Most Popular Baby Sleep Training Methods-Guide for Moms

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How would you describe baby sleep training? Is it something you’ve done before or is it new to you? If you haven’t tried it out yet, then you should definitely give it a try because it has proven to be effective.

Baby sleep training, also known as infant bedtime routines, is a method that helps babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer without waking them up during the night. This method involves parents reading books, singing lullabies, playing games, stroking their child’s back, etc., until they fall asleep.

There are three types of baby sleep training techniques: natural, artificial, and combined. The natural technique uses only non-pharmaceutical means such as reading stories, singing songs, giving massages, etc. The artificial technique consists of using drugs or other medical treatments such as pacifiers or swaddling blankets. The combination technique combines both artificial and natural techniques.

There are lots of methods to help babies get better sleep habits. Some parents resort to putting their babies in their cribs with no bedding or keeping them awake by playing music or talking to them. Others try feeding their baby before going to bed at night and waking him up every three hours during the night to feed him. Some parents also believe that rocking their child back and forth can help him fall asleep faster. However, there are several other ways to train your newborn baby to go to sleep without any interruption.

The first step is to keep a close eye on your baby’s sleeping routine. It is important for you to know how long he takes to fall asleep each time so you can make sure that he does not wake up from his nap. If it has been more than two hours since he fell asleep last time then you should probably take action because chances are, he cannot stay asleep for longer periods. You can use a timer to monitor this or simply wait until he falls asleep before giving him another bottle. Once you determine the length of time he needs to be asleep, then you will need to decide what kind of training method you want to use. There are four main categories of methods: Crib-only, Crib-with-bed

Another option is the gentle parenting approach, which focuses on helping infants learn how to self-soothe and fall asleep independently. This method includes swaddling, soothing music, and letting babies cry it out.

Still another option is the Ferber Method, named after Dr. Benjamin Spock’s book Baby and Child Care. This method is based on the idea that babies don’t need to be rocked to sleep; they simply need to learn how to fall asleep without being held.

The final option is the elimination of sleep training altogether. If you’re willing to give up your parental control, experts say you’ll likely see better results. “Parents often feel like they have no choice because they’ve tried everything else,” says Moon. “But there really isn’t one thing that works for everyone.”

Before getting started

Experts say that babies are ready to learn how to fall asleep on their backs at around four months old. But it takes some practice. Here’s what parents can do to help their little ones fall asleep on their own.

Fading Method-Fade it Out (FIO)

Parents often struggle with getting their babies to sleep. There are lots of different methods out there, but most don’t really work very well. One of the best ways to help your baby fall asleep faster is to use the fading method.

The fading method uses gradual changes to lull your baby into a deeper state of relaxation. By slowly changing the way you interact with your child, you’re able to change how he reacts to his environment.

This method isn’t just useful for helping you get your baby to sleep; it’s helpful for calming him once he’s sleeping too.

Extinction, or cry it out (CIO)

The idea behind extinction (or “full extinction”) is that you want to eradicate unwanted behavior by ignoring it. As with the check-in-with-the-baby method, you’re checking in with your child to see how they are doing and whether they or might be ready to move on to another step.

As with the check-in method, there are different ways to use extinction. One way is to ignore the crying entirely; another is to respond to the cries, but then stop responding. A third is to respond to the crying, but then stop responding altogether. There’s no right answer here – it really depends on the situation.

In my experience, I found that the best approach to extinction is to start off slowly. If you don’t feel like you can handle the whole thing, just try to ignore the crying for a while. You can always come back later.

If you decide to go ahead with extinction, make sure you know what stage your baby is in developmentally. Some babies are very young and still developing motor skills, and some babies are older and already able to roll over, sit up, crawl, etc.

For example, if your baby is younger than six months old, it may be too early to use extinction. In fact, if your baby is under three months old, it’s probably too soon to use extinction anyway because babies this age aren’t capable of understanding language.

You’ll find that many people recommend waiting until your baby is around four months old, or even five months old, before starting extinction. At this age, babies understand simple commands such as sit and stop, and they begin to learn about cause and effect.

