If your goal is to have your infant fall asleep independently, then my #1 sleep tip is to start laying your baby down in her crib drowsy but awake, starting as early as possible. If your baby falls asleep while being fed or rocked, awaken slightly and put him/her in the crib. This way, the baby doesn't learn to fall asleep only when being fed or rocked which can lead to a sleep dependency that can be difficult to break later.
It was demonstrated in one study (Symon & Marley, 2005) that infants who were put in their crib drowsy but awake slept an average of almost 9 hours more per week at 12 weeks of age than those in the control group. This advice, along with other pieces of advice given to parents of newborns in this study, were simple strategies which yielded amazing results!
I wish I had practiced this #1 sleep tip with my twins 16 years ago! The good news is, it's never too late to teach healthy sleep habits. The sooner the better! I can help.
Reference:
Symon, B. G., Marley, J. E., Martin, A. J., & Norman, E. R. (2005). Effect of a consultation teaching behaviour modification on sleep performance in infants: a randomised controlled trial. Medical Journal of Australia, 182(5), 215-218. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06669.x
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