Herbie Murray
Gentle sleep training is a way of teaching babies to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night on their own. It involves several strategies for gradually teaching a baby to sleep without a parent's help and is often used by parents who prefer to be responsive to crying during bedtime. The effectiveness of gentle sleep training varies from family to family, and it can take a few weeks to produce meaningful results. While some parents find that gentle sleep training methods work for them, others find that they don't and opt for the cry-it-out (CIO) method instead.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A gentler way of training your baby to sleep better |
| Basic goals | Gradually changes behaviours that may delay sleep or result in fragmented sleep for a child and their parents |
| Benefits | Can be quite beneficial for both babies and caretakers |
| Strategies | The chair method, the pick-up-put-down method, scheduled awakenings, respectful sleep training, sleep fading |
| Time to work | Can take a few weeks to produce meaningful results |
| Other methods | Cry-it-out (CIO), Ferber method |
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What You'll Learn
Gentle sleep training methods
The Chair Method
This method involves sitting in a chair next to your child's bed as they fall asleep. Over a few days or longer, you move the chair further and further away from the bed or crib, until it's outside the room. If your child fusses, re-enter the room and sit back in the chair, encouraging them to try to fall back asleep.
The Pick-Up/Put-Down Method
This method involves putting your baby down for bed, and if they start to fuss, letting it happen for a little bit. If they don't seem to be settling down, go and pick them up and soothe them, then put them down again before they fall asleep in your arms. Repeat the process until they are asleep. This method can take a long time and requires dedication and patience.
Respectful Sleep Training
This technique is used if you are not set on creating a strict routine for sleep training. It involves creating a secure attachment with your child, responding to their cues, and helping guide them back to sleep. This method takes longer and typically requires more time and commitment from the parents.
Sleep Fading
This method involves taking the techniques you normally use to get your baby to fall asleep (rocking, soothing, singing, etc.) and lessening the time spent doing them until they "fade" out. This decreases the time a parent spends with a child at bedtime.
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The chair method
Gentle sleep training is a way of teaching your baby to sleep without your help, gradually and without tears. It is a gentler alternative to the ""cry it out" method, which can be stressful for both the infant and the parents.
It's important to note that the chair method is a gradual process, and it may take a few weeks to see results. It requires dedication and
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The pick-up/put-down method
Gentle sleep training is an approach that gradually teaches babies to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night on their own. It is a natural way of training for parents who are responsive to crying during bedtime. It is also called no-cry sleep training.
The success of the pick-up/put-down method is based on perseverance and patience. It can take several weeks or longer to master this method. It is important to remember that all infants are different, and their sleep needs differ too. Therefore, the pick-up/put-down method may not work for all babies.
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The Ferber method
The goal of the Ferber method is to train young children to self-soothe and fall asleep without the need for a caregiver's intervention. Dr. Ferber recommends using a progressive waiting approach, also known as "controlled crying", where parents leave their child for increasingly longer intervals until they fall asleep on their own. This approach can be effective when parents are committed and consistent, but it may not align with all parenting styles. It is important to note that the Ferber method can involve a lot of overtiredness and crying in the beginning, so it may not be suitable for families seeking a gentler approach to improving their child's sleep.
According to Dr. Canapari, the ideal window for beginning any type of sleep training method is between 4 to 6 months old. However, the Ferber method can also be effective for toddlers and preschoolers experiencing sleep issues. While some critics object to the amount of crying involved in the Ferber method, researchers have demonstrated the benefits of graduated extinction methods. Additionally, a 2018 study on infant sleep training found that sleep training with a controlled crying method improved sleep and parental depression with no adverse effects reported after 5 years.
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Challenges and alternatives
Gentle sleep training is a gradual method of teaching your baby to settle and sleep through the night. It is a positive way to teach your baby the skills they need to fall asleep and self-soothe themselves back to sleep when they wake. It is a set of tools that, when used together, offer an alternative to stringent sleep training.
Gentle sleep training can be challenging, and it may not work for everyone. Some challenges include parental stress and fatigue, illness in the child, the method not working for a particular family, and the child's sleep needs changing over time. It is important to remember that if something doesn't work today, it can always be tried again in the future. Patience is key.
Some parents may not be comfortable with the level of parental involvement required in gentle sleep training methods, and may prefer alternatives with less parental involvement, such as the Cry-it-Out method. However, these methods can be stressful for both parent and child, and may not be effective for all families.
One alternative to sleep training is holistic sleep coaching, which is based on biologically normal sleep, responsive parenting, and gentle, family-centered methods. It views sleep from a developmental and attachment perspective, and focuses on using responsiveness to support better sleep, rather than removing it. This includes recognizing that waking at night is healthy and normal, and that all children will eventually learn to sleep through the night.
Another alternative is to focus on making careful adjustments to your child's sleep and feeding schedule, which can make a significant difference in their sleep. For example, if your child is waking up too early, you may need to adjust their bedtime. Similarly, varying the sleep situation can prevent a baby from getting attached to only one way of sleeping, providing more flexibility for families.
Gentle sleep training can also be tailored to individual children and families. For example, some families may prefer gentle methods that allow for continued bed-sharing, while others may prefer to focus on providing their child with an attachment object to help them self-soothe.
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Frequently asked questions
Gentle sleep training is an alternative to the "cry-it-out" method. It is a spectrum of approaches that can be used to help babies learn to fall asleep by themselves. It includes methods such as "camping out", where the parent sleeps next to the baby's crib, or simply educating parents about baby sleep.
Gentle sleep training recognises that each child is unique and may require different strategies. It considers the child's temperament, age and developmental stage. The more relaxed your child is, the easier they will find it to sleep. The goal is to teach your child the skills to get themselves to sleep and back to sleep throughout the night.
Gentle sleep training methods are typically slower than other methods. They can take weeks before you see signs of improvement. However, they are often more enjoyable for everyone involved.
One technique is the Fading method, which involves a gradual increase in physical distance between the parent and the baby at night. Another is the PUPD (pick up/put down) method, where you lay your child down awake in their sleeping area, then pick them up and offer comfort when they fuss. You repeat this process until your child falls asleep.
