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It gets tiring when you have to constantly get up and soothe your baby’s cries and put them back to sleep. The thought of having to do this for a long time can feel dreadful. This is where you’d probably want to start considering the idea of sleep training your baby.
This article will take you through what sleep training is, the different training methods for babies, and useful tips to keep in mind when you’re just getting started.
What is Sleep Training?
Sleep training is a process that involves teaching your baby to sleep and fall back asleep when he or she wakes up in the middle of the night without the need for parental intervention [1].
There is a common misconception that sleep training is using the ‘cry-it-out’ method to make your baby sleep. While there is bound to be an element of protest-crying when your baby is unlearning their current habit, sleep training is meant to help your baby develop the skills to establish healthy sleep habits [2].
The goal is to have your baby realize that they can drift off or self-soothe without having to be cuddled, nursed, or swayed.
When to Start Sleep Training
While it’s up to you to decide when to begin sleep training for your baby, experts generally recommend starting around the age of 4 to 6 months and not earlier [3], [4].
Typically from the age of 4 months old, your baby can recognize when they should be falling asleep, understand the difference between daylight and nighttime as their circadian rhythms develop, be able to self-soothe, and no longer require night feedings [3].
As a general rule of thumb, it’s always best to check with your pediatrician if you’re unsure of when you should begin sleep training.
Common Sleep Training Methods
There are many different sleep training techniques for you to choose from, depending on how you choose to parent your child and their temperament.
Here are some common approaches for parents:
Ferber method
The Ferber method, also known as ‘graduated extinction,’ was developed by Dr. Richard Ferber to help children fall asleep independently. After putting the child in bed, the parent will leave the room to let them fall asleep independently but return at progressively longer intervals to check on them briefly.
This method is often seen as a gentler version of the ‘cry-it-out’ method as it involves the parent checking in on their baby and reassuring them when they’re potentially crying out [2].
Chair method
The chair method involves putting a chair next to your baby’s crib and sitting there until your baby falls asleep. Once they do sleep, you can then leave the room. If they happen to wake in the middle of the night, you’ll have to go back and sit on the chair until they fall back asleep. Every night, you’ll keep repeating this but each time bringing the chair further away from the crib until it’s outside of the door.
It requires a lot of discipline and patience from the parents to carry out this method and not intervene when the child starts crying [5].
Pick up, put down method
Pick up, put down is a sleep training method that requires you to put your baby in their crib at bedtime, picking them up when they start crying, and putting them back down when they are calmer. This method helps to wean your baby off your support gradually but still assure them that you are nearby. However, this method can be overstimulating for children over 5 to 6 months of age [6].
Fading method
The fading method is a sleep training technique that helps to shift your baby’s sleep schedule to get them to your desired bedtime. It requires you to determine your child’s natural bedtime and put them to sleep 30 minutes after that so they are likely to fall asleep right away.
You’ll gradually shift their bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night until they can sleep at the time that you want them to [7].
Gentle sleep training method
Gentle sleep training method involves creating a bedtime routine and establishing a consistent sleep schedule. The approach focuses on helping your baby to learn how to self-soothe themselves instead of letting them cry it out. Other sleep training methods such as the pick-up, put-down method, or chair method may be combined with this method [8].
Cry-it-out (CIO) method
The cry-it-out method is about putting your baby in bed, not returning to the room, and letting them sleep through the night until it’s time for them to wake up or if there’s a need to feed or clean them. With this method, it’s normal to expect that there will be crying or protesting, especially in the first few nights. However, they will eventually learn how to self-soothe and put themselves back to sleep without your help.
Many parents are unable to handle this approach due to the incessant crying that occurs at night [9].
Sleep Training for Different Ages
When planning to sleep train your baby, you’ll need to consider your baby’s development stage, sleep needs, and abilities to self-soothe.
Here’s a breakdown of possible sleep training methods that you can employ, starting from 4 months old:
- For infants between 4 to 6 months old: At this age, they are capable of self-soothing. Consider using the ferber method or pick up, put down method.
- For older infants between 7 to 12 months old: Babies at this age can sleep with fewer night wakings, so it’s recommended to use gentle sleep training methods instead.
- For toddlers between 1 to 3 years old: This is when they may be more resistant to sleeping. It’s important to set clear bedtime rules and focus on using positive reinforcement.
Benefits of Sleep Training
Sleep training is mainly beneficial in helping to reduce infant sleep problems. The more a child sleeps, the better their temperaments are [10]. Sleep training does not cause harm to a child emotionally, physically, or psychologically and it will not affect the child’s relationship with their parents.
Some studies also show that with sleep training, there’s an improvement in maternal depression scale scores. This is particularly important as many mothers experience post-partum depression due to varying factors [11].
How long does sleep training take?
Sleep training can take anywhere between 3 days to 7 days to see an improvement in your baby’s sleep habits. However, this timeframe also depends on your baby’s behavior and the method you’ve chosen. You need to be consistent with sleep training and give it at least two weeks before trying a different method.
Tips for Sleep Training Your Infant or Toddlers
While you are trying baby sleep training methods for the first time, here are some useful tips to keep in mind:
- Be consistent: Be consistent in implementing a sleep training method and try it out for 1 to 2 weeks. Sometimes, it may take a while to work especially if your baby is known to be fussy.
- Establish a bedtime routine: Establish a sleep routine and ensure that you are sticking to it so that it will help your baby transition from wake time to sleep time easily.
- Know when your baby is tired: Watch out for sleep cues like yawning, eye rubbing, or thumb sucking so that you are putting your baby to sleep in time and not when your baby is overtired. Overtiredness can lead to sleep disruptions.
- Avoid overstimulation: Before bedtime, try not to expose them to too much loud noise, bright light, or playtime to avoid overstimulation. Consider using a white noise machine or swaddling them.
- Be patient: This is the most important tip for parents to remember. Sleep training requires a lot of patience as results do not happen immediately.
If you are experiencing trouble with sleep training, consider seeking professional help from a pediatrician for proper guidance and support.
Conclusion
Training your baby to sleep can be a useful method in improving your baby’s sleep quality and also providing much-needed stress relief for parents in the long run. If you are not sure of how and when to start sleep training, you are strongly advised to seek help from your pediatrician.
You may also consider using the ShutEye® app to help you during this sleep training process. ShutEye® not only helps to track sleep but it also offers relaxing sleep sounds, lullabies, and white noise that may be used to help babies sleep at night. Try for free today!
