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Decoded: The First Year

by drscl

WARNING: This isn't another parenting podcastDecoded: The First Year - is the podcast for parents feeling overwhelmed by baby milestones, sleep struggles and conflicting advice. Hosted by Dr SCL - a chiropractor, dad and nervous system translator, each episode helps you understand what’s really going on in your baby’s body and brain through DECODING the science of neurodevelopment and nervous system health into practical insights you can actually use without mansplaining, guilt or fear - all from a dad who gets it and a clinician who listens more than he lectures.

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Episodes

  1. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 60 | Contact Napping & Why It Works | Dr SCL

    Contact napping is one of the most talked-about frustrations in new parenthood. And the way it gets framed — as a habit, a dependency, a rod for your own back that you made — has left a lot of parents feeling like they did something wrong. Today I want to completely reframe that conversation....

  2. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 59 | The Witching Hour: Why 5pm Breaks Your Baby Every Day | Dr SCL

    It's 5pm. And something shifts. The baby who was manageable this morning — who even smiled at you after the 11 o'clock feed — is gone. In their place is a baby who cannot be put down, cannot be settled, won't feed properly, won't sleep, and is somehow both absolutely exhausted and completely…

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  3. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 58 | Reflux: What the Script Misses | Dr SCL

    Silent reflux. All babies will vomit after a feed, it’s just a little “spit up”. Probably just gas. Projectile vomiting. They’ll grow out of it.If your baby is arching their back during feeds, pulling off the breast screaming, refusing a bottle they were taking happily an hour ago, or just...

  4. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 57 | Colic Isn't Crying - It's a Nervous System Event | Dr SCL

    Three hours of crying. Every evening. For weeks. And every professional you've spoken to has said some version of the same thing: "It's colic. There's nothing you can do. It passes." And they're right that it passes. But the "nothing you can do" part? That's where I have a massive problem. Having...

  5. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 56 | Why Your Baby Has "Wind" That Won't Shift | Dr SCL

    You've done everything. You've been trying for a burp for twenty minutes. You’ve bounce around, patted on the back…nothing. Your mother said to try the bicycle legs. Your mother-in-law said to try the tiger-in-the-tree hold, plus the belly rubs, plus the walk-and-pat. You've watched six different...

  6. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 55 | The Tongue Is More Than Just Mechanics | Dr SCL

    You've had your latch checked. Positioning, attachment, tongue — all assessed, maybe even "fixed." And something is still not right. It's still painful, still shallow, still a fight every single feed. So what's left, if the mechanics have already been ruled out?If you've been told "the latch…

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  7. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 54 | The Startle That Won't Settle | Dr SCL

    You've probably been told the startle reflex is "just a normal newborn thing" — and technically, that's true. But what happens when it's not settling into background noise, and it's still hijacking every nap, every transfer, every quiet moment, weeks or even months in?You've been told it'll pass....

  8. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 53 | Why Your Baby Always Turns Their Head One Way | Dr SCL

    Someone told you it's "just a preference." Or maybe it's tummy time positioning. Or it's their sleeping position. Or maybe you've been quietly worrying it's something worse, and nobody's given you a straight answerYou've noticed it — your baby always turns their head the same direction. In the…

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  9. Decoded: The First Year | Bonus Episode | The Nervous System is Upstream of Everything | Dr SCL

    Here's what I noticed a year ago, and it's the reason this podcast exists.Mums in that first year are handed a checklist. Rolls by four months. Sits by six. Latches "properly." Sleeps through "eventually." And when something doesn't tick the box on schedule, she's sent off to fix the symptom —…

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  10. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 52 | Why Regulation Is Always a Shared Process | Dr SCL

    You've probably heard the phrase."Regulated parents raise regulated children."And if you're anything like the parents I see in clinic — you heard that and felt one of two things. Either guilt. Or confusion. Guilt, because you are exhausted and you know it. Confusion, because nobody actually...

  11. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 51 | Why the "pressure" to be first is rarely beneficial | Dr SCL

    Today, I want to talk about why development often slows down when nervous systems stop feeling safe enough to explore naturally.Modern parents are under enormous pressure. And yes, it is pressure that creates diamonds.Developmentally - parents feel pressure to stimulate more. Do more. Optimise...

  12. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 50 | How The First Year Sets Your Baby Up For Success | Dr SCL

    The first year of parenting can feel like one long stream of information overload mixed with opinions, old wive tales and Google generated confusion. Add in the - Wake windows. Milestones. Sleep schedules. Tummy time. Feeding advice. Developmental checklists. Opinions from strangers. Opinions…

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  13. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 49 | Parenting with Instinct vs Anxiety | Dr SCL

    When I started this podcast I made a big song and dance about NOT wanting this to be a parenting podcast. But there is a pattern I have seen emerge over the last few year which I think warrants a conversation as it has the power to either engage parents as being team mates in their child’s...

  14. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 48 | Why Some Babies Only Settle on One Person | Dr SCL

    Today, we're going to decode exactly what is happening in your baby's nervous system when they will only settle for you or if they act as if you are the devil. And I promise you — it is not what most people think.

