Himani Dalmia - Pediatric Sleep Expert

04/12/2025

Dads, take heed of the invisible load. Because if you don't, someone and something in your family will suffer. There is no miracle that will prevent that from happening.



Equal parenting, gentle sleep management, gentle parenting, motherhood, postpartum depression, newborn babies

24/11/2025

We need to talk about something almost every new mother hears:

“Don’t nurse your baby to sleep.”

But here’s the thing: This advice isn’t just unhelpful… it goes against human biology.

Breastfeeding has always been one of the body’s built-in tools for calming, regulating and soothing babies to sleep. It isn’t a mistake. It isn’t a flaw. And it definitely isn’t a “bad habit.”

Your baby isn’t manipulating you.
They’re doing exactly what they’re designed to do: seeking comfort, safety and connection through you.

Yes, babies wake.
Yes, they need help connecting sleep cycles.
Yes, they fall asleep faster when they’re soothed.

This is nature doing its job.

And no, you don’t need to “fix” the fact that your baby relaxes in your arms or at the breast. Babies adapt beautifully to different caregivers, and sleep can evolve gently over time without forcing independence before they’re ready.

“Don’t feed to sleep because it will become a habit” is an illogical and unscientific statement coming from fear and deep social conditioning. Tune into your body and to your baby and do what feels right.

18/11/2025

My labour of love, months of planning, my all-mothers’ team and their effort, my own newborn now in your hands ♥️

Check the link in bio.

05/11/2025

We often hear: “Every baby is different.”
But when it comes to sleep, that’s only partly true. And that can send us down a very confusing path.

The truth is, all babies share certain biological sleep needs: contact, darkness, soothing, and limited awake times.
What varies is within a limited range - not whether the need exists and certainly not wide ranges.

When we treat sleep struggles as purely “individual differences,” we end up overlooking biology… and making things harder for everyone.

Let’s stop guessing and start understanding the patterns nature already built in.

Save this if you’ve ever felt lost in conflicting sleep advice. It’s not you, it’s the noise.

29/10/2025

One of the things I hear often is - “Yes, I understand babies need contact naps but it’s simply not practical and it’s a sign of privilege. Others may be doing it but it’s not possible for me because I work / have no help / need to be with baby during wake windows etc etc”

Here’s the truth:
Contact naps aren’t optional to your baby’s biology. If they were, in today’s fast paced, busy world, not a single person would be doing it. Everyone is busy and everyone has a LOT to do. Nobody is sitting around with nothing to do. And yet. Millions of parents around the world do it. I have seen every type:

- Both parents working, one alternate caregiver
- One parent alone at home in a nuclear setup, no help
- Both parents working from home
- One parent at home in a joint family that has opinions

And hundreds of families of each of these descriptions - from every strata of society - consistently do contact naps simply because they realize it’s actually the more efficient way where everyone wins!

Yes, it can feel hard when your to-do list piles up. But having a cranky, clingy baby who needs a lot of handling throughout the day and wakes frequently at night because they’re overtired actually doesn’t help your to-do list either.
And this phase won’t last forever. One day, you’ll miss those warm, sleepy snuggles on your chest.

So if your baby naps best on you…you’re not falling behind. You’re doing it right. 🤍

✨ Save this for the next time someone questions your contact naps.

Tag a mum or dad who needs this reminder today.

20/10/2025

I posted this last year and it resonated with so many of you who are holding your babies in dark rooms while others celebrate the lights outside. Although it feels overwhelming, remember it isn’t forever. Your Diwali will shine bright again, with a little person by your side.

For many years, our Diwali was a quiet retreat to the mountains, far from the noise and pollution. Over time, our little family created our own traditions, wrapped in peace and togetherness. Now, as our children grow, so do our celebrations.

If you find yourself in the stillness with a sleeping baby this Diwali, savor it. Soon, you will inch your way back into larger celebrations, step by step. It is these moments that make parenthood a distinct chapter in our lives - different from all the other chapters and suffused with love and memories. It is this love that rewards you in the future tenfold. The light will shine again and it will shine brighter 🪔💛

15/10/2025

Short naps again?
Before you spiral into Google, here’s the truth:
most babies aren’t bad nappers. They’re just… babies.

Sometimes short naps are totally normal (especially in the newborn or nap transition phases).

Other times, they’re your baby’s way of saying “I need a little more help here.”

If your little one is waking cranky, overtired, or naps are getting shorter and harder, and if there are many nightwakings - it might just be a matter of tweaking wake windows, environment, contact or timing.

The goal isn’t to fix naps.
It’s to understand your baby’s rhythms — and support them gently, not rigidly. 🤍

✨ If you’re confused about what’s “normal” and what’s not, I can help you read your baby’s sleep cues, set up naps realistically, and make age appropriate adjustments - without training or tears.

Book a one-on-one session via link in bio.

14/10/2025