How to sleep train your baby: A New Parent's Guide

What is a sleep training method?

Sleep training is a method of helping babies to sleep through the night. There are a variety of sleep training techniques, but they all share the goal of teaching babies to sleep for longer stretches. Some sleep training methods involve letting the baby cry it out, while others involve slowly teaching the baby to self-soothe. Sleep training can be a difficult process, but it can ultimately lead to more restful nights for both baby and parent. If you're considering sleep training for your own family, be sure to do your research and select the method that feels right for you.

How do I begin sleep training?

A good way to start sleep training with your baby is to wait until they are starting to get tired and lay them down in their crib while you are sitting down next to them. As they fall asleep you can quietly leave the room. If they start to cry, come back into the room and sit down next to them again.

We found with our daughter that holding her hand made her relax and eventually as her grip loosened and you could tell she fell back asleep you can leave the room again. As you repeat this process, your child will get more and more comfortable on their own and start to self soothe themselves and not need you next to them every time before they are able to fall back asleep on their own.

How long does sleep training take?

Sleep training can be a difficult process for parents and babies alike, so it's important to know what to expect in terms of how long the methods will take. Generally, the duration of sleep training depends on the age of your baby when you begin, as well as their individual temperament.

Babies close to six months old or older typically experience quicker success than younger babies. On average, parents observe improvements within 3-7 days using most sleep training methods and habits may be fully established within 1-4 weeks. This is a process where consistency is key, so perseverance and staying consistent with expectations during this time are essential for successful outcomes.

Remember, each baby is unique and timing can vary greatly. With patience and dedication, however, you're sure to get through this sooner rather than later!

What age should I start to sleep train my baby?

It is recommended to start sleep training around 4 months old. This age is appropriate since they are able to start soothing themselves to get back to sleep and have less of a demand for frequent feeding at night.

As you probably know by now, these timeframes are more of an estimate rather than a rule since all babies get comfortable sleeping at different ages. What you can do is look for signs that they are ready to be pushed in the direction of sleeping alone.

Signs that your baby may be ready to start sleep training are that they start to sleep up to 5 or 6 hours at a time on some occasions or that they are waking up more frequently after initially sleeping for a longer amount of time.

What is the Cry-It-Out Sleep Training Method?

The Cry-It-Out sleep training method, also known as ‘CIO’, is a routine used to encourage babies and young children to sleep independently by slowly diminishing the frequency of nighttime interactions.

Parents who use this method allow their child to cry for increasingly longer periods before responding, in an effort to teach the child that they do not need parental help to fall asleep - something that will come in handy later on in life! When used correctly, CIO can be an effective way of teaching children how to self-soothe and become independent sleepers.

It's important to note though that while it can work well in certain situations, CIO should always be used under guidance from experienced pediatricians or healthcare professionals.

What are some ways to start a bedtime routine?

Starting a bedtime routine can be a great way to create structure and calm for children as they wind down before sleep. It’s best to begin the routine within the same window of time each night, so that it becomes an expected part of their evening.

A bedtime routine could consist of taking a warm bath, brushing teeth while listening to soothing music, and snuggling up in comfy pajamas. Reading a favorite story together or talking about the day’s events can be calming as bedtime draws closer.

A few minutes of peaceful reflection or yoga stretching can also help refocus little minds and bodies for imminent rest. In the end, finding what works for children will vary based on their individual needs and the calming activities that are most enjoyable and meaningful for them.

What should I look for in a baby mattress?

When it comes to selecting a mattress for your little one, there are several important considerations to keep in mind.

The first is comfort; you'll want an option that offers superior support and softness suitable for your baby's delicate skin.

Quality materials should always be a priority: organic materials, such as cotton and wool, are the safest option. Look for coils that are strategically placed around the edges of the mattress to provide sturdy support and decrease the chances of excessive sinking in the middle. Breathability is also key – avoid foam mattresses, as these can trap too much heat and create uncomfortable sleeping conditions.

