Episode 118: Fixing False Starts

About this episode

In this episode, Dr Fallon and Dr Laura discuss the phenomenon of false starts in toddler and baby sleep and provide solutions to address it.

If you settle your baby or toddler at bedtime, only for them to wake up less than 2 hours later, then you’re familiar with ‘false starts.’ False starts happen when babies or toddlers don’t begin their nights with a long stretch of deep sleep – they may have this deep sleep later in the night, or not at all. In episode 118, Dr Fallon and Dr Laura (PhDs & Sleep Practitioners) unpack why false starts happen, and how you can fix them.   Need support? ✅ Join our  Sombelle Paediatric Sleep Clinic Programs  and add on a coaching call with Dr Fallon for extra support! 🏢 Local to Melbourne?   Visit Dr Laura for an in-person appointment   at Victorian Children's Clinic, or   explore telehealth options.   Give us some love! ☕️ Love our work?  Buy us a coffee! 📲 Follow us on   instagram   |   Facebook  |   TikTok 💖 Tell your mates about us    Subscribe 🔽 ❤️ Listen on  Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  Amazon Music 🎥 Watch this episode on  YouTube

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr Fallon Cook, Dr Laura Conway

Topics covered

• sleep issues
• parenting
• toddler sleep
• baby sleep
• false starts
• sleep solutions

Keywords

• false starts
• baby sleep
• toddler sleep
• sleep clinic
• sleep coaching

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Sombelle Paediatric Sleep Clinic, Victorian Children's Clinic

Places: Melbourne

More episodes of Brand New Little People

• Episode 119: Permission slips for tired parents · May 29, 2026 · 49 min
• Episode 117: Fixing the 5am wake up · April 13, 2026 · 1h 16m
• Episode 116: Yes, you can wake your sleeping child · April 2, 2026 · 47 min
• Episode 115: The mental load of sleep – who carries it in your house? · March 16, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Episode 114: Managing your low sleep needs child · March 3, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Episode 113: Using white noise to support sleep · February 16, 2026 · 1h 2m