Best newborn sleep training methods and how to train
Exhaustion and excitement are linked to a newborn’s parenting and it is a universal phenomenon for all new parents.
I experienced it, my parents experienced it, and you will experience it at some point in time.
The majority of this comes with the baby’s sleeping cycles and sleeping patterns. Little ones are so smart that they know when to take a nap and when to refresh themselves to play in late night hours.
There are many ways to outsmart them in their own game and some are mentioned below as sleep training methods.
It will help your child to develop self-soothing skills which will help them and us to sleep properly and comfortably.
What is sleep training?
Sleep training is the perfect approach for new parents to save them from red-eye days.
Baby learns to fall asleep without assistance from parents during this training during bedtime and when they wake up in the night.
Each baby is unique, and they take their time to learn to sleep. Infant Sleep training will help both parents and babies to have quality sleep.
Newborn Sleep Training Methods
There are many infant sleep training methods for parents to try and use whatever works for them.
Here is the list of the most popular sleep training types.
1. Ferber Sleep Training Method :
The Ferber sleep training method is an infant sleep method that lets babies learn to soothe themselves with minimal assistance.
It was developed by Dr. Richard Ferber and is also known as graduated extinction, the 5-10-15 sleep method, or the check and console method.
You need to plan your timing for comforting visits whenever the baby cries in the night.
For example-When your baby is tired but awake, place them in their sleeping room or crib and leave the room. when a baby cries, you need to allow them to cry and you can check your crying baby every 5, 10, or 15 minutes depending on how comfortable you are.
The tip is to be consistent with your timing and never give any hint to the baby for attention by picking up, cuddling, or feeding.
2. The Cry it Out (CIO) Sleep Training Method:
Cry it Out method of sleep training is somewhat similar to the Ferber sleep training method and also known as the extinction method.
Parents let their infants cry without any response. The expectation from this method is that the baby will soothe back to sleep after getting tired from crying.
I understand this sounds a little harsh for little ones, but this is critical for your little one’s growth so take it with a little pinch of salt.
Cry it out sleep method is the quickest and parents could see the results in a few nights.
3. Chair Method or Fading Method:
This is also known as the camping or sit-back method where you sit on a chair next to the baby’s crib when they are trying to sleep and gradually increase the distance from the crib each night until your baby starts sleeping without your presence in the room.
The Fading method is a variation of the chair method.
Baby will figure out how to self-soothe with time.
This method requires consistency and patience for a long time as compared to the CIO or Ferber sleep training method but parents have more peace of mind as they can monitor their babies in their presence.
4. Pick-Up, Put-Down Method:
This is a gentle sleep training method or pat sleep method where parents put their little ones in their crib to sleep and wait for some time if they start to fuss.
If crying continues then pick up the baby, soothe them, pat them, and put them back to sleep. You need to repeat this routine whenever they cry.
This gentle sleep training method helps babies learn to self-soothe and allows parents to take an active role rather than let a baby cry alone.
You can start the Pick-up put-down method when the baby is 3 months old, this is the perfect time to start your little one’s sleep training journey.
5. No Tears Sleep Training Method:
The no-tears method is also known as attachment parenting. Parents do not let their children cry for long for any of their needs.
The parent’s focus is to provide comfort and respond to the baby’s needs swiftly. Baby will get reassurance with a consistent sleeping routine.
It helps in developing strong bonds between parents and babies and babies inculcate healthy sleep habits.
Tips for Choosing the Right Sleep Training Method for Your Baby
Always choose the sleep training method as per the baby’s sensitivity and your parenting style.
It is hard to find the best from the beginning, but you can always try one method and learn a new one if it is not working.
If you or your child feels stressed, then go with mom instincts and try another method in a few days.
Scroll down for tips to choose the best newborn sleep training method.
1. Evaluate infant’s requirements:
Take your baby’s age, behavior, and parenting style into consideration for deciding the right sleep training method.
Please note that co-sleeping increases the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) so always try to put the baby near to the bed but not in the same bed.
2. Professionals Guidance:
Never hesitate to take guidance from sleep training specialists. Please talk with your pediatricians or infant sleep consultants for their sleep training tips and tricks.
I have taken many sessions with infant sleep consultants to understand the complete process and procedure and precautions to take.
3. Adaptable:
Analyze your baby’s response to the training method and be flexible to adjust it accordingly.
How to sleep train a baby
You have selected the sleep training method for your baby. Choose these options to implement it the right way to get success as desired.
1. Choosing the right moment:
Finding the right period for sleep training is also critical. Choose a time when it is comfortable for the family, and they can support you.
The second hand is always helpful and key to a successful sleep training phase.
2. Bedtime routine:
Develop and introduce your baby’s sleeping routine when the baby is as young as 6-7 weeks old and be consistent.
