10 Practical Tips for Baby Care

"Self-settling is an important developmental task that all babies need to learn," says Dr. Germain. According to most experts, this should be attacked in the four- to six-month range.

There are many ways to teach your baby to soothe herself to sleep, and you'll need to determine which method is right for you. Some of the techniques include letting your baby cry it out for increasing periods of time, hanging out in the nursery and patting her back until she falls asleep, or coming into the nursery every few minutes to show her you're still there.

"Whether you are a Ferber, a Weissbluth, or another sleep specialist fan ... this is a parental job which fosters good sleep habits for the rest of the child's years," says Dr. Germain.