The process of teaching your baby how to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night is called sleep training. There are a few different methods of sleep training that parents can try. This can be particularly helpful for babies who struggle to fall asleep at night. Experts normally recommend that sleep training begin when the baby is between four and six months old. There are three main methods for sleep training: crying it out, no tears, and fading. Parents should consult with a qualified medical professional to ensure that their baby is ready for sleep training.
Note: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldnt be taken as medical advice, and it shouldnt take the place of medical advice and supervision from a trained professional. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately.
Preparing For Sleep Training
There are several things that parents can do to set the stage for sleep training success. These are some suggestions for parents to get sleep training started.
- You should establish a regular bedtime to ensure that your baby doesn’t become tired and fights for sleep. Experts recommend that the baby sleep between 7 and 8 o’clock in the morning.
- Create a bedtime routine, which can be started when the baby is as young as a few weeks. Bedtime routines can include lullabies, warm baths, and reading books.
- Create a consistent daytime schedule. Getting a baby up at the same time each morning, feeding them, and having nap time around the same time each day helps to create a feeling of security and allows the baby to relax. It will be easier for babies to settle down and go to sleep if they are calm.
Baby sleep training is all about consistency.
Sleep Training Methods
There has been lots of research done regarding sleep training and experts continue to debate the best methods for sleep training. Consistency is more important than the method of sleep training.
Studies have shown that most sleep training techniques are effective when they are consistently applied.
- Let it out Cry it out methods generally involved putting a baby in their crib while they are still awake and alert, and allowing small periods of crying then comforting, but not picking up the child. Proponents of the cry it out method do not advocate for letting a baby cry indefinitely. The cry it out technique developed by Richard Ferber is the most well known. Ferber, a pediatrician states that babies must learn how to soothe themselves in order to fall asleep, and stay asleep all night. Ferber believes that allowing babies to cry for short periods of their own comfort is one way to teach them how to soothe themselves.
- No TearsNo tears approach to sleep training encourages a gradual approach rather than cry it out. With the no tears approach, babies are soothed to sleep and offered immediate comfort when they cry. William Sears is a pediatrician and author who advocates the no tears approach for sleep training.
- Fading Fading falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of sleep training. Parents can gradually reduce their involvement in bedtime by sitting beside the baby until they fall asleep. Each night, parents gradually move their seats further away from the crib. The goal of the fading approach is to allow babies to figure out ways to soothe themselves. Kim West, a licensed clinical social worker and author, is a prominent proponent of fading.
In addition to the sleep training methods discussed above, there are several other techniques that can be used to sleep train. Some techniques are specifically intended for newborns but aspects of these techniques can be used for older babies if they prove helpful. You should remember that not all children are the same. Some children will be naturally more sleepy than others. Others may need to be nurtured and supported to get good sleep. The same sleep training approaches will not work for all babies, even within the same family. Parents should be open-minded to exploring different approaches to find the best one for them.
Additional Information about Baby Sleep Training