A routine can include a massage, a warm bath, a book, and white noise music before putting your baby in a crib. Baby will recognize the signal that this is the time to sleep.
3. Select Training Method:
Always choose a sleep training method that reflects your parenting style and suits your baby’s needs and adjust it accordingly.
4. Start with small Steps:
Take small steps as your little one will take some time to adjust to this new routine.
5. Be Consistent:
Babies are unique and each will react differently. Always note that it will not work from day one.
Consistency and predictability is the key. Try to follow the same procedure at the same time like getting your baby up, feeding them, and putting them for a nap around the same time.
Always be consistent regardless of the failures in the initial days.
6. Understand Wake Windows:
Understanding and Choosing wake window timing appropriately as per their age will help with sleep training. These are time intervals you want your baby to be awake before the next nap.
7. Analyze Progress:
Always monitor your baby’s sleep cycles and sleep patterns. Analyze the progress and perform adjustments accordingly.
8. Patience with time:
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Babies are babies and they will not adjust to this new routine from day one.
Each sleep training will take time and you have to have patience. Your baby will need your love, and support throughout the training.
9. Monitor Child’s Health:
Baby can wake up due to other health concerns which are not related to sleep training. Always monitor their comfort and support them if required.
Benefits of sleep training
Sleep training methods that let babies cry are hurtful and challenging for parents. However, in the end, the potential benefits outweigh the emotional suffering.
There are some top benefits of sleep training.
- Babies will start Falling asleep in no time.
- Their Night waking up will reduce tremendously.
- They will learn to self-soothe and sleep again by themselves.
- Increase in high quality of sleep results in physical, and emotional development.
- On the other hand, parents will have rest and quality sleep.
When and how to start sleep training infants?
You can start this training to 4-6-month-old babies. Analyze your sleeping methods and the trick is to be consistent with your schedule.
Discuss sleep training methods with your partner before starting sleep training as both partner’s involvement is a must for its success.
Can you SLEEP-TRAIN a newborn?
The simple answer is No, you have to wait a little longer. Enjoy your parenthood in the beginning.
The main goal of sleep training is to let babies learn to self-soothe and sleep independently for longer periods. In the early days, newborns cannot self-soothe and need assistance.
As your baby grows, you can start sleep training from 4-6 months.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) specifically advises against formal sleep training methods for newborns.
They highlighted the importance of swiftly responding to a baby’s needs, including nighttime feedings and comforting.
Which is the safest and best sleep training method for newborns?
For the first 12 weeks, newborns are not able to self-soothe so no training method will work. The best time to start the training method is after the third month.
You can start with the Pick-up, Put-down method, or the chair approach. Crying it out is not recommended for newborns.
When can I start sleep training or what is the right age for sleep training?
As per sleep training experts, you can start baby sleep training when the baby is around 4 months old.
What is the right duration of time to let the baby cry when you sleep train?
Each baby is unique so there is no one formula to fit for all.
It depends on how parents are comfortable. If you are a new parent with the first child then you are going in every 30 seconds and by the time you reach to second and third child, this duration will increase, Just sharing my experience. 🙂
The important thing to understand is to increase the duration gradually so that children can learn to sleep by themselves.
Do we have any harm from SLEEP TRAINING?
This is a debatable question and people have their opinions. But for me, it is important for the baby’s personal, physiological, and emotional growth. Some gentle sleep training methods can be quite beneficial for all.
When is it too Late to Sleep Train?
It is never too late. You can start from the 4th month. Please note that whenever you begin, try to follow the set pattern with consistency for better results.
Try to start ASAP as the sooner you start, the easier it will be to get desired results.
How long does sleep training take?
It varies from child to child but you will start observing results within a week. Remember, you need to be consistent.
What is the 3-minute Rule or 10-minute?
These rules are part of sleep training methods where parents need to wait for three minutes before offering comfort.
In the Ferber sleep training method, parents increase their waiting time allowing the baby to develop self-soothing skills.
What is the hardest age to sleep train?
Baby grows very fast with a lot of development activities in the initial months. In my opinion,4-6 months babies are difficult to sleep train as they are distracted by a lot of physical changes like teething and developing awareness.
How do I know if my baby needs newborn sleep training?
This is the important question that comes to parent’s mind. How would I know, what are the signs to check if my baby needs any sort of training?
Analyze your child’s behavior and if it looks more tired, and cranky then it is time to have better sleep for both of you.
Kindly note healthy sleep is critical for your child’s development and your peace of mind.
Conclusion
Baby’s growth and development are paramount for any parents and proper quality sleep plays an important role.
Never hesitate to try sleep training methods to develop self-soothing skills in your baby.
What sleep training method you are using, Please guide us in the comments below with sleep training tips for new parents.