Sleeping

Lots of parents consider introducing sleep training into their little one's nighttime routine and wonder which sleep training method (if any) is right for them.

Over 80% of published sleep training studies report positive outcomes, but it’s worth noting that sleep training may not be right for every parent and baby, and the choice to sleep train or not is a very personal one.

In this post, we'll cover what sleep training is, when parents can start sleep training, and look at some of the most popular sleep training methods in detail.

What does sleep training a baby involve?

Sleep training is the process of helping a baby learn how to wind down before bed and self-soothe when it’s time to go to sleep. That means they're put down for bed drowsy but awake, and then learn how to drift off without being rocked, swayed, cuddled, or nursed.

Before you get started, it's important to note that sleep training does take time, and sleep training a baby will be different to sleep training a toddler.

Benefits of a sleep training program

Sleep is a really important factor in the health of babies, toddlers, and their parents! The benefits of sleep training include:

• It teaches babies how to fall back to sleep when they inevitably wake during the night.
• It helps babies become better sleepers and means they'll be less likely to become cranky and overtired.
• Bedtimes become less stressful for both baby and parent.
• It encourages babies to become a little more independent and gives parents a touch more time for themselves in the evening as their baby gets older.

How long does it take to sleep train a baby?

Every baby is different, so sleep training will take different lengths of time depending on your unique situation and the method you choose to use. For this reason, it’s important to be consistent and patient when you're sleep training.

Most sleep training methods usually take a couple of weeks or longer to work, but with time, consistency, and a little bit of luck, you’ll soon be sleeping peacefully, and your little one will have learned the valuable life skill of how to fall and stay asleep all on their own.

You can also check in with your baby's doctor if you want guidance on when and how to begin sleep training. If you follow a sleep training method consistently and it's still not working after two weeks, they will be able to advise you if your little one is ready and investigate any additional medical factors that could be affecting your baby's sleep.

Sleep training help

If you choose to try sleep training, there are some handy bits and bobs that can help make it successful.

• A sleep bag: Baby sleep bags help little ones regulate their temperature while sleeping by ensuring there are no loose blankets for them to kick off during the night.
• A blackout blind: A dark, cosy environment can help to encourage your baby to sleep soundly, and a blackout blind helps to keep the light levels in the room the same, all year round.
• A room thermometer: Our GroEgg2 room thermometer acts as a gentle night light with three different light levels. It tells you the temperature of the room at a glance and makes it easier to know what to dress them in for bed.
• A sleep training clock: Our educational sleep training clocks use colour and soothing sounds to help older babies and toddlers understand when it’s time to wake up and when to settle down to sleep.

Popular sleep training methods

There are many different sleep training methods that you can research, but the most important part of sleep training is finding the method that works best for you and your baby!

Remember, your approach to parenting is very personal, don’t feel pressured into using a sleep training method by others if you don’t believe it’s good for you or your baby. Your health visitor or doctor can offer you advice to suit your family's circumstances.

Let's run through some of the most common baby sleep training methods one by one.

Check-and-console

Sometimes called the Ferber method – because it was developed by paediatric sleep expert Dr Richard Ferber, check-and-console involves putting your little one to bed when they're drowsy but awake, then telling them goodnight and leaving the room.

If they wake, allow your baby to cry for a set amount of time before you check on them briefly and comfort them by talking in a soothing voice or gently patting their back.

The idea is that the timed intervals of crying gradually get longer by a few minutes until your little one falls asleep.

Over the course of a few nights, you’ll gradually increase the length of these intervals, reducing your presence in baby's room and encouraging them to self-soothe.

Pick up, put down

This technique requires you to go through your baby's normal bedtime routine, then put them down to bed drowsy, but still awake.

1. When and if they cry, wait a few minutes to see if they settle, and if not go in and pick them up and soothe them. When they're calm again, put them back down and leave the room.
2. Repeat the process until your baby falls asleep.

It’s good to be aware that this sleep training method can take some time and requires lots of patience.

Bedtime fading

If your baby cries for extended amounts of time before they fall asleep their body might not be ready for sleep at your desired bedtime. The bedtime fading method can help to adjust their circadian rhythm to get bedtime to where you want it to be.