However, if your baby is older than six months old, you can definitely use extinction. When your baby reaches this age, he begins to develop his own internal clock and becomes more independent. He starts to become aware of himself and others, and he learns to communicate through gestures and vocalizations.

Chair Method

This is a very gradual sleep training method ( McGinn gives his clients a two-week program for implementation). You prepare your child for bed, but instead, you sit in a nearby chair while he sleeps. If he wakes up, you return to your seat. Eventually, you’ll work your way out of the room entirely.

When he falls asleep, leave the room. But every time he wakes up, returns to your chair. Continue doing this until you’re no longer in the room. “The pro of this method,” says McGinn, “is that mom or dad is here and present.” But it can be tough to stick to.

Pick up, put down and shush-pat

Garden recommends parents try to avoid getting involved in their infant’s sleep routine. This includes trying to help them fall asleep since it can actually make them wake up. Instead, she suggests parents just watch their baby closely, pay attention to how they respond to their environment, and wait for signs that they are ready to fall asleep. If you see your baby starting to lose interest in what’s going on around them, take notice.

After about six or seven months, Garden says it’s fine to step out of the room while your baby falls asleep. She explains that even though infants don’t understand why mom or dad left the room, they still know that something happened and that they must be important enough to warrant being left alone.

The Fading Method

This gentle method of sleep training involves introducing your child to a gradual shift in his or her bedtime routine over several weeks. This allows him or her to become familiar with the change without having to deal with big changes overnight. There are three different approaches, depending on how much control you want to give up. You can choose one of the following options:

• Option A – Let Everything Go

In this option, you let your child decide everything about his or her night. Your goal here is to allow your child to learn that he or she can make choices and take responsibility for those decisions. If your child resists, don’t force anything. Instead, encourage him or her to explore the idea of making some of these choices or herself.

• Option B – Pick Up Some Control

If you’re willing to relinquish some control, you can pick up some control by choosing one aspect of your child’s schedule. For example, you might ask your child to go down for a nap every day around 2 p.m., or you could put away toys and books and start reading stories together.

• Option C – Give Up All Control

With this option, you give up all control. You tell your child exactly what you want him or her to do each evening, and you enforce it. While this is the most effective way to teach your child that bedtime is important, it’s also the hardest because you’re giving up a lot of power.

Bedtime-routine fading

Many parents are familiar with the idea of fading — or gradually decreasing the amount of time spent comforting a baby during the day. Fading techniques include walking away from the baby, changing positions, or simply letting him cry himself out. Parents often use these methods to help babies learn how to self-soothe themselves into sleep. However, some experts say there’s another reason why fading works: it helps teach infants to go to sleep on their own.

Fading is one of those parenting strategies that seem like common sense. After all, what parent wants his or her infant to cry for hours on end? In fact, researchers say that most children eventually learn to fall asleep on their own, even though we might think otherwise. “The majority of kids will go to sleep on their backs without parental intervention,” says Dr. Jennifer Landa, director of pediatric sleep medicine at Children’s National Health System. “They just naturally progress.”

But while fading sounds easy enough, getting there can take patience and practice. For instance, if you’re trying to fade your baby’s morning nap, you might start by taking him out of his crib and putting him down awake in a playpen or high chair, where he can watch TV or play around on the floor. Then, over several weeks, you might move him to a bassinet next to your bed, and finally, to a room across the hall.

This gradual approach allows your baby to become accustomed to being alone and falling asleep on his own. And since fading doesn’t involve any physical contact, it doesn’t trigger separation anxiety. Plus, it gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself mentally for the transition. “If you’ve been spending lots of time cuddling with your baby, it’s best to ease off that,” says Landa. “You want to make sure that your baby gets used to being left alone before you start fading.”

Amazing Benefits of Using Sleep Sack

Sleep sacks are one of the most popular infant bedding options. They provide parents with a comfortable way to put their little ones down while keeping them warm and cozy. But did you know there are many benefits to using a sleep sack over traditional crib mattresses? Here are five surprising reasons why a sleep sack might be a better choice for your child.

1. Comfort

A sleep sack provides a soft, breathable environment for babies. This helps keep babies warm during cold weather, and cooler during hot summer months. A sleep sack allows the baby to remain calm and relaxed throughout the night, making it easier for him or her to fall asleep.

