Baby Steps: How to Get Your Newborn to Fall Asleep Without You (Step by Step!)

Parents can lose up to 1,055 hours of sleep in their baby’s first year. The stereotype of a sleep-deprived, bleary-eyed, frazzled new parent? It doesn’t have to be you.

You can help your baby ease into healthy sleep patterns from day one—you just have to know the tricks of the trade. Health coach and parenting expert Sara Snow to the rescue! She’s got a foolproof way to train babies to drift into dreamland on their own—and stay asleep through the night. Watch and learn.

And keeping baby safe in bed is more than just making sure they’re secure in the crib. A lot of parents don’t even realize that conventional baby care products can expose little ones to up to 27 different chemicals. For pre-bedtime baths, it’s best to avoid parabens and synthetic fragrances—both can be allergenic and even throw off healthy hormonal function. And it’s also a good idea to stay away from antibacterial products, which can prevent babies from developing their own natural resistance to bacteria. According to Snow, a washcloth, warm water, and mild soap are all you really need.

When baby is safe and sound, you’re more likely to be well-rested yourself, which is just as important. That is, if you can resist peeking your head in every hour to catch a glimpse of that sweet face.

Read more about Sara Snow here and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.