What is Sleep Training
Let’s clear something up -sleep training doesn’t mean letting your baby “cry it out” or ignoring their needs. Sleep training simply means helping your baby learn how to fall asleep on their own—without needing a parent’s help every time.
When a baby can fall asleep independently, they’re also able to connect sleep cycles, sleep longer stretches at night, and nap more consistently during the day.
What Are Sleep Props?
Sleep props are anything your baby uses to fall asleep. Some props are helpful and some can actually make sleep harder.
Helpful sleep props are the ones that stay the same all night long or can be controlled by your baby. These might include:
Blackout curtains that keep the room dark
A white noise machine
A cozy sleep sack
A pacifier (as long as your baby can replace it themselves)
These tools help create a consistent sleep environment and consistency is key to better sleep.
Challenging sleep props, on the other hand, are the ones that rely on you. These can include:
Rocking or holding to sleep
Nursing or bottle-feeding to sleep
Patting or shushing until baby is fully asleep
Replacing the pacifier each time it falls out
When a baby depends on a parent to recreate the same conditions every time they wake, it becomes hard for them to settle back to sleep independently.
What Sleep Training Really Teaches
Sleep training is all about passing the skill of falling asleep from you to your baby. Think of it like teaching your child to ride a bike , your role is to guide, support, and give them a little space to practice.
Your job as a parent is to provide:
A predictable routine
A calm, consistent sleep environment
A clear plan for how to respond when your baby needs help
And most importantly, a little space for them to figure it out
The 5 Major Sleep Skills We Teach at Sleep Baby
When families work with Sleep Baby, we focus on five essential sleep skills that help babies become confident, independent sleepers:
Falling asleep independently at bedtime
Connecting sleep cycles in the middle of the night
Falling asleep independently for naps
Connecting sleep cycles during naps
Pushing past early morning wakings
Once your baby masters these five skills, sleep becomes predictable, peaceful, and restorative, for your whole family!