Do you put your baby to bed, only to have her wake with a start when you step on a squeaky floorboard? Here's a tip for you.I spent the first several months of new motherhood in my daughter's nursery, rocking and nursing, rocking and nursing her into a good sleep, only to have the dog, doorbell, squeaky floorboard, garbage truck, neighborhood kids, YOU NAME IT wake her up five minutes later. Then a friend suggested I run a fan in her room.

I had an extra HEPA air purifier, so I put it in her room for white noise during naps. That very day, peace reigned in my kingdom. My ultra-light sleeper of a baby could sink into her baby dreams without household noises waking her up. And I could answer the phone without yelling at the caller for waking up the baby.

Some babies can sleep through anything. If you have one who can't, try running a fan (not a choice for mobile babies who could escape the crib and stick their little fingers in it), an air purifier, or even an electronic white noise machine in their room. Even my now older kids sleep better with something running and don't wake each other up when the get up in the morning!