For new parents, an uninterrupted night of sleep can feel like a thing of the past. Now, “bedtime” is filled with feeding, changing, and soothing a crying baby 24 hours a day. It’s not unusual for infants to struggle with sleeping through the night. This is where sleep training comes in.
Keep reading to learn more about sleep training benefits, when to start sleep training, and different sleep training methods. With these tips, you can develop a self-soothing baby (and start getting the rest you desperately need).
What Is Sleep Training?
Sleep training is the process of helping your baby develop good sleep habits. Your baby will learn when to sleep and how to stay asleep through the night without assistance. It involves creating a good sleep environment, establishing a healthy bedtime routine for your baby, and separating feeding from sleep.
Eventually, this will help you and your little one achieve a full night’s rest. Training your baby to sleep more independently is ultimately the purpose of sleep training.
Why Sleep Training?
Research has shown that infant sleep problems may contribute to parental depression and are strongly associated with poor parental health.
Sleep training may help improve sleep problems in infants.
One study found that 10%-25% of infants improved with sleep training, with no adverse effects reported after 5 years. The benefits extended to the parents as well, especially mothers with low-grade depression.
Another study found that infants with regular sleep/wake patterns who sleep longer in the first year of life have better overall development scores and an easier temperament.
Baby Sleep Training Methods
If you’ve read through piles of parenting books, you’ve likely come across several sleep training methods, from the Ferber method to “camping out.” There’s been a lot of research to discover how to sleep train, how long sleep training takes, and which sleeping method is best. The truth is, no formulated way is guaranteed to work for every family.
Whether you stick to one technique or combine elements from multiple ones, it’s worth reviewing each method before determining your preferred approach.
- Cry it out or complete extinction: This technique involves leaving the baby alone to “cry it out” and self-soothe, either all night or with periodic check-ins. While the cry-it-out method can work for children who calm down quickly, the extinction method version is not without controversy. Follow your instincts. If your baby is crying uncontrollably for long periods of time, something may be wrong, and it’s time to check in with your pediatrician.
- Ferber method: The Ferber method is a form of cry-it-out sleep training. It suggests letting your baby cry but allows periodic check-ins. Eventually, the sleep intervals will get longer, and the crying periods will end.
- Camping out: From the “disappearing chair” to the “gradual retreat,” this method has several variations allowing the parent to remain with the child as they self-soothe. Some techniques permit singing while others encourage co-sleeping in the same room but in different beds. Regardless of the method you choose, the idea is to provide a physical reassurance while your newborn falls asleep on their own.
When to Start Sleep Training
Just like there’s no perfect method for sleep training, there’s also no magic age that determines when a child should start sleep training—with one caveat. Babies aren’t able to self-soothe until about 4 months of age, so wait until your baby is at least this age to begin sleep training. Other sources advise starting sleep training at 6 months of age.
If you’re wondering, “When can babies self-soothe?” it’s important to know that consistency is key when teaching your baby healthy habits and developing a sleep cycle. It’s best to start the process when your schedule has minimal variables that would disrupt the training, such as a vacation, holiday, or late-night event.
Tips for Smooth Sleep Training
- Encourage full feedings during the day. Naturally, a baby nestled up to their parents will want to doze off after 10 minutes of feeding. Get your little one in the habit of completing a full feeding before bed to avoid night feedings.
- Don’t respond to every peep at night. Waking up in the middle of the night is natural for babies. Grown-ups do it, too. Before checking on your little one, wait outside the door for a minute or two to see if it's a false alarm.
- Work with your baby’s circadian rhythm. Open the blinds and take your baby outside during the day to expose them to natural light. In contrast, their nighttime environment should be kept quiet and dark.
- Decide in advance how long is too long. It can be tricky to know how long to let your baby cry, especially if you’re used to soothing them right away. Decide in advance how long is too long and what you’ll do if your baby continues to cry. This will reduce stress in the moment.
- Trust your instincts. Crying is your baby’s way of communicating. Prolonged crying may be a signal for help. Consider factors like whether the room might be too hot or cold. Is your baby teething? Do they need a diaper change, or could they be sick with an “invisible” problem like an ear infection? If you’re not sure, consult your pediatrician.
It’s important to choose a sleep training method or technique that works best for you and your baby. So how long does sleep training take? If you and your family are committed to making it work, sleeping training should last around two to four weeks. Your baby will eventually sleep through the night on their own.
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