6 Most Popular Baby Sleep-Training Methods Explained

For babies younger than seven months, Garden prefers an approach where you stay in the room without giving them too much help to fall asleep.

• For example, you could stand over their crib and shush them, pat their tummy or apply pressure to calm and reassure them.
• Another option is to let them fuss for a bit, but when they start to escalate, pick them up to soothe them, but put them back down before they fall asleep. “Our job is to help calm the child, and their job is to fall asleep,” says Garden.

While these methods can work really well for younger babies, after six or seven months, your presence might make your baby more upset, and picking them up and putting them back down will likely be too much stimulation.