Did you know that parents could actually train a baby to sleep? Some parents are having a dilemma on when to start sleep training on their baby as they are afraid if it is too soon or too late.
Sleep training could be elaborated as the ability of a baby to fall asleep without any help from the adults. Which mean, a baby that is fully awake could be able to slowly snore without the need of nursing, pampering or rocking.
Parents’ Dilemma on Sleep Training
For an adult, sleeping is something that you crave on. The moment you put your head on the pillow is the moment you would be in the dreamland. But this situation is different for babies.
In the usual case, babies need to be soothed or pampered when putting to sleep. Most parents are struggling with rocking and nursing before the baby could fall asleep.
Some parents might be afraid to start sleep training on their baby as they could not bear the fact that babies are left to cry until they doze off, but do not get it wrong. There must be a reason why it is called sleep training and not military training.
There is a certain amount of time that you need to leave the baby to cry before you offer your comfort. Do not afraid if the baby will hate you for letting them cry out loud. They won’t and in fact, sleep training is proven to be good for their development and not to forget it is beneficial for your good night sleep.
When to start sleep training on babies?
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You may decide when to start sleep training your baby based on their development. However, ideally, parents start to sleep train their baby in between four to six months as this is when your baby could sleep for long hours without the need of feeding. They are also fit to learn sleep routine by this age.
However, it is still not too late to sleep train your baby even though they are more than six months. There are a lot of sleep training methods available and each of them can suit a certain level of age. Hence, you might choose the most suitable method according to your and your baby’s condition.
Sleep Training Methods
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Ferber method
This method was introduced by Dr Richard Ferber for more than three decades ago. It is a method where the baby would be left to self soothe until they fall asleep. Though you need to ignore if the baby starts to cry, that does not mean you are not allowed to check them in. Here is what you could do:
- During the bedtime, put your drowsy baby on his crib.
- Leave the room. If the baby starts to cry, let him be for a few moments before you check them in. Please be noted that the time would be longer in the next round.
- When you are checking them in, do not lift them. You are allowed to soothe them through singing or a little rub on the back. But do not lift them.
- Don’t stay too long. Leave after a minute or two and repeat the order until he falls asleep.
This method is suitable for babies over six months as they have developed a self-soothing technique of their own.
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No cry method
Different from the Ferber method, no cry method is a gentler way of putting your baby to sleep. It is believed that baby will sleep well in a cosy and quiet environment by following the sleep routine.
In no cry method:
- You have to create a sleep routine where the baby would know it is time to sleep and make it consistent. You might want to create a consistent itinerary such as reading time then lullaby and then finally sleep time.
- Make up the bedroom to the liking of the baby. Adjust the air-conditioner to a suitable temperature, do not overdress them and maybe a little darker room if your baby is preferring that.
- When everything is ready, signal your child that it is time to doze off. A little whisper of “It’s time to sleep” is good enough for the baby to understand. You may switch on any soft music or nature sound that could soothe the baby.
Try your best to ignore if your baby is trying to talk to you.
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Chair method
Chair method has its own way of sleep training. It is different from the two others. In chair method, you will put your baby down on crib and if he starts to make a noise, take a chair and sit until the baby falls asleep.
On the first three days you may touch the baby to soothe him but be very minimal. Stop the touching or soothing on the following days, however, you may ‘shh’ the baby from afar.
Do not make any eye contact as it might disturb the process and remember to never lift the baby to comfort him. Try to be very boring or pretend to be asleep if you have to. You may leave the room once your baby is asleep.
Every few days, you need to move the chair further away. From beside the crib, then halfway to the door, then in front of the door, then outside the door but still in sight and finally stay only nearby the room.
He might be upset on each time the chair is moving, but try to be cold as this is the way he will learn that the chair will keep on moving no matter what. You may check on your baby but try to delay your response longer from time to time.
Chair method disturbance
You might find disturbance on the sleeping patterns such as vacation and sickness. If this happens when you have successfully sleep trained your baby, you might want to bring the chair back into the room. But this time, as you and the baby have done this before, you may start from the halfway to the door and move the chair every two days.
This method is introduced to train your baby to sleep by their own without distraction from the parent as well as to let them know parents are still close by though are not in sight. It is very suitable for co-sleeping baby and has a hard time with darkness.
There is no proven record of the best sleep training method. It still depends on the situation of the baby and parents as well as the environment. Sleep training is beneficial not only to the baby but also for parents to get quality nights of sleep. Remember, happy parents, make a happy baby.