Gentle Sleep Support: How Habit Stacking Can Transform Your Baby’s Bedtime

sammyckerrod
May 6
3 min read

I recently put a post up on Instagram about habit stacking. When I first came into the sleep industry it was something I always thought about. Habits. How can such a little brain form habits, but over time I soon noticed both my boys started to take to it, like a duck to water. They knew it was time to wind-down (on most days) and sleep.

When you’re in the thick of life with a new baby (or a busy toddler!), big, sweeping changes often feel impossible. But here’s some reassuring news: you don’t have to overhaul your whole day to make a real difference, especially when it comes to sleep.

Instead, we can work with something called habit stacking: the art of linking a new, positive behaviour onto something you're already doing.And when it comes to baby sleep, it’s a gamechanger.

What is Habit Stacking?

Habit stacking simply means building a new habit by attaching it to an existing one. The term became popular thanks to James Clear’s bestselling book Atomic Habits, but it’s a concept that fits beautifully into gentle parenting and holistic sleep support too.

Rather than expecting yourself (or your baby) to master a whole new "perfect" routine overnight, you stack small, familiar steps together in a way that feels natural and manageable.It creates predictability for your baby (which supports easier sleep) and confidence for you.

Why Habit Stacking Supports Baby Sleep

In her work, leading paediatric sleep specialist Lyndsey Hookway highlights how predictable cues before sleep are critical for young children. Rather than rigid routines, she recommends building flexible, responsive rituals that help babies recognise when sleep is approaching, without pressure or stress.

Lyndsey notes:

"Babies and young children thrive on consistency, but this doesn't mean rigid schedules. It means offering a reliable, loving rhythm that signals safety and predictability."

When we habit stack small sleep cues together. Like a bath, a cuddle, a song, then into the sleep sack. We’re tapping into the way young brains naturally anticipate what comes next. It helps reduce bedtime resistance and builds a sense of emotional safety, two keys to better sleep over time.

How to Start Habit Stacking for Sleep

The best part? It’s simple.You’re probably already doing pieces of this without even realising!

Here’s a real-world example:

👉 Existing habit: You give your baby a feed in the evening.

👉 New habit: Right after the feed, you add a short bedtime song every night.

👉 Later stack: After the song, you pop them into a sleep sack and turn on the white noise.

Over time, your baby learns:"Ah, after the song and the sack, it’s time for sleep."Their body (and nervous system) starts winding down before they even reach the cot.

Simple Habit Stack Ideas to Try

Here are a few you can experiment with:

🛁 Bath → Massage → Feed → Story → Sleep sack → Sleep

🕯 Dim lights → Quiet cuddle → White noise → Bedtime

🚗 After a motion nap (like a pram walk), always follow with a cuddle and feed before a nap in bed

🎵 Sing the same gentle lullaby at naps and bedtime to build a strong association

Remember, it doesn’t need to be complicated! A few small, repeatable steps work better than an elaborate, stressful "perfect" routine.

What to Remember

It’s not about perfection. Some nights will still feel messy, and that's okay.
Connection matters most. Habit stacking is about helping your baby feel safe and seen, not "training" them.
Flexibility is key. If your day goes off track, you can always hop back into your familiar stack later.

As Lyndsey Hookway so beautifully reminds us: