Dr. Craig Canapari and sleep consultant Arielle Greenleaf break down evidence-based strategies you can actually use.
Why are nap transitions so confusing—and why do they so often derail nights? In Part 2 of our napping series, Craig and Arielle dig into the real-world challenges families face when moving from 3→2 naps, 2→1 nap, and eventually dropping naps entirely. Using concrete examples, sleep-need math, and practical troubleshooting, this episode explains exactly what to look for and how to navigate every transition with less stress.
You’ll learn
• How to know when it’s time to drop a nap
• The signs of a nap transition vs. a temporary “nap strike”
• Why total 24-hour sleep matters more than wake-window charts
• What typical daytime sleep looks like for infants and toddlers
• The sleep math behind transitions (high vs. low sleep-need kids)
• How daycare schedules can derail naps—and what parents can control
• Strategies for capping naps, shifting schedules, and preventing bedtime battles
• When early morning awakenings actually signal too much daytime sleep
Chapters
00:00:01 — Welcome & Episode Setup
00:01:07 — The 3→2 Nap Transition: When It Starts
00:02:48 — Biology of Sleep Drive & Late Naps
00:03:43 — Why Late Bedtimes Are So Common Now
00:04:59 — How Total Sleep Needs Shape Nap Schedules
00:06:32 — Wake Windows vs. Real Sleep Need
00:07:52 — Consolidated Naps & Nap Length Targets
Episode 15: Napping Spectacular!
Episode 17
Monday, October 6, 2025 • Duration 47:06
Why do some toddlers nap like champs while others refuse entirely? In Part 1 of our Napping Spectacular, Craig and Arielle unpack what the science says about total sleep needs, how nap patterns change across infancy and early childhood, and the very real “art” of troubleshooting naps at home. We cover when to drop naps, how brain development (especially the hippocampus) affects nap transitions, what to do about short naps, and how to keep daytime sleep from stealing restorative overnight sleep. We also talk through safe approaches to contact naps and why it’s normal for newborns to have unpredictable naps and periods of crying.
Key takeaways
Think in 24 hours: aim to balance daytime sleep with restorative overnight sleep.
AASM consensus ranges: infants 4–12 mo (12–16 h), toddlers 1–2 y (11–14 h), preschoolers 3–5 y (10–13 h), school-age 6–12 y (9–12 h), teens 13–18 y (8–10 h).
Nap transitions are tied to brain maturity; as memory systems develop, many preschoolers naturally nap less.
Typical goals for many infants: at least two naps of ~1 hour each and ~10 hours overnight (individual needs vary).
Independent sleep skills are the linchpin for extending naps beyond a single 30–45 minute sleep cycle.
Watch sleepy cues, but remember boredom can masquerade as tiredness in older infants.
Contact napping can be soothing, but it’s risky if the caregiver is truly exhausted—prioritize safe sleep.
Newborn naps are erratic; you can practice gentle routines, but you can’t “schedule” a newborn.
Consistency across naps and nights helps babies learn faster than a mix-and-match approach.
Episode 14: Summer and Back to School Sleep Challenges
Episode 14
Monday, July 28, 2025 • Duration 39:25
Tips for Infants, Toddlers, and Teens In this episode of the Sleep Edit podcast, hosts Dr. Craig Canapari and Arielle Greenleaf provide evidence-based tips and strategies to help parents manage their children's sleep during the summer and back-to-school transitions. They discuss common issues such as later bedtimes, disrupted routines, increased screen time, and the impact of travel on sleep patterns.
00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer
01:09 Meet the Hosts
01:24 Summer Sleep Challenges
03:55 Pandemic Sleep Patterns
05:08 Structured Days Hypothesis
07:57 Managing Heat and Sleep
09:58 Travel and Sleep Tips for Infants and Toddlers
16:06 Vacation Sleep Realities
19:47 School-Age Sleep Strategies
20:50 Replicating Schedules for Special Needs Children
21:47 Bedtime Recommendations for Different Age Groups
23:07 Managing Screen Time During Summer
24:01 The Benefits of Summer Camps and Jobs
24:49 Camping as a Sleep Reset Tool
26:41 Traveling to Adjust Sleep Schedules
27:25 General Summer Sleep Tips for Parents
32:23 Adjusting Teen Sleep Schedules Before School Starts
Episode 13: Toddler Night Wakings, Early Rising, and Nap Refusal: Your Pediatric Sleep Questions Answered
Episode 13
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 • Duration 01:02:20
This episode of The Sleep Edit is all about you—our listeners. We’re tackling the most common (and frustrating) pediatric sleep challenges straight from your inbox:
What to do when your toddler suddenly won’t nap
How to handle a preschooler who wakes five times a night
When to push bedtime later—and when not to
Strategies for night weaning, managing anxiety, and fixing early morning wake-ups
Plus: Why our parents swear we were “better sleepers” back in the ’80s and ’90s
Whether you’re a parent in the trenches or a sleep consultant supporting families, this episode is packed with actionable insights and real-world context.