  15. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 47 | Feeding Is More Than Feeding | Dr SCL

    One of the most emotional experiences in early motherhood… is feeding.Because when feeding feels hard, many mothers quietly start questioning themselves.“Why does my baby only feed on one side?” “Why are they so unsettled?” “Why does feeding feel like a fight?”And the support we offer mother’s…

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  16. Decoded:The First Year | Episode 46 | Why Overstimulation Looks Like “Normal” Childhood Now | Dr SCL

    Overstimulation has become so common… it now looks normal.The constant movement. The emotional volatility. The inability to slow down. The dysregulation after busy days. The exhaustion disguised as hyperactivity.Today, I want to talk about why so many children are not “naughty” or “too much”…...

  17. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 45 | Your Baby Isn’t a Bad Sleeper | Dr SCL

    Few things make parents question themselves faster than sleep. Or lack of it.And somewhere along the way, many parents quietly start believing: “If my baby isn’t sleeping well… I must be doing something wrong.” Let’s remove something immediately.Your baby is not “bad at sleep.” That idea doesn’t...

  18. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 44 | Your Child Isn’t Giving You a Hard Time | Dr SCL

    One of the hardest parts of parenting… and a moment many parents don’t talk about is trying to stay calm when your child’s behaviour feels big. The meltdowns. The screaming. The constant movement. The emotional explosions that seem to arrive out of nowhere. You’re trying to stay calm… You’re…

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  19. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 43 | Reflexes - What Do They All Mean in the Long Run? | Dr SCL

    If you’ve listened to this entire reflex series… first of all, good on you. Because chances are, you didn’t come here looking for “perfect parenting.” You came here looking for understanding. You wanted to know: “What actually matters in my baby’s development?” “What should I pay attention to?”...

  20. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 42 | When Reflexes Need Support (And When They Don’t) | Dr SCL

    There’s a question sitting underneath almost every conversation I have with parents. “How do I know if this is something we need to act on… or something my child will simply grow through?” And honestly? That question makes sense. Because parents today are caught between two very loud messages.…

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  21. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 41 | Primitive Reflex Myths That Keep Parents Anxious | Dr SCL

    If you’ve ever found yourself late at night…Googling your baby’s movements…Wondering if something you’re seeing is “normal”…Or worrying that you might be missing something important…This episode is for you.Because somewhere along the way, conversations about primitive reflexes shifted. From...

  22. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 40 | Why Over-Stimulation Blocks Reflex Integration | Dr SCL

    You’re doing all the things.The toys.The tummy time.The music.The contrast cards.The play mats.You’re engaging…You’re interacting…You’re trying to give your baby every possible advantage.And still… there’s this quiet thought in the background:“Is it enough?”“Should I be doing more?”“Am I missing...

  23. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 39 | Why A "Difficult Baby" Is Often Neurology In Disguise | DrSCL

    Hey Mum… Have you ever looked at your baby and thought… “They’re just a bit more sensitive…” “They’re strong-willed…” “They’re just not as easy as other babies…” And if you’re really honest — there’s a tiny part of you wondering… am I missing something here? Because one minute they’re calm… the...

  24. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 38 | STNR: The Bridge Between Crawling & Upright Movement | Dr SCL

    There’s a moment that catches almost every parent off guard…Your baby isn’t quite crawling yet — but they’re not quite still either.They’re rocking… shifting… almost like they’re trying to figure something out.And you start wondering:“Should they be crawling by now?”“Are they skipping…

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  25. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 37 | The Reflex That Shapes Movement, Vision & more | Dr SCL

    If you’ve ever watched your baby turn their head… and noticed their whole body respond…An arm straightening… the opposite side curling in…And you’ve thought, “Is that just random movement?”I want to gently shift that for you.Because what looks random… is actually incredibly organised.And more…

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  26. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 36 | TLR: How Your Baby Learns to Move Against the World | Dr SCL

    If you’ve ever looked at your baby during tummy time… and thought,“Why does this feel harder for them than it should?” Or maybe you’ve noticed moments where their body feels a little too stiff… or a little too floppy… And you’ve wondered — quietly — “Am I missing something?” Let me reassure you...

  27. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 35 | The Moro Reflex: Why Safety Comes Before Skill | Dr SCL

    The Moro reflex. Not because it’s the most talked about — but because it’s the one that shapes how your baby experiences the world from the very beginning. It’s their first “alarm system.” Their first response to stress. Their first layer of protection. And when this reflex is working well,...

  28. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 34 | Why Asking "Is this Normal" Wastes Time | Dr SCL

    One of the first questions parents are taught to ask is: “Is this normal?” And I understand why. Normal sounds safe. Normal sounds reassuring. But neurologically…normal is a very blunt tool. Because development doesn’t happen in neat categories. It happens in patterns. Two babies can look...

  29. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 33 | Why “Outgrowing” Reflexes Is the Wrong Model | Dr SCL

    Hi, Mum, it’s Dr SCL.Today we’re tackling one of the sneakiest little phrases in early development:“They’ll grow out of it.”It sounds reassuring, right? Like a soft promise that time will solve everything. But when we look through a nervous system lens, it’s not just incomplete — it’s...

