Stop trying everything

When your baby isn’t sleeping, it’s easy to feel desperate. You’re tired, they’re tired, and you’d do anything for a few solid hours of rest. So you bounce, feed, rock, shush, change sound machines, try new swaddles, try no swaddle, move bedtime earlier… then later… maybe it’s solids? Maybe it’s teething? Maybe you need a different sleep sack, or a new nap schedule, or a blackout curtain, or a magical sleep toy from TikTok?

Sound familiar?

Here’s the hard truth that no one wants to hear: trying everything at once doesn’t lead to better sleep—it usually leads to more confusion.

Why “Trying Everything” Doesn’t Work

When you switch strategies every day (or every few hours), your baby doesn’t get a chance to learn what to expect. And babies thrive on predictability.

When the response to waking changes constantly—sometimes you feed, sometimes you rock, sometimes you wait, sometimes you switch naps or bedtime—it can make sleep even harder. Your baby doesn’t know what to do… and honestly, neither do you.

It’s not your fault.

You’re doing what any loving, exhausted parent would do: trying to help. But when we respond to sleep struggles with a scattershot approach, we often make the root issue harder to see and solve.

What to Do Instead

Instead of trying everything, try this:

1. Choose One Approach—and Stick With It

Pick a method or strategy that aligns with your values, your baby’s temperament, and your family’s needs. Whether it’s a gentle method like stay-in-the-room or a more independent approach, commit to it for at least 5–7 days before reassessing.

2. Focus on Routine Over Rescue

Build a solid wind-down routine before naps and bedtime. Keep it simple, consistent, and soothing. This tells your baby: "Sleep is coming. I know what to expect."

3. Track Patterns Before Changing Plans

Keep a sleep log for a few days. What time are they waking? How long are they napping? What’s working? What’s not? The answer is often in the patterns—not the guesswork.

4. Be Patient With the Process

Babies don’t change habits overnight. Sleep is a skill, and like any skill, it takes time, practice, and repetition. If you’re switching things every day, your baby never gets a chance to catch on.

5. Get Support if You’re Stuck

If you’ve given something a fair shot and things still aren’t clicking, that’s the time to consult a sleep expert—not a new sleep product. You don’t have to figure it out alone.

The Power of Consistency

The real magic of sleep improvement isn’t in the method—it’s in the consistency.

Your baby wants to sleep. Their body needs to sleep. When we offer predictable cues, routines, and responses, we help their nervous system settle. We help them feel safe. And when they feel safe, they sleep better.

Trying everything at once feels like action—but it’s often a form of sleep sabotage. Try one thing. Try it well. Give it time.

And if you need help choosing the right thing? I’ve got you.