⏱️
Chapters & Timestamps
00:00 — Welcome & Disclaimer
01:55 — How Long Should a One-Nap Schedule Last?
A parent asks how long to let a toddler nap after transitioning to one nap—without disrupting night sleep.
04:24 — Does Your Toddler Need a Later Bedtime?
Signs that bedtime might be too early and what research says about optimal timing.
07:15 — Arielle’s Take on 24-Hour Sleep
A fellow consultant asks Arielle how she explains this foundational concept.
10:32 — What Is 24-Hour Sleep Anyway?
A parent wants to understand how to think about total daily sleep needs.
12:59 — Easiest Way to Night Wean a Toddler
Strategies for toddlers waking twice a night for milk.
Gradisar et al. (2016), Pediatrics — randomized controlled trial; infant cortisol did not rise after graduated extinction or bedtime fading. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-1486
Iglowstein I, Jenni OG, Molinari L, Largo RH. Sleep duration from infancy to adolescence: reference values and generational trends. Pediatrics. 2003 Feb;111(2):302-7. doi: 10.1542/peds.111.2.302. PMID: 12563055.
Further reading on cortisol, sleep training, attachment, and online misinformation:
Bilgin & Wolke (2020), Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry — "cry it out" and attachment/behavioral development at 18 months. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13223
Davis & Kramer (2021), Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry — commentary on Bilgin & Wolke (2020). https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13390
Immeli, Douglas & Kolho (2026), Acta Paediatrica — misinformation and the medicalisation of infant health care in the social media era. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.70468
Study showing benefits of outdoor play for sleep in Japanese Toddlers Murata E, Yoshizaki A, Fujisawa TX, Tachibana M, Taniike M, Mohri I. What daily factors affect the sleep habits of Japanese toddlers? J Clin Sleep Med. 2023 Jun 1;19(6):1089-1101. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.10508. PMID: 36789883; PMCID: PMC10235708.
(01:23) - Safe sleep and the 5-month-old who "can't" lie flat
(05:10) - Julie — SNOO weaning and feeding-to-sleep
(08:27) - Kira — 4-month-old bassinet refusal
(10:41) - Hannah — can you skip the schedule and just follow sleep cues?
(13:15) - Michaela — one good night, three bad, same schedule
(15:55) - BD — 4–5 hours of sleep, then wakings every 2–3 hours
(17:56) - Megan — 8-month-old nursing to soothe, no solids
(21:31) - Simona — night weaning, room transition, sleep training — what order?
(24:26) - Tyler — 2.5-year-old tantruming at 4–5 AM
(26:54) - Arman — 7-month-old, dream feeds, 4–5 AM wakings
(29:16) - Kay — 30-month-old who naps easily but fights bedtime
(33:28) - Jason — 5-year-old's "bad dreams" that don't scare him
(35:24) - Betty — daycare 30-minute naps and the 8:30 PM bedtime
(38:43) - Anna — co-sleeping a 9-month-old with frequent illness
(41:47) - Lauren — snow globe as a "calm toy" at bedtime
(43:41) - Karen — toddler sleep with a cold, nasal sprays, and ENT
(45:45) - Sonia's rapid fire begins
(46:18) - Crib-to-bed transition and floor beds
(47:31) - Pros and cons of not sleep training
(48:34) - SNOO vs. a traditional bassinet
(51:15) - The 2-year-old who won't stay in his own bed
(54:43) - Outdoor naps at Patagonia HQ daycare
(56:10) - Wrap-up
Sleep trackers are best used to observe trends, not to optimize nightly metrics. Fixating on scores can cause orthosomnia — anxiety that worsens the very sleep it's supposed to measure.
