Last Updated on October 1, 2026 by Ivana Poku
Ah, baby sleep!
It’s been ten years for me at the time I’m writing this post, but I still remember that stage vividly.
Especially the desperation I felt.
It was like living in a bubble where time had stopped. I had no idea what day it was, and I was just going through the motions, but felt totally empty inside.
I was desperate to get my sleep back, and I asked everyone: When do babies sleep through the night?
But everyone gave me the same response: “Every baby is different, so it depends.”
I hated that response and refused to believe it. There must be something we can do, surely? You can’t live on no sleep for years just because your baby decides that’s what they’re going to do!
It took me a good few years, but I eventually learned that you actually can help your baby sleep.
And when I did, I couldn’t believe no one teaches you these things in hospital.
It should be one of the most important things you’re given when you have a baby – all the tools and skills you need to help your baby sleep.
But they don’t. So I decided to write this post to give you some much-needed information on how to help your baby sleep – so you don’t have to struggle like I did.
I’ve rounded up some of the most popular online baby sleep courses to help you work out which one might actually suit you and your baby.
But first, real quick… If you’re deep in the baby stage right now and finding things hard, grab these 27 affirmations I created to bring you some instant relief. They’re free, and they’ll help you feel lighter in seconds.
Ok, let’s dive in.
A little backstory…
Our first children were twins, so you can imagine how we felt when they didn’t sleep at night. They were also colicky, so during their first six months or so, they cried and screamed almost constantly.
My husband and I were at breaking point.
We considered reaching out to a sleep expert, but there were so many options to choose from, and everyone said their approach was the best. It all became more overwhelming than helpful.
A few years later, we met a new friend who was also a baby sleep routine specialist. As we got to know her and her work, I was so sad and frustrated that we hadn’t known her when our twins were tiny.
Needless to say, when we had our third baby, I knew I’d work with her. There was no way I was going through the same pain we’d experienced with the twins.
We followed her advice, and in about a week our baby started sleeping through the night from three months! I couldn’t believe it.
It wasn’t easy, and there were a few times when I was on the verge of giving up. But remembering how much I had struggled the first time around kept me going.
And even now, nearly five years later, he sleeps like a baby. He has his bath, drinks his milk, closes his eyes and is out for the count.
Many people say we’re lucky, but I know this isn’t down to luck. It’s the result of hard work and dedication.
Sadly, this particular sleep routine expert doesn’t work with babies anymore due to personal reasons. But she helped me understand that there are things you can do to support your baby’s sleep and help them develop better sleep habits.
So I did some research and rounded up five courses that are similar to the method we followed.
I’ll explain what each course offers, what makes it different and who it might suit, so you can work out which one could be right for you.
I’ve also focused on courses that offer a money-back guarantee, where available, so you can try them without feeling like you’re taking a huge risk.
Something I definitely wish I’d known when I was desperately looking for help!
Quick comparison table
Before we get into each one, here’s a quick look at what makes each course different:
| Course | What it focuses on |
|---|---|
| Taking Cara Babies | Clear, step-by-step, personalised sleep plans |
| Little Ones | A sleep plan that changes with your baby’s day |
| The Sleep Chief | Simple sleep guidance on a budget |
| The Sleep Project | Understanding what’s behind your baby’s sleep problems |
| Tiny Sleepers | One course covering newborn to toddler sleep |
Okay, now, le’ts break each other down.
5 Baby Sleep Courses
1. Taking Cara Babies
This is one of the best-known baby sleep programmes out there, and it’s the one I want to start with.
It’s created by Cara Dumaplin, a mum of four and paediatric sleep consultant, and the programme covers different strategies depending on your baby’s age and stage.
Here’s what you can expect:
From birth to 12 weeks
If you have a newborn, the Newborn Sleep Class is designed for babies from birth to 12 weeks.
It covers:
- Understanding your baby’s sleep cues
- Calming an overtired baby
- Helping your baby practise falling asleep independently
- Creating a flexible routine
- Encouraging longer stretches of sleep at night
- Improving short naps
- Using sleep tools effectively
- Troubleshooting common newborn sleep problems
If the idea of leaving your baby to cry doesn’t feel right for you, you’ll be pleased to know the newborn programme focuses on gentle strategies, with plenty of cuddles, rocking, babywearing and snuggly naps.
The idea is to help you build healthy sleep habits from an early age, rather than simply waiting for your baby to “grow out of” their sleep problems.
For babies aged 5–24 months
If your baby is a little older, Taking Cara Babies has the 5–24 Month Collection, which includes three resources: ABCs of Sleep, Conquering Naps and Bumps Along the Way.
