Sleep Training

baby sleep trainingReady to improve your baby’s sleep habits? This is the right place to start! You might also want to check out our two most popular catch-all articles, 21 Baby Sleep Tips and 8 Sleep Habits to Avoid.

Why Sleep Train A Baby?

Sleep is essential for your baby’s health and development, as well as your own! Baby sleep problems have been linked to emotional and behavioral problems, accidental injuries, and general irritability in babies as you probably already know.

When your baby has sleep problems, it affects you as well — maternal depression, stress, and marital discord are associated, too — so it makes sense to take action now.

Besides, clinical studies have shown that baby sleep training works: 50-80% of interventions result in a clinically significant improvement in baby sleep patterns.

Baby Sleep Training Basics

Here’s our collection of core baby sleep training articles to help you establish a bedtime routine, follow safe sleep practices, set an early bedtime, and teach your baby to sleep through the night.

Baby sleep through the night Baby Bedtime routine Baby Sleep Safety Early Bedtime Benefits for Baby
Get Through the Night
A comprehensive guide to teaching babies to sleep through the night.
Baby Bedtime Routine
A seven-step routine to get your baby ready for bed at night.
Sleep Safety Guide
Guidelines for safe baby sleep from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Early Baby Bedtime
The surprising benefits of an early bedtime for baby sleep training.

Baby Sleep Training Best Practices

Here are some themed in-depth articles with our recommended practices for baby sleep training, including nighttime feeding, sleeping in the crib, helping baby sleep longer, and a gentler approach to cry it out.

Nighttime feeding and sleep Get baby to sleep in crib Baby Sleep Longer Let baby Cry to Sleep
Feeding for Sleep
How and what to feed your baby to help him sleep longer at night.
Sleeping in the Crib
Tips for getting your baby to sleep in the crib every time.
Tips for Longer Sleep
Tips for helping your baby sleep for longer stretches at night.
Let Baby Cry to Sleep
Baby sleep training might bring tears. Here’s how to do it right.

Baby Sleep Training Issues

Having issues getting your baby to baby to fall asleep and stay that way? Here you can read up on helping baby fall asleep, preventing unexpected baby wake-ups, soothing your baby back to sleep, and handling other common sleep problems.

Soothe baby back to sleep Reasons baby woke up last night Ways to make a baby sleep Baby Sleep Problems
Soothe Baby to Sleep
How to soothe your baby back to sleep after a wake-up.
7 Reasons Baby Woke
Seven common causes of unexpected baby wake-ups.
12 Ways to Sleep
A dozen ways to help babies get to sleep at naps and nighttime.
Baby Sleep Problems
Advice on handling many common baby sleep problems.

Final Word on Baby Sleep Training

You’ve come this far, which is a good sign. It means that you recognize the potential benefits of healthy baby sleep habits — for your baby, for you, and for the whole family — and are willing to work at it. There is no overnight quick-fix to baby sleep problems. Most of the obstacles you might face came to be because of convenience or because they made someone happy. Like many aspects of parenting, teaching your baby healthy sleep habits is going to take some work.

You might not agree with everything you read, here and elsewhere, about babies and sleeping. We do hope that you keep an open mind, and are willing to try something new. That said, you should pay attention to your baby and trust your maternal (or paternal) instincts to do what’s right. Keep at it, and good luck!