Decoded: The First Year

In the last episode, we talked about something most parents have never been told. That your baby communicates through movement long before milestones ever show up on a chart. Today, I want to take that idea and make it real. Not theoretical. Not abstract. We’re going to look at a few very common milestones — the ones parents worry about the most — and I want to show you why timing tells you very l...

Dr SCL offers a fresh perspective on baby development, emphasizing the importance of understanding movement patterns over traditional milestone charts. He explains how a baby's movements communicate their neurological state and how parents can shift their focus from comparison to observation. The conversation aims to reduce anxiety and promote confidence in parenting by decoding the messages b...

Today, we’re diving into a big one: walking .  The milestone everyone watches, but few truly understand.  By the end of this episode, you’ll see walking not as a race, but as the final expression of a well-organised nervous system . Alright — let’s DECODE this.

Today, we’re exploring one of the most exciting — and often misunderstood — phases of your baby’s journey: 9 to 12 months. It’s the leap phase. The moment everything starts to click… and then suddenly, nothing feels the same. Because this is where your baby moves from being a passenger in their world — to an explorer. But here’s the truth most people miss: The magic isn’t in the walking. It’s in e...

And today, we’re diving into one of the most transformative stages of development: 6 to 8 months. It’s where everything your baby has been building — head control, midline stability, and reflex integration — starts coming together. This is the phase of integration. But — it’s also the phase where little imbalances or skipped steps start to show up. So if you’ve ever wondered, “Is my baby actually...

Today we’re looking at one of my favourite stages: the 4–5 month phase. It’s when your baby starts waking up to the world — literally and neurologically. They’re starting to integrate reflexes, control movements, and explore how their body works. But here’s the catch: it’s also when a lot of parents start comparing. “This baby’s rolling already!” “Mine still can’t lift her head long enough!” So be...

Today we’re diving into the 0–3 month window — what I like to call “the foundation phase.” Because this stage isn’t about “skills” or “achievements.” It’s about connection, regulation, and adaptation. This is the time your baby’s nervous system is learning the single most important lesson: 🧠 The world is safe, and my body is mine.

I’m Dr SCL — chiropractor, dad, nervous system decoder — and this episode is for every parent who’s Googled “is this normal?” at 2am while bouncing a baby who should be asleep. So let’s just say it: Sleep in the first 6 months is wild. It’s unpredictable, it’s broken, and it often feels like your baby didn’t get the memo on all those “settling” techniques. But what if your baby’s sleep isn’t broke...

In today’s episode, we’re talking about one of the most stressful, emotional, and weirdly guilt-loaded parts of early parenting: feeding . Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressing, combo-feeding, or gearing up for solids — this episode is for you. Because if your baby: Refuses one side Pops off constantly Feeds forever (and still seems hungry) Chokes, gulps, or screams through burp...

If you’ve got a baby under 6 months — this episode’s especially for you. Because today we’re talking about: “Is my baby behind?” “That other baby’s already rolling…” “Everyone else seems to be hitting milestones — should I be worried?” Let me be real with you: the comparison trap is brutal. And worse? It’s normalised. Let’s break that cycle today.

If you’ve got a baby under 6 months who: Hates the car seat Screams the second visitors arrive Crashes hard… but only after hours of fighting sleep Needs to be held, rocked, bounced, or driven just to settle… Let me tell you — it’s probably not “bad habits.” It’s probably a nervous system that’s overstimulated — and trying to tell you something. Today, I’m going to help you understand what oversti...

The Milestone Decoder - What to Look For (and What to Stop Worrying About)Today’s episode is a little different — because I want to walk you through one of the most useful tools I’ve created for parents:👉 The Baby Milestone Decoder — my free PDF guide to understanding development through a nervous system lens. So if you’ve ever asked:“Is this milestone normal?”“Why does my baby roll but hate tumm...

“Is this normal?” “Should I be worried?” “Or am I just overthinking it?” In other words, this episode is all about - how to DECODE baby development with the Google spiral. Whether it’s a movement, a habit, or something you just feel is off — this episode will help you trust your instincts without spiralling.  Because most parents aren’t overreacting.  They just need better tools or a better lens t...

Today we’re tackling one of the most common — and most casually dismissed — concerns I hear in practice: “My baby just skipped crawling. That’s okay, right?” And look, it might be okay. But it also might be a sign worth decoding. Let’s talk about what skipping crawling actually means — and why it’s not just “one less stage” in development.

Today’s question is probably the one I hear the most in practice:“Is my baby behind?”It usually comes with a hint of worry, a side of shame, and a little too much Googling. So in this episode, I want to help you zoom out — and look at your baby’s development through a lens that actually makes sense. Not age. Not checklists. But function. Let’s start here: milestone charts aren’t evil. They’re help...

This is the final part of our primitive reflex series — and today we’re talking about what happens when reflexes don’t integrate on time. A retained reflex is just a reflex that’s still running in the background past the age we expect it to fade. It doesn’t mean your baby is broken. And it is most definitely NOT a diagnosis. There is no one singular primitive reflex bone. There is no one singular...

The Big Three — Rooting, Moro, ATNR🎯Dr SCL dives into 3 of the primitive reflexes commonly seen in new borns in order to help mums spot and understand the three reflexes they’re most likely to notice, without overcomplicating or pathologising them.

So — primitive reflexes. The name makes them sound ancient or outdated, but here’s the truth: They’re built-in, automatic movements your baby is born with. Think of them like your baby’s autopilot mode for survival and early learning. From the moment they arrive, these reflexes: Help them feed Keep them safe Start wiring their brain for all the big skills ahead And the amazing part? They’re suppos...

Today we’re digging into a topic that a lot of people avoid — or at best, misunderstand: Birth trauma. Not the kind that shows up in the delivery room as an emergency. I’m talking about the kind that shows up later — 👉 in your baby’s body 👉 in their movement 👉 in their sleep 👉 or in the way they settle (or don’t) So let’s talk about what birth trauma actually is — what it’s not — and how you c...

Today we’re talking about two of the most celebrated — and most misunderstood — milestones: 🦶 Standing 🚶 Walking You’ve probably heard: “They’ll walk when they’re ready.” Or: “The earlier the better!” The truth? Neither statement tells you the whole story.

Today we’re looking at two mid-year milestones that parents obsess over: 🪑 Sitting 🐾 Crawling If you’ve been told: “Don’t worry, some babies skip crawling.” Or you’ve heard: “They should be sitting on their own by now.” — this episode will give you the nervous system lens that changes everything.

Today we’re tackling two early milestones that get way more stress than they deserve: 🛏 Tummy time 🔄 Rolling If you’ve ever thought: “She screams the second I put her down.” “He rolled at 8 weeks — is that good?” “We’ve been told to just do more tummy time, but it’s a disaster…” — this one’s for you.

Milestones. Those developmental checklists that every parent (and many health professionals) obsesses over… and every baby seems to completely ignore the “rules” of. So if you’ve ever thought: “She’s not rolling yet — is that bad?” “Shouldn’t he be crawling by now?” “Everyone else’s baby is doing ____ and mine isn’t…” This episode is for you.

You’re not crazy. You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re just dysregulated. Let’s unpack what that means — and why it’s probably the most important concept nobody ever explained to you in the first year of parenting.

DR SCL introduces Episode 1 of Decoded: The First YearWhat is it? Why has it come about? What is it NOT? Make sure you subscribe for weekly "DECODING".