The one that really stands out to me is ABCs of Sleep.
This is the main sleep-training programme, and it takes you through a step-by-step, completely customisable sleep plan designed to help your baby learn to sleep independently.
And I think the word customisable is important.
Because your baby isn’t the same as your friend’s baby.
You might be dealing with reflux, teething, a baby who is particularly strong-willed, room-sharing, daycare, older siblings, travelling or even twins.
ABCs of Sleep can be adapted for all of these situations and more.
It will teach you how to:
- Create a personalised sleep-training plan
- Help your baby work towards 10–12 hours of independent sleep
- Stay emotionally connected to your baby during sleep training
- Handle night wakings and night weaning based on your baby’s needs
- Adapt the approach to your own circumstances
My take
What I like most about Taking Cara Babies is that you’re not just being handed a list of things to try.
You are actually being taught why your baby is struggling with sleep and what you can do about it.
And honestly, that was one of the biggest things I was missing when my twins were babies.
I spent so much time trying random things because I didn’t actually understand why they weren’t sleeping.
Having someone walk you through the process step by step can take away a lot of that guesswork.
Because you no longer think:
“Why won’t my baby sleep?!”
But rather:
“OK, I understand what’s happening. I know what I’m going to do next.”
And that feeling alone can be a huge relief when you’re running on broken sleep.
I also like that Taking Cara Babies puts a lot of emphasis on staying emotionally connected to your baby while they learn independent sleep skills.
And it doesn’t stop at the main sleep programmes.
Taking Cara Babies also offers resources covering things like swaddling, toddler sleep and travelling with a baby or toddler, so you can keep coming back to the same source as your child grows.
It’s a pretty comprehensive package under one umbrella, which can be really handy when you’re already exhausted and don’t have the energy to research a completely different programme every time your baby’s sleep changes.
Taking Cara Babies also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is a nice bit of reassurance if you’re nervous about spending money on a sleep programme.
2. Little Ones
If you want something that feels a little more like having a sleep expert in your pocket, Little Ones app is another great option.
Little Ones has been helping families with baby and toddler sleep for more than a decade, and its Sleep App is designed for babies and toddlers from 0–36 months.
What makes it interesting is that you don’t have to follow one fixed schedule every day.
Instead, the app creates a personalised sleep plan for your baby, including when they should nap and sleep. It then adjusts the plan according to how your baby sleeps that day.
So, for example, if your baby wakes up early, has a short nap or sleeps longer than expected, you can add that to the app and it will adjust the rest of the day’s plan.So, my darling, if you’ve ever spent half your day doing baby sleep maths…
“When did she wake up?”
“How long was that nap?”
“Is it too early for another nap?”
“Should bedtime be earlier now?”
…you’ll probably appreciate this lol.
The course includes:
- Personalised sleep schedules and wake windows
- Guidance for naps and night sleep
- Help with night waking and early waking
- Settling and self-settling guidance
- Sleep regression support
- Sleep and feed tracking
- Troubleshooting for different sleep challenges
- Access to sleep guidance and resources
It also adapts as your baby grows and includes tips on self-settling for babies over four months.
My take
I think Little Ones could be useful if you like having clear guidance and someone to tell you what to do next.
Rather than spending hours askig in online forums or wondering whether your baby’s nap was too short, the app does a lot of that thinking for you.
The other good thing I like is that it isn’t just about getting through one difficult phase.
Because baby sleep changes constantly.
Just when you think you’ve finally figured it out, your baby learns to crawl, starts teething, drops a nap or decides to start waking at 5am…
Little Ones is designed to keep adapting with those changes.
So if you like the idea of having personalised guidance, this could be one to look at.
Take a look at Little Ones here.
3. The Sleep Chief
Another baby sleep course you could look at is The Sleep Chief.
It’s for babies from birth to 12 months and what I like about this one is that it keeps things pretty simple.
You get 26 short video lessons, age-based routines and lots of tips to help with common sleep problems.
Here’s what it covers:
- Creating a good sleep routine
- Helping your baby settle
- Sleep training
- Nap problems
- Early morning waking
- Teething and illness
- Travelling with your baby
- Moving from one nap stage to another
You also get routine guides for different ages.
And if you’re not comfortable with the cry-it-out method, The Sleep Chief says you don’t have to use it.
My take
I think this could be a good option if you want a straightforward course without spending a lot of money.
The course currently costs £59, so it’s cheaper than some of the other programmes on this list.
