Sleep Training: What Worked (and What Totally Flopped)

Before becoming a parent, I naively believed that babies just… fell asleep. I pictured gently rocking my baby, placing them in their crib, and watching them peacefully doze off.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Our sleep training journey was a wild ride.

First, we tried the rocking method. It worked beautifully—until the moment I put him down. The second his body touched the crib, his eyes shot open like he had been electrified.

Then came the white noise machine. It did help… but it also made our bedroom sound like a spaceship.

Swaddling? Ah, now that worked like a charm—until he figured out how to Houdini his way out of it in five seconds flat.

We dabbled in the “gentle sleep training” approach, where we gradually reduced how much we soothed him. Some nights it worked, other nights it felt like I was torturing both of us.

In the end, what worked for us was a mix of patience, routine, and accepting that sleep was a journey, not a destination. We created a simple bedtime routine—bath, book, snuggles—and stayed consistent. And over time (a lot of time), he started sleeping longer stretches.

Here’s what I learned: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep. Every baby is different, and what works for one might be a total disaster for another. And most importantly? Sleep deprivation is brutal, but it does get better.

So if you’re in the trenches, bleary-eyed and wondering if you’ll ever sleep again—hang in there. I promise, one day, you will.