How To Sleep Train A Baby?

Sleep is the one thing most parents struggle with during the first few months or even years of their baby’s life. It’s not uncommon for parents to feel frustrated when their child refuses to fall asleep throughout the night. Newborn babies take a while to develop their own sleeping and waking cycles.

Newborns tend to have an erratic sleeping schedule as they sleep for no more than 2 hours at a time, with 8 to 9 hours of daytime sleep and around 8 hours of nighttime sleep (1). It’s not until they reach around 3 months of age that babies begin to sleep throughout the night for about 6 to 8 hours without waking up in the middle of the night. By 6 months of age, most babies learn to sleep throughout the night.

Sleep Training Your Baby: When To Start And Other Things To Keep In Mind

If you are planning to sleep train your baby, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind:

1. Most babies are ready to be sleep trained when they are about 4 to 6 months of age (2). Though each baby is different, babies in this age group begin to sleep for about 6 hours at night and are ready for a consistent bedtime routine.
2. If you choose a method that involves leaving your baby alone in the room, make sure that there are no risk factors involved that can hurt your baby or prevent them from falling asleep in any way.
3. The results of sleep training may take longer in some cases as each baby is unique. So, if you don’t find any results in a week or two, be patient.
4. Consistency is key when sleep training your baby to make it easier for them to follow a bedtime routine. So, make sure you put your baby down to sleep around the same time every day.
5. When it comes to sleep training, there is no right or wrong way as each parent swears by a different sleep training technique that helped their baby fall asleep. It’s about finding a strategy that will be comfortable for you and your baby.
6. Be prepared for setbacks. There might be nights when your baby might resist falling asleep. Or you might find it hard to sleep train your little one when you are traveling or when your baby is sick. But following the routine is key.
7. Putting your baby down to sleep when they are drowsy ensures they fall asleep on their own without much help from parents. This way, babies will also learn to self soothe and put themselves back to sleep when they wake up in the middle of the night.

Sleep Training Techniques

Below we list down the different sleep training techniques, and how they work so you can choose one that you find promising (3).

• Cry It Out Method

In the cry it out method, the baby is put to sleep drowsy but awake. This is so that the baby learns to self soothe when they wake up in the middle of their sleep without help from parents. You could safely put your baby to sleep and leave the room. In this method, the parents do not go back in to comfort the baby no matter how much they cry. This method can be particularly hard for parents because they have to hear their baby cry, but several parents swear by this technique.

• The Ferber Method

In this method, if the baby wakes up after a while and starts crying, you need to wait for a few minutes before you go back in, reassure the baby, and put them back in their crib. Ferber suggests starting off with 3 minutes and gradually increasing the time. So, the next time when your baby cries, wait for 5 minutes before you follow the same method. Each time you go back in, increase the intervals by a few minutes. It’s important to note that when you go back in, do not turn the lights on or pick up your child. Comfort the child from the crib and make sure you stay only for a few minutes.

• The Chair Method

The chair method is a better alternative for parents who wish to sleep train the baby but find the other techniques too hard to follow. In this method, you sit on a chair next to your baby’s crib. If the baby starts to cry, you can comfort them from the crib without picking them up. The method involves moving the chair further away from the crib in the next couple of days until the chair is no longer in the room. The chair method may not work on babies who are easily stimulated by their parents’ presence.

Extra Tips To Follow When Sleep Training Your Baby

It’s normal for babies to take some time to adjust to a sleep routine. But getting a good night’s rest is crucial for the parent and baby for their health and well being. If you are worried that your baby is not getting the nighttime rest they need, here are a few tips that you can follow to ensure they get safe and sound sleep:

• Set the mood by dimming the lights. Create a calm and peaceful environment for your baby to sleep away from any distractions.
• Create a bedtime routine to help your child understand that it’s time to sleep. You could sing a song, give a warm bath, or play white noise. Ensure that your baby doesn’t engage in active play or in any other activity that gets them excited.
• Be consistent in putting your baby down to sleep around the same time every day.
• Make sure you place them on their backs to sleep, and not on the stomach or side (4). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be placed on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS.
• Make sure your baby is dressed comfortably, and look out for signs of overheating.
• Keep the crib bare. Don’t keep any pillows, blankets, plush toys, quilts, or comforters in your baby’s sleeping area.

If a particular sleep training method is not working for your baby, don’t feel discouraged. Remember, each baby is unique, and it’s not one size fits all. You could hire a sleep consultant or talk to your doctor to find an approach that works for you and your baby.

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