Baby sleeping training can be a challenging task but it is not impossible. In a matter of some tiring nights, babies become super sleepers and put themselves to sleep on their own. Let’s learn how to sleep train a baby:
What is sleep training?
Sleep training means teaching your baby the important life skill of sleeping on their own without any help. A sleep-trained baby can also go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. They do not need to be rocked, cuddled, or nursed to go to sleep. But the process of sleep training might involve some tears until the baby gets used to sleeping alone.
But the question that bothers most parents is ‘How to sleep train a baby? Do not worry, we have an answer for you.
Let’s move towards the real concern that how to sleep train a baby?
How to sleep train a baby:
There isn’t a single perfect way to sleep train a baby, several methods are used for sleep training. You can select a method that works best for you and your baby. We have prepared a list of the methods for sleep training below:
- Cry it out method: Let them cry until they get tired and go to sleep is followed in this method. It can be really hard for parents to see their baby cry so much, but if they stay consistent then the baby can be sleep trained in 3 to 4 nights.
- Chair method: The chair method is relatively easy, you need to sit in a chair next to your baby’s crib until he falls asleep. It is a good method for babies who do not let their mothers go out of their sight. But make sure not to pick the baby up, you can only verbally soothe the baby.
- Fading method: If your baby does not sleep at your desired bedtime then do not force him. Whenever you get cues from the baby that he is sleepy i.e. rubbing their eyes, yawning, fussiness, etc. immediately put him in his crib. If the baby resists and starts crying then pick him up and try again and again with regular intervals of 15 minutes.
- Ferber method: This method does not involve a lot of crying because you do not let your baby cry too much. After putting the baby in his crib you will leave the room and then wait for a set interval (5, 10, or 15 minutes) before going back to the baby. This time interval keeps increasing with time.
When to start sleep training?
Sleep is a basic life skill that should be taught to a baby as early as possible. So, if you think you are ready to deal with some fussiness at bedtime then it is the right time for you and your baby.
Ideally, you can start sleep training a baby when he is older than 3 months old. But if your baby is ready earlier then you can also start sleep training from the age of 6 weeks.
Final words:
Whenever parents feel tired of rocking and nursing the baby to sleep, they begin to think that how to sleep train a baby? After trying various sleep training methods they can decide which method works best for them and the baby.