Learn How to Start Sleep Training Your Infant in This Easy-to-Follow Guide
Sleep training is necessary for mothers to help their baby get the sleep they need. When you start sleep training early, you’re setting your child up for success by assisting them in learning how to sleep independently.
Learn how to start sleep training your newborn so you and your infant get the sleep you deserve.
What Is Sleep Training?
Sleep training is teaching your baby how to fall asleep on their own. This comes in handy when you put them down for a nap or when they inevitably wake up in the middle of the night.
By learning how to self-soothe and fall back asleep without assistance, your baby will get a better night's rest, and so will you!
How Long Does Sleep Training Take?
You may be surprised to learn that sleep training can take as little as three days to accomplish. Of course, the timing depends on your chosen method and your commitment to it.
If it’s taking you more than two weeks to sleep train your child, consider talking to their doctor about it or hire a sleep training professional to help you out.
Is Sleep Training Safe?
Yes, sleep training is entirely safe. There have been plenty of long-term studies proving that sleep training is not damaging to children in the short term or in the long term.
Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Sleep training improves your infant’s sleep quality since they don’t need to rely on you to sleep. It also helps parents out since they don't need to get up in the middle of their sleep cycle to care for the infant.
When you try sleep training, you’ll notice an improvement in the moods of everyone in the house.
How to Start Sleep Training
The first step to starting sleep training is understanding the different sleep training techniques. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the various sleep training models, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Hire a Newborn Care Specialist
Sleep training can become exhausting if you’re trying to do it on your own. That’s why we recommend hiring a sleep training professional.
At Baby Bloom Newborn Care, we have multiple options to help mothers all over the country. If you’re in Rhode Island, we even have packages where a newborn care specialist will come to your house to support you in your sleep training journey.
Sleep Training Techniques
Sleep training is all about making sure your baby can fall asleep on their own. There are many ways to approach this, so be sure to understand all of the methods before deciding which is right for you.
Cry It Out
One of the most common methods is the Cry it Out method. With CIO, you put your baby to bed while they’re tired and then leave before they fall asleep.
They may cry right away or fall asleep. The key here is to avoid going back in there as long as you know they are safe.
Ferber Method
Otherwise known as the check and console method, the Ferber method is similar to CIO, but instead of not checking on them, you walk in the room if they start to cry to show you’re there for them. Just be sure not to pick them up so they can self-soothe.
Learn more about the Cry It Out and Ferber Method.
The Chair Method
For this method, you’ll need a chair, patience, and time. Put your baby in their crib while sleepy, and sit in your chair next to them. As soon as they fall asleep, leave the room.
If you hear them fussing or starting to cry, go back into the room and sit in your chair next to them. Once again, once they fall asleep, leave the room. Gradually move the chair away from them until you’re out of the room.
This method can be challenging since you have to sit there and watch them cry; however, after some time, they will fall asleep on their own and won’t fuss while waking.
Bedtime Fading
This isn’t technically a sleep training technique since it mostly involves moving your baby’s bedtime to a different time. So, if you normally put your baby to sleep at 6, and they cry for about thirty minutes, that means they’re more likely to fall asleep at 6:30. Shift their bedtime back fifteen minutes every night until they fall asleep right away.
Then, after some time, you can begin to shift the time forward by fifteen minutes until they fall asleep at your desired time.
Oftentimes this is used with other sleep training techniques and is very useful for adjusting sleep times.
Pick Up, Put Down
This method requires a lot of patience and typically takes the longest, but it can feel the easiest for parents. With this method, you can provide physical comfort to your baby by picking them up if they cry or fuss at night.
However, it’s important not to linger. Pick them up, console them, and place them back down to sleep. We usually see this method used with the Ferber method.
Sleep Training Tips
Sleep training is more of an art than a science. Some techniques are going to work better for you than others, and that’s perfectly okay. It may even take some trial and error to find what works right for your family.
Here are some tips to help you start sleep training.
Don’t Be Afraid to Bail on a Method
If any method isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to try something else! If it’s causing you or your baby too much stress, there are other methods you can try. You can even combine methods to make a plan that works for you.
As soon as you find a method you’re comfortable with, stick to it so you can finish sleep training.
Consistency Is Key
Both in sticking to your sleep training method and with a bedtime routine. Your infant should have a routine you follow before bed. Also, make sure you’re taking them to bed at the same time every night.
Your newborn needs consistency, and they rely on you to provide it.
Start Sleep Training Your Infant Today
Now that you know how to start sleep training your newborn and have the tools and tips needed to succeed, it’s time to put that to work!
Don’t forget to be consistent and hire help when you need it. At Baby Bloom Newborn Care, we help new and seasoned mothers use sleep training methods for the best sleep possible.
Start your sleep training journey with us by booking your free discovery call today!