1. First, look for your baby's sleep cues (eye rubbing, yawning, turning away from lights or sound, fussiness).
2. Then, once they seem tired, put them to bed. Hopefully, they'll fall fast asleep, but if they do stir and cry, take them out of the cot for around half an hour, and then try again.

After a few nights, move their bedtime 15 minutes earlier and repeat the process with this new bedtime. Then you can gradually move bedtime earlier in 15-minute increments night by night to reach your desired bedtime.

Camping out

Some parents find that the camping out method (also known as the chair method of gradual withdrawal) works better for older babies who know that you’re still in the room when you aren’t feeding or cuddling them.

1. After saying goodnight, sit down by the bed. If your little one cries, avoid eye contact, but you can reassure them by touching them with your hand. When they calm down, go back to sitting.
2. Keep repeating this process until they fall asleep, and repeat the steps any time they wake in the night.

Gradually, you can move your seating position a little further away from the bed each night until it’s outside the room – when that happens, your baby will hopefully be ready to sleep without you in the room.

You may find that when your baby falls asleep with you in the room, they might be startled and possibly upset when they wake up and you're not there. Don’t worry if your baby gets upset when you move the chair, you can simply put it back in the last place it was before you moved it.

No-cry approach

This method aims to help your toddler learn to fall asleep while you’re not in the room and it’s only suitable for babies over one year old.

1. First, after putting your little one to bed, kiss them and say you'll be back in a few minutes to kiss them again.
2. Leave the room, then go back almost immediately and give them another kiss. Walk a few steps toward the door then go back and kiss your child again.
3. Promise another kiss, then tidy up a few clothes or toys in the bedroom and go back with yet another kiss.
4. If your little one stands up or gets out of bed, reassure them by saying 'Please go back to bed and I'll give you another kiss'.
5. Keep returning with kisses until they fall asleep and repeat the routine if they wake during the night.

Potential sleep training hurdles

However your sleep training journey is going, your baby won't be able to fall or stay asleep if they're hungry, need a nappy change, are feeling under the weather, or are uncomfortable in any way.

Don’t worry if you do encounter some sleep problems along the way, you're not alone! Just be patient and begin your sleep training again when they're feeling better.

The following points have the potential to setback your sleep training journey…

• Illness: A fever, cough, cold or other common illness will make it difficult for your baby to sleep and cause waking in the night. Try to give them extra cuddles and comfort if they are feeling under the weather and seek advice from your family doctor.
• Teething: Those first teeth can be painful and unsettling for little ones, so strap in and get ready for some restless nights!
• Growth spurts: During the first four months or so, your baby may have growth spurts accompanied by periods of cluster feeding. These feeds might interrupt their sleeping and feeding patterns.
• Separation anxiety: Separation anxiety is a normal phase in a child’s emotional development, and it may affect them between the ages of six months and three years. During times of anxiety, your little one may become clingy and cry if you leave the room, which can make nighttime sleep training more challenging.

Top tips for successful baby sleep training

No matter what sleep training method you’re using, the following tips should help to make the experience a little smoother.

• Spot their sleep cues: It can help to watch out for your baby's sleep cues (like yawning, eye rubbing or crankiness) which may happen around the same time every night. That way, you can put them to bed when they're sleepy but not overtired.
• Put baby down awake: Once you've spotted their sleep cues, put baby down when they're snoozy but not fast asleep.
• Get into a good bedtime routine: Pre-sleep rituals or bedtime routines are really good to introduce to your baby around three months old. They help your little one to transition from awake time to sleepy time.
• Time it right: We've covered that some things can interrupt your baby's sleep like them feeling unwell or your family taking a trip away, so it's a good idea to wait until things have settled down before attempting sleep training.
• Delay and keep your nighttime interactions brief: If they do whimper, don't rush straight in to check on your little one. Responding to every little noise might wake them just as they're nodding off or spoil their efforts to self-soothe. When you do respond, calmly and quickly do any checks, feeds, or nappy changes to avoid overstimulating them.

Sources

• Sleep Training Research – BASIS (basisonline.org.uk)
• How to Sleep Train Your Baby - The New York Times (nytimes.com)