  30. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 32 | Primitive Reflexes: The Hidden Drivers of Development | DrSCL

    If you’ve been listening to this podcast, you’ll have heard me say this a few times:Your baby isn’t random.Their movement isn’t accidental.And their behaviour isn’t a mystery.We need to talk about what comes before movement even looks like movement.Primitive reflexes.Don’t worry —you don’t need…

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  31. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 31 | The Hidden Foundation Beneath Every Milestone | Dr SCL

    Milestone culture has trained us to look at outcomes.Rolling. Sitting. Crawling. Walking.But almost no one explains what makes those things possible in the first place.And when primitive reflexes do get mentioned?It’s usually in the context of something being “retained” or “wrong.”Which is...

  32. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 30 | What Your Baby Is Really Practising on the Floor | Dr SCL

    Hey Mum. Let me guess… you put your baby on the floor for tummy time… and within about 90 seconds you’re wondering if you’re doing it right. Are they meant to be rolling by now? Should they be pushing up higher? Why does someone else’s baby look stronger already? Here’s what I want you to know....

  33. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 29 | What Hitting Every Milestone Fails to Tell You | Dr SCL

    If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a milestone chartwondering “Are we behind?”or quietly panicking because your baby isn’t ticking boxesin the order the internet promised…This episode is for you.Because milestone charts were never designed to explain development.They were designed to record...

  34. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 28 | Why Walking Early Isn’t the Win You’ve Been Sold | Dr SCL

    Early walking gets celebrated. Photos.Applause.Comments like, “They’re so advanced.” And I understand the pride. But today, I want to gently dismantle a myth — without taking anything away from your child. Walking early is not the goal. A well-organised nervous system is.

  35. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 27 | Why Crawling Still Matters — Even If the Charts Say It Doesn’t | Dr SCL

    Crawling has been deemed to be optional. Not in biology. Not in neurology. But on paper. And that should make us pause — not panic — but really pause. Because when something fundamental disappears from the conversation, it doesn’t mean it stopped being important. It usually means we stopped…

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  36. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 26 | Why Googling Your Baby's Symptoms Is Not Helping | Dr SCL

    I’m Dr SCL — chiropractor, dad, nervous system decoder — and today - we’re putting the motivation and emotion behind the super common question I get from parents of: “Is this normal?” “Should I be worried?” “Or am I just overthinking it?” And mixing it with the neurology which drives the function...

  37. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 25 |Why How a Milestone Happens Matters More Than When | Dr SCL

    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...

  38. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 24 | Why Your Baby’s Body Tells the Truth Before Milestones Ever Do | Dr SCL

    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...

  39. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 23 | Walking — The Final Output, Not the First Goal | Dr SCL

    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.

  40. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 22 | Why Separation Panic Peaks with Walking at 9-12 mths | Dr SCL

    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...

  41. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 21 | Why 6-8 Months Is Key for Crawling & Feeding Issues | Dr SCL

    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...

  42. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 20 | Why 4–5 Months Is When Sleep & Meltdowns Explode | Dr SCL

    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...

  43. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 19 | Why the First 3 mths Are Key to Problems Seen Later | Dr SCL

    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...

  44. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 18 | Baby Sleep Isn’t the Problem (It’s a Signal) | Dr SCL

    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...

  45. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 17 | Feeding Sucks - Boobs, Bottles & the Nervous System | Dr SCL

    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...

  46. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 16 | The Comparison Trap | Dr SCL

    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...

  47. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 15 | Overstimulated or Just Over It? | Dr SCL

    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...

  48. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 14 | Why Your Baby Isn't Hitting Milestones | Dr SCL

    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…

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  49. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 13 | How to Tell a Real Red Flag From Normal Baby Chaos | Dr SCL

    “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...

  50. Decoded: The First Year | Episode 12 | The Truth About ‘Skipped’ Milestones | Dr SCL

    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…

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

WARNING: This isn't another parenting podcastDecoded: The First Year - is the podcast for parents feeling overwhelmed by baby milestones, sleep struggles and conflicting advice. Hosted by Dr SCL - a chiropractor, dad and nervous system translator, each episode helps you understand what’s really going on in your baby’s body and brain through DECODING the science of neurodevelopment and nervous system health into practical insights you can actually use without mansplaining, guilt or fear - all from a dad who gets it and a clinician who listens more than he lectures.

HOSTED BY

drscl

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Decoded: The First Year have?

Decoded: The First Year currently has 60 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Decoded: The First Year about?

WARNING: This isn't another parenting podcastDecoded: The First Year - is the podcast for parents feeling overwhelmed by baby milestones, sleep struggles and conflicting advice. Hosted by Dr SCL - a chiropractor, dad and nervous system translator, each episode helps you understand what’s really...

How often does Decoded: The First Year release new episodes?

Decoded: The First Year has 60 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Decoded: The First Year?

You can listen to Decoded: The First Year on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Decoded: The First Year?

Decoded: The First Year is created and hosted by drscl.
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