A cold bedroom (ideally 60–67°F), darkness, and quiet are the most evidence-based environmental changes you can make.
A warm shower or bath before bed works by triggering a drop in core body temperature — the direction of change matters, not just the temperature itself.
Magnesium glycinate and L-theanine have limited but plausible supporting data; more importantly, they're safe at typical doses. Use third-party tested brands.
Melatonin is a hormone — more is not better. Craig uses 1mg. A 2024 conference abstract linking long-term melatonin use to heart failure has significant methodological limitations, was not peer-reviewed, and is not cause for alarm at low doses in otherwise healthy adults.
Trazodone is a reasonable long-term option for some people with chronic insomnia. It's not habit-forming, increases slow-wave sleep, and has a stable side-effect profile — but it's still a tool, not a substitute for good sleep habits. Note: AYO glasses recommend a 20-minute morning session (not 10 minutes as mentioned in the episode).
Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D’Ambrosio, C., Hall, W. A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R. M., Malow, B. A., Maski, K., Nichols, C., Quan, S. F., Rosen, C. L., Troester, M. M., & Wise, M. S. (2016). Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: methodology and discussion. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(11), 1549–1561. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6288
Spencer, R. M. C., & Riggins, T. (2022). Contributions of memory and brain development to the bioregulation of naps and nap transitions in early childhood. PNAS, 119(11), e2114326119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2114326119
Staton, S., et al. (2020). Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0–12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 50, 101247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101247
Galland, B. C., Taylor, B. J., Elder, D. E., & Herbison, P. (2012). Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: A systematic review of observational studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(3), 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2011.06.001
Horváth, K. (2018). Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01238
Wolke, D., Bilgin, A., & Samara, M. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analysis: Fussing and crying durations and prevalence of colic in infants. The Journal of Pediatrics, 185, 55–61.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.02.020
Lavner, J. A., et al. (2023). Sleep SAAF randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(3), e236276. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6276
Paul, I. M., et al. (2016). INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention and Infant Sleep. Pediatrics, 138(1), e20160762. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-0762
01:10 Why naps feel harder than nights; personal stories
03:00 What parents often misunderstand about naps
04:00 How much sleep kids need (AASM consensus)
06:00 Why naps matter for mood and learning
06:40 Brain development and nap transitions (hippocampus)
07:00 Average nap duration by age; variability is normal
09:10 How many naps per day; typical progression through early childhood
12:00 Galland review; why transitions are tricky in real life
14:00 The “art” of troubleshooting naps
15:00 Naps vs. nights: balance the 24-hour total
18:00 Targets for infants; prioritizing overnight sleep
22:00 High vs. low sleep-need babies
23:00 Nap routines vs. bedtime routines; wind-down for toddlers
25:00 How to get longer naps: schedule fit and independent sleep
27:00 Evidence-based infant sleep tips (INSIGHT and SAAF principles)
29:00 Reading sleep cues without getting trapped by rigid schedules
30:30 Overtiredness vs. boredom; case example
34:00 Can you sleep-train for naps but not nights? Why consistency wins
36:00 Typical nap times by age; capping late naps
39:00 Newborn nap reality check
40:00 Contact napping and safety
42:00 Period of PURPLE Crying and parental stress
45:30 Wrap-up and preview of Part 2
References
Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D’Ambrosio C, et al. Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: methodology and discussion. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2016;12(11):1549-1561.
Spencer RMC, Riggins T. Contributions of memory and brain development to the bioregulation of naps and nap transitions in early childhood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2022;119(11):e2114326119.
Staton S, et al. Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0–12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2020;50:101247.
Galland BC, Taylor BJ, Elder DE, Herbison P. Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: A systematic review of observational studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2012;16(3):213-222.
Horváth K. Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Frontiers in Psychology. 2018;9:1238.
Wolke D, Bilgin A, Samara M. Fussing and crying durations and prevalence of colic in infants: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2017;185:55-61.e4.
Lavner JA, Hohman EE, Beach SRH, Stansfield BK, Savage JS. Effects of a responsive parenting intervention among Black families on infant sleep: Secondary analysis of the Sleep SAAF randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(3):e236276.
Paul IM, Savage JS, Anzman-Frasca S, Marini ME, Mindell JA, Birch LL. INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention and infant sleep. Pediatrics. 2016;138(1):e20160762.
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