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It is an absolute necessity of parenthood to help your baby (and yourself) get the best sleep possible. A baby (or parent) that does not sleep enough can easily become restless and irritable. Here are some tips to get your baby to go to sleep and stay asleep longer.

Keep your baby active during the day. When awake, create a playful and active environment for your baby. Stimulate them with normal household light and noises. Talk, Sing and Play with them to ensure they stay active.

Monitor and limit sleep during the day. It's important to set a regular schedule for daytime naps. However, sleeping for long periods of time during the day may create disaster when it's bedtime and your little on isn't tired.

Try using a pacifier. Some people swear by them and some people dislike them, but pacifiers are a proven remedy to help some babies settle down and get to sleep. In fact, studies have shown that using a pacifier can reduce the risk of SIDS. Of course if you choose to use a pacifier, you risk nighttime wakings when your baby loses it's pacifier and can't find it.

Establish a bedtime routine. It is very important to create a solid routine before bedtime. This will help your baby know what to expect before bedtime. A standard nighttime routine could be a bath, reading a book, then a good night kiss. It's more important that it's consistent rather than what it includes.

Put your baby in it's crib while it's awake. This may be the most important thing in this article. If you hold, rock, or swaddle your baby to sleep and then place them in their crib or bassinet while they are asleep you are asking for trouble. When you do this and your baby wakes, they get very scared and confused because it's not the same environment that they remember before they fell asleep. This is asking for nighttime waking and crying. The trick is to hold your baby until they are very tired but not sleeping and then put them into their crib.
Create a pleasant sleeping environment. Keep your babies sleep area quiet and dark. Some babies will wake at the slightest noises or movements. If your baby is like this, you can keep the noise down my oiling the springs on the crib and turning the phone ringer off. Try to keep the temperature and humidity at a constant level. 68 ' 72 degrees and 40% - 50% humidity seems to work well for my daughter. If you baby seems to wake often with a stuffy nose, try a using a humidifier to keep the air more comftorable. You should also keep allergens including dust and pet dander away from your baby's nursery or crib.

Try using 'White Noise'. Sometimes, using a constant noise or hum will help your baby get to sleep and stay asleep. Personally, we use a small box fan set on low. It creates a hum that seems to help relax our daughter and drown out other household noises. Instead of a fan, you could try a recording of a parent's voice singing a lullaby or just a tape of rain or the ocean. I have heard of this working for several parent's.

Don't let yourself get frustrated. Getting your baby to sleep does not measure how good of a parent you are. Every baby is different and you must be patient and try to understand what your specific baby's needs are. Remember that you can always ask your child's pediatrician for recommendations.