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#30 in popularitySince 2014Opposes sleep training; flexible

Possums Sleep Program

Opposes sleep training Listed as an alternative for families who'd rather not sleep train.

Pamela Douglas, MD, The Discontented Little Baby Book

Follow baby's sleep pressure, enrich their days, and put parents' wellbeing first, without training.

Find the book
Starts
BirthNo formal training phase
Results in
No set timeline
Crying
No training
Evidence
Moderate

Overview

Australian GP and researcher Pamela Douglas developed the Possums program, also called Neuroprotective Developmental Care, and describes it in The Discontented Little Baby Book. It opposes sleep training and drops clock-based schedules.

Parents follow their baby's sleep pressure, give rich sensory experiences during the day, feed on cue, and prioritize their own wellbeing and sleep. It treats feeding, crying and parental mood as one connected picture. It's backed by the author's published research, though trials are limited, and it's less known in the US.

How it works

  1. Drop clock-based schedules; follow baby's sleep pressure.
  2. Give rich sensory daytime experiences.
  3. Cue-based feeding.
  4. Prioritize parents' wellbeing and sleep.

Pros

  • Low stress
  • Integrates feeding, crying, and parental mood

Cons

  • Less known in the US
  • Not a quick fix

Evidence

Moderate. Author's published research; limited trials.

Details

Popularity
#30 of 39 · Low (estimated)
Since
2014 (12 years) · The Discontented Little Baby Book, 2014
When to start
From birth
Day structure
Sleep-timing biology
Format
Book; clinician-led program
Good fit for
Parents who want a flexible, evidence-informed alternative to schedules and training.

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