2. Safety

The material used to make sleep sacks is designed to protect babies from harmful substances like lead paint, mercury, and flame retardants. These chemicals can cause health problems later in life, including learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, and cancer.

3. Space Saving

Most sleep sacks are machine washable, meaning they don’t take up much space in your laundry room. You won’t have to worry about storing bulky blankets or pillows either. Your toddler can easily fit into his or her own sleep sack without having to struggle to find enough room.

The Pick Up, Put Down Method

When it comes to sleep training, there are many different methods out there. Some parents swear by one method over another, while others find no method works for them. But what most people don’t realize is that there’s actually a scientific basis behind each method. And there’s even a way to combine some of the best parts of each method into a simple technique called “Pick up, put down.” Here’s how to do it.

1. Wait Until Your Baby Is Ready To Sleep Alone

The key here is to make sure your child is ready to go to sleep alone. This usually happens around age 3 months, but it varies based on your child’s temperament. So don’t worry about waiting too long. Just keep in mind that babies younger than 8 weeks old won’t be able to fall asleep without being held.

2. Put Your Baby In Their Bed

Once your little one is ready to sleep alone, just place them in their bed. You want to avoid putting them in their crib because you’ll likely wake them up again.

3. Start With A Soft Whisper

Now that your baby is sleeping alone, start whispering softly to him or her. Try saying something like, “Good night,” or “Sleep tight.” Don’t say anything else; just whisper.

Great Advice

Welk and her husband were concerned about Greyson’s nighttime sleeping habits. He’d been waking up around 9 p.m., crying inconsolably for five minutes or longer, and then refusing to go back down. His parents tried everything — rocking, swaddling, nursing, co-sleeping — but nothing worked.

They consulted a pediatrician, who suggested that Welk try a different approach. She asked her son’s doctor what babies typically did in the days leading up to teething, and learned that most toddlers lose interest in eating solid foods once they’ve had milk. So she gave him a bottle of formula, thinking that maybe he wasn’t hungry anymore. But no dice.

Then Welk realized that her son hadn’t eaten since breakfast and that he was probably just tired. She switched out his formula for water and left him alone while she got ready for work. When she returned home, Greyson was still awake, so she picked him up and put him down again. This time, though, he slept peacefully for 20 minutes.

She repeated this process several times over the course of the evening, and eventually, he stopped crying altogether. At 7 a.m., he woke up refreshed and ready to play.

Now, Welk says that she never felt like she was giving up on her child; rather, she was helping him learn how to self-regulate. “I’m really proud of myself,” she says. “When I look back on our experience, I feel like we were doing something really important.”

Conclusion

Sleep training is a big decision, especially for those who are just starting out with babies. Sleep training isn’t something most people think about until it happens to them—and then there’s often some confusion or anxiety around what actually works best. But ultimately, sleep training doesn’t work unless you do it correctly. And while there are many different methods for doing it, each has pros and cons, and none are guaranteed to succeed. So how do you know which method is right for your family?

The answer is simple: You won’t find one perfect solution. Instead, you’ll probably end up trying several approaches over the course of months or years. This is perfectly normal. In fact, it’s completely natural. After all, every parent wants his or her kids to learn how to fall asleep on their own, and we want our children to feel secure and safe. We don’t want to force them into being dependent on us forever.

So here are some tips to help you make sense of everything and figure out which method might work best for you and your family.

1. Know Your Child’s Temperament

Before you start trying anything, you must understand your child’s personality. Do you know whether he or she tends to cry easily, is fussy, or is generally easygoing? These things will affect how much support your child needs and how effective sleep training will be. For example, a very fussy baby might need lots of reassurance during the process, whereas a calm baby might be able to go without it. Similarly, a baby who cries easily may require lots of attention throughout the entire process, whereas a baby who rarely cries may be able to handle sleep training alone.

2. Understand Your Lifestyle

If you work outside the home, you’re likely juggling a lot of responsibilities. Sometimes, this means you’re tired and stressed, and it’s hard to give your child the undivided attention he or she deserves. Other times, it means you simply prefer to spend more time with your partner or friends rather than your baby. Either way, understanding your lifestyle helps you decide which type of sleep training fits you best. For instance, if you’re working long hours, you might be better off doing sleep training on nights when you’re home.

