Health Tip: Help Baby Develop Healthy Sleep Habits

(HealthDay News) -- It's never too early to teach infants sleep habits that will help prepare them for a lifetime of healthy sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation offers these guidelines:

• Look for baby's natural sleep patterns and when he or she starts to get sleepy.

• Place baby in the crib sleepy, but not asleep.

• Create a consistent daytime and nighttime sleep schedule, and a soothing bedtime routine.

• Make sure the environment is dark, cool, and otherwise conducive to sleep.

• Teach baby to fall asleep on his or her own and to self-soothe to sleep.