Infant sleep development involves significant physiological shifts, moving from highly polyphasic, feeding-driven cycles in the first three months to more consolidated patterns by the end of the first year. Dr. Craig Canapari, a leading pediatric sleep medicine specialist at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital and author of *It's Never Too Late to Sleep Train*, emphasizes that while sleep needs vary significantly between children, establishing a consistent, simple bedtime routine serves as a critical, low-stakes intervention for parents. Rather than reacting to every sound on a monitor—which often captures normal REM-related movements like grunting or kicking—parents should focus on recognizing signs of genuine drowsiness. Introducing the "drowsy but awake" approach by four to six months helps foster self-soothing capabilities, ultimately reducing the need for intensive sleep training while supporting the child's neurological maturation and overall well-being.
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