What’s the right age for sleep training?

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When’s the best time to sleep train a baby?

If you want to start sleeping training your infant, there are several factors to consider. One of those factors is how old your child is.

The sweet spot for sleep training seems to be around four to six months. At this stage, babies typically begin to develop their ability to self-sooth and fall asleep on their own. This makes it easier to establish a consistent bedtime ritual and get your little one into a good habit.

Of course, you can sleep teach at any age. Just remember that it may be significantly tougher to do so once your baby starts responding to changes in his/her usual sleep routine. Whenever you do decide to sleep teach, your baby might initially react to the change with one of the following:

Increase in appetite

Increased fussiness

Decrease in attention span

A decrease in overall activity level

What Is The Best Age For Sleep Training? When Should You Start?

The best age for sleep training depends on how soon you want your child to learn to fall asleep without being rocked to sleep. If you want your little one to learn self-soothing skills and bedtime routines earlier rather than later, it might make sense to wait until your baby is about four to six months old.

By that time, your baby is almost ready to stand up on his or her own, and he or she will likely be able to take over some of the nighttime responsibilities like feeding themselves and getting into pajamas. But don’t worry if your baby isn’t quite ready to do those things just yet. There’s no reason why you can’t teach him or her to fall asleep on his or her own while still in diapers.

If you’d prefer to start teaching your baby to go to sleep independently sooner rather than later, there’s no rush. In fact, starting sleep training well before your baby starts walking and talking can actually help your child develop better sleeping habits in general.

Do I Have to Stop Feeding Baby at Night?

While most moms are aware that breastmilk is best for newborns, there are some misconceptions about what happens during the night. Here are three myths about nighttime feedings that parents need to know about:

Myth #1 – You Need To Keep Your Baby Up All Night Long

Breast milk contains hormones that help regulate sleep patterns and keep babies awake longer than formula does. However, it’s important to note that many mothers don’t need to keep their babies up all night long. In fact, research suggests that breastfeeding helps babies fall asleep faster and wake less frequently throughout the night.

Myth #2 – If You Don’t Nurse During the Day, You’ll Ruin Your Sleep At Night

Many moms choose to nurse their babies in the evening because it gives them a chance to bond while their child sleeps peacefully. But there’s no reason why nursing shouldn’t happen during the day as well. Research shows that even though babies aren’t getting enough calories during the day, they still get plenty of nutrition from breast milk. Plus, daytime nursing offers moms a chance to practice self-care as well as offer comfort to their children.

Myth #3 – If You Give Your Child A Bottle Of Milk, They’ll Wake Up With Hunger

This one is true — bottles of milk contain very little protein compared to breast milk. And since babies don’t usually want to drink anything else, it might make sense to give them a bottle of milk every now and again. But remember that giving your baby a bottle of milk doesn’t mean he won’t ever learn how to take his next meal himself. He just needs to learn that food isn’t always offered on demand.

Why is a bedtime routine so important?

If you’re like most parents, you’ve probably heard about the importance of having a good night’s rest. But did you know that it’s actually possible to improve your children’s sleep habits simply by setting up a consistent bedtime routine? In fact, research suggests that establishing a consistent bedtime ritual could help reduce nighttime awakenings, increase sleep duration, decrease daytime napping, and even boost academic performance.

In a recent study published in Pediatrics, researchers analyzed data from over 800 families to find out whether a bedtime routine was associated with better sleep outcomes for both mothers and children. They discovered that a consistent bedtime routine was linked to better sleep outcomes for children and mothers alike. Specifically, the researchers found that children whose parents had established a consistent bedtime routine experienced fewer nighttime awakenings and less frequent day naps. Additionally, mothers who had a consistent bedtime routine reported better-perceived sleep quality and fewer sleep problems during the day.

The researchers suggest that establishing a consistent bedtime routine helps prepare kids’ brains for sleep, priming them for deep sleep. And since a consistent bedtime routine also benefits moms, it may help promote healthy relationships within the home.