They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’ve followed the plan for 14 nights and haven’t seen an improvement.
4. The Sleep Project
The Sleep Project takes a gentle, holistic approach and focuses on helping you understand why your baby is struggling with sleep.
Their programmes are for babies from 6 months onwards.
They can help with:
- Getting your baby to settle at bedtime
- Night waking
- Early morning waking
- Naps
- Sleep regressions
- Changes in your baby’s sleep as they grow
- Creating a routine that works for your family
I also like that they don’t just look at bedtime. They look at the whole picture, including your baby’s naps, routine, development and what’s happening during the day.
My take
If your baby’s sleep has become difficult and you’re not sure what to change, this could be a useful option.
Rather than simply giving you a bedtime routine to follow, the programme helps you look at the bigger picture and make changes based on your baby’s individual situation.
So if your baby is over six months and you want to understand why they’re not sleeping well and what you can do about it, this could be the course for you.
5. Tiny Sleepers
The last baby sleep course I want to mention is Tiny Sleepers.
Their “Complete Baby Sleep Guide” covers everything from newborn to toddler, so you can use it as your baby grows.
It helps you understand how baby sleep works and why certain problems happen, so you can make better decisions when things change.
The course covers:
- Newborn sleep
- Sleep routines
- Wake windows
- Naps
- Sleep training
- Night waking
- Early morning waking
- Sleep regressions
- Teething and illness
- Toddler sleep
You also get printable schedules and troubleshooting checklists.
You pay £97 once and get lifetime access.
My take
This course gives you one place to go whenever your baby’s sleep changes.
So you don’t have to start from scratch every time something new comes up.
If you’re the kind of mum who likes to understand why something is happening, rather than just being told what to do, this could be worth a look.
Which one would I choose?
If I were doing this all over again with a baby, I’d probably start with Taking Cara Babies.
I like the fact that you’re not simply given a list of things to try. You’re taught how to approach your baby’s sleep, given a clear plan and shown how to adapt it to your own situation.
And after going through those exhausting months with my twins, I know how valuable that clarity can be.
Of course, what works for one family won’t necessarily work for another. But if you want a programme that gives you plenty of guidance without leaving you to figure everything out yourself, Taking Cara Babies would be the one I’d look at first.
FAQs
I am not a sleep expert, but from what I’ve learned while working with one, you can start right after birth.
However, it’s recommended to wait for at least three months, as this gives you time to get to know your baby and their cues.
In my experience, 100% yes. The only regret I have is that I didn’t invest in help right away. My life would have been so much easier, and I probably wouldn’t have needed to struggle so much or for so long.
If your baby doesn’t sleep well and it’s impacting you and your wellbeing, this could be one of the best investments you can make right now.
In my experience, if you follow the steps correctly, it works. If your baby doesn’t respond, it’s always best to speak to the course creator or a sleep expert who can advise you on what to do next.
It can sometimes be the tiniest thing you forgot to follow, and it can have a knock-on effect on everything else. When I fixed the problem, my baby responded right away.
You don’t. Personally, I have nothing against any method, but there is nothing you have to do to help your baby sleep. Always choose what feels comfortable and right for you and your family.
But I also want to say this: please never judge parents who choose to use this method. We never know what situations and circumstances other people are dealing with, or what’s going on behind closed doors.
One. Hundred. Percent.
You’re not just investing in your baby’s sleep. You’re investing in your own wellbeing, too. And honestly, I see it as a long-term investment that can make a huge difference to your family life.
Helping your baby develop healthy sleep habits early on can give them a really good foundation as they grow. And when everyone is sleeping better, life can feel so much easier for both you and your baby.
I can’t even begin to explain how much of a difference better sleep can make to your everyday life.
Final word
There you go!
The baby stage is brutal, but you don’t have to passively wait for things to get better and get your sleep back.
There are experts and courses out there that can help and make all the difference for you.
Of course, no sleep course can guarantee that your baby will sleep through the night.
But these courses can help you understand your baby’s sleep and find things that might work for you and your family.
If you don’t want to spend money on help, here’s what I always say to new mums:
This is not the time to save up. This is about your and your family’s mental wellbeing, so if you can make things easier for yourself, do it.
You’re not only investing in your baby’s sleep, you’re investing in your wellbeing.
If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. 🙂
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PhDr. Ivana Poku is the author of Motherhood – The Unspoken, an award-winning blogger and maternal mental health advocate. Through her work, she is on a mission to create a world where mums feel seen, heard and supported. Ivana is also a mum of three boys, including twins, and lives with her family in a small coastal town in Scotland.
