Sleep Training 101

Sleep training is a controversial topic in the parenting community. Today we are here to talk about different sleep training methods, what sleep training is, and dive deeper into why families may choose to sleep train. We hope you enjoy this week’s blog, sleep training 101!

What is sleep training?

Sleep training is the process of helping your baby learn to sleep independently and for longer stretches at night. Sleep training aims to remove all overnight feeds and wake windows. The goal is that at the end of sleep training, your little one sleeps soundly through the night. Typically sleep training is done after the four-month mark. It is recommended to check with your pediatrician beforehand to ensure your little one can safely drop their night feeds.

Why do families sleep train?

Let’s face it; sleepless nights add up. The amount, quality, and frequency of sleep greatly affect how most people function in their day-to-day life. Sleep training is commonly used in families where one or both parents need more sleep than they are getting and believe their baby is also ready for a full night’s sleep. Additionally, many families choose to sleep train per the recommendation of their provider. There is a lot of controversy around sleep training, but it’s important to remember that different things work best for different families.

Common sleep training methods.

There are several common methods of sleep training. Here are a few of the most popular methods that people use today.

1. Cry it Out (CIO): The cry it out method involves allowing your baby to cry for short periods of time before you respond with comforting words or a gentle touch. Over time, your baby will learn to soothe themselves to sleep. To learn more about the cry-it-out sleep training method, click here.

2. Ferber Method: The Ferber Method is similar to the cry-it-out method but involves gradually increasing the time you wait before responding. To learn more, click here.

3. Sleep Shaping: Sleep shaping involves gradually changing your baby’s sleep habits over time, such as adjusting bedtimes or naps or introducing a soothing nighttime routine. Taking cara babies has a newborn sleep course that goes over sleep shaping. To view it, click here.

4. No-Cry Sleep Training: The no-cry sleep training method involves using positive reinforcement and parenting techniques to help your baby learn to sleep independently. To learn more about this method, click here.

Deciding if you want to sleep train your little one can be a hard choice to make. It is important to remember that different things work for different people. We hope that this blog and the sleep training methods listed above can help you decide if sleep training is right for you.

Thank you for reading this weeks post ” Sleep training 101.” For more tips and tricks on all things parenthood, pregnacy, and and postpatum, visit our weekly blog.