Which Sleep Training Method is Right for Me?

The task of sleep training can be very daunting.  Parents often ask us where to start or how to do it.  Here we detail three methods going from the least gentle to the most gentle and the pros and cons of each.  The key with choosing a sleep training method is to pick one you are going to be able to follow through with and one that everyone is on board with.  Each and every one of these methods is effective but only with consistency.  The method that will work best for you is one that you are comfortable with and able to follow through with 100% of the time.  With any method you want to give it a good week or more of consistency, before you start to change anything.  

Cry It Out

This is the most well known sleep training method.  It is also the most controversial.  With this method you will place your baby in the crib wide awake and will not go back in until a scheduled feed or morning time.    

What we like about this method:

It’s typically the quickest method.  It usually only takes a few days, I say usually because sometimes it’s less and sometimes it’s more, each child is different!  We also like this method because babies usually respond better than parents anticipate!

Why this method is hard:

It’s hard to hear your little one cry!  But keep in mind what your end goal is and that’s to help your child become an independent snoozer.  And while it will be hard to hear your little one cry for a couple of days the end result will be well worth it!

Timed Intervals

With Timed Intervals, you will put your little one down in the crib awake.  Once they start crying you will start a timer and will only go to check on them once the timer goes off.  For each subsequent check you increase the time on your timer so that the time between your checks becomes longer.  Every day your timed interval checks will become longer as well.  Once the allotted time is up you will go in check on your little one and use your voice to comfort them.  You want to avoid spending too long in the room with each check, think short and sweet; you just want to let them know you are there.  For every night waking you will continue the timed intervals.

What we like about this method:

This method is great because it is a more gentle approach than Cry It Out and gives you contact with your child throughout the process all while allowing your baby the space to learn and practice their new skill of self-soothing.

Why this method is hard:

This method can be hard on both you and your child.  For some children, when parents go in for a check it escalates the crying instead of calming them down.  This makes it harder for them to settle once you have left the room.  This method can also be hard for parents to go into the room and try to comfort their child without picking them up. 

Chair Method

For chair method you start with sitting in a chair next to your child’s bed.  You want to offer minimal interaction, limiting/eliminating any talking to them or even looking at them, we often suggest just looking down at the floor.  Every few days you move the chair farther from the bed and closer to the door until you are out of the room.  Each time your little one wakes at night you will resume your position in the chair until they fall back asleep.

What we like about this method:

We like this method because it is comforting for children to have their mom or dad in the room with them.  It can also be good for parents by limiting the amount of crying involved in the process, making this a very gentle approach.

Why this method is hard:

This method takes a very long time.  With this method it’s important to know it can take as long as 12 days.  It also takes a lot of will power on your part to commit to silently sitting in the room.  With consistency and persistence though, this method is just as effective as the others.

Remember that consistency is the key to any of these methods.  It is important to make sure everyone is on board with whichever method you choose.  We recommend sitting down with your partner and looking over all the methods together and decide which one best suits your family, so you can work together and support each other throughout the process to achieve success.  If you are still overwhelmed by all of this or you are looking for more support throughout the process, contact us and we can help you customize a sleep plan.  We will take the guess work out of it and give you the tools and support you need to be successful!

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