Finally, make sure whatever mattress you choose meets or exceeds safety standards for cribs. With these criteria in mind, you're sure to find an excellent option for your little one.

Our personal experience with sleep training our daughter

From personal experience, we started noticing that our daughter was getting comfortable sleeping alone after 3 nights. During these nights I slept on a pullout couch that we have in the baby room and had my hand through the bars of her crib during the times she was awake. We also made sure to have a warm bottle ready for her in case she was crying a lot and needed to reset.

After the third night, I went back to sleeping in the bedroom but me or my wife had to go in to soothe her back to sleep about 3 times per night for the next four days.

Once the initial week of sleep training was bearing fruit, we noticed that every night was a bit better than the previous until we noticed that 2 weeks after starting, our daughter was sleeping through the night.

This was an absolute game-changer for us as parents! We finally had our bed back and could sleep a little more sound ourselves knowing that our daughter was safe in her crib in her own room, and if we needed to check on her we had a Cubo AI baby camera feed on our phone that showed her picture.

A huge benefit of the Cubo AI Plus is that it can play lullabies as well as white noise sounds. From a very young age we found that the background noise of rain helped our daughter sleep, so this is now incorporated into her bedtime routine. It also prevents her from waking up if there is a noise coming from outside of her bedroom that is loud, such as the dog or if we drop something.

Can I let my baby cry?

While there is no harm in a baby crying for a prolonged period of time if they have no underlying medical issues, it will surely test your patience as a parent.

A good way to deal with crying would be to gradually lengthen the amount of time you will let them cry before going in to check on them. Start with 3 minutes before going in to check on them and calm them down before gradually waiting longer each time.

We find that our daughter might start crying, but then plays with her fingers or pacifier and eventually calms down herself and lays back down to go back to sleep.

What is the Wake-and-Sleep Sleep Training Method?

The Wake-and-Sleep Sleep Training Method is a popular sleep training technique designed to help both babies and parents get better rest. This method involves establishing regular wake and sleep times for the baby, so that they learn to distinguish between day and night.

During the established wake time, it’s important for parents to provide stimulating activities for their child, like playing or reading stories. At the same time, during established sleep periods parents should encourage calmer activities like cuddling or rocking in an effort to establish positive associations with these activities.

With consistent effort over several weeks, this sleep training method should help babies establish healthier sleep habits by day’s end.

What is the Ferber Sleep Training Method?

The Ferber Sleep Training Method, invented by pediatrician Richard Ferber, is a natural way to teach your baby to go to sleep. It’s based on the principle that babies need practice falling asleep on their own; the method encourages parents to help their baby get used to sleeping alone by gradually removing their presence from the bedroom.

Each night, parents should check in on their child at decreasing intervals for comfort and reassurance, until the child learns to fall asleep without parental help. During this process it's important for parents not to feed or pick up their baby as this can create confusion when trying to teach self-soothing techniques.

With patience and consistency, the Ferber Method can be an effective tool for teaching a child healthy sleep habits that will promote good sleep hygiene in later life.

Is it OK to not do sleep training?

Absolutely! While sleep training is beneficial for some babies, it is not a requirement for all. Some babies are perfectly capable of getting into a good sleep routine from a very young age.

If your child starts to self-soothe at an early age, you can try out how they like sleeping in a crib in their own room. While there is probably going to be some sort of adaptation needed for them to sleep through the night completely, it might not require the parents to sleep next to them for entire nights. They might just need their hand held a few times throughout the first couple of nights.

Final sleep training tips

Sleep training is hugely beneficial for both your little one and for parents. Not only will your baby be happier to get a full night's sleep, which they need to be able to process all of the new things they are learning every day, but mom and dad will be happier to have some uninterrupted hours to themselves in the evening.

The sleep training method is not always easy, but it is worth it. In the short-term, you may need to deal with some crying and disruptions to your sleep schedule. However, in the long-term, sleep training can help your baby to develop healthy sleep habits that will last a lifetime.