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New Baby Basics: Everything you need to know about sleep training

Follow these tips to get your baby to sleep longer (and earn yourself a few zzz's, too).
/ Source: TODAY

A crying baby during the day is one thing. (One very difficult thing, don't get us wrong.)

But at night, when you find yourself bleary-eyed due to your baby's unwillingness to close her eyes and catch her own zzz's ... well, that's a whole other can of worms.

If you've landed here because you're so exhausted you can't take another night of sleep deprivation, look no further: in this installment of TODAY's New Baby Basics series, producer (and mom of two) Patrice Poltzer has a bunch of handy tips to help you make it through the night.

Watch this video for 6 sleep training strategies:

1. Try the "cry it out" method.

"The sleep training is not about them sleeping through the night," says Maja Castillo, M.D., a pediatrician at Tribeca Pediatrics. "It's about the ability to self soothe." When it comes to letting your baby cry it out, most parents opt for the Ferber method, letting their babies cry for a specified period of time. But it's tough to hear your child cry, which is why some parents ...

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2.Try the "no tears" approach.

This is an alternative to the Ferber method. For those who find it troubling to let their baby cry, the "no tears" approach simply means you can soothe them until they settle down and sleep. While this might work in the short term, you can't be sure you're teaching your child how to sleep all on their own.

3. Avoid putting your baby to bed too late.

The earlier you put him or her to bed, the longer they're likely to sleep.

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4. Involve your partner.

Share the responsibility! You'll get tons more sleep because you'll at least be freed up half the time.

5. Create an imperfect environment.

Conditions shouldn't be too perfect in the nursery! Babies might have trouble napping during the day if they're used to complete silence at night.

6. Stay consistent.

Whatever you do, keep doing it! A baby learns by repetition.

For more newborn tips, check out the full series here.