Most babies and young children don't exhibit the type of regular sleeping patterns that their parents want to enjoy. They may resist going to bed, beg to sleep with their parents or refuse to sleep alone. Some children awaken during the night and cry for their parents because they are fearful or lonely. Sleep training recommendations and practices vary widely among parents and among sleep specialists, but alternative sleeping methods might be worth trying for a good night's sleep.
The Ferber Method
The Ferber Sleep Method, commonly called "crying it out," was developed by Dr. Richard Ferber, director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital in Boston. Parents are instructed to put their child to bed at a predetermined time -- and when the child is still awake. The child is allowed to cry, uncomforted, for specified lengths of time before the parent is allowed to check on him and assure the child that the parent is nearby. The time between visits is gradually lengthened until the child learns to fall asleep on his own.
Parental Attachment With Pleasant Rituals
Some parents choose to create a series of pleasant bedtime rituals to transition their children to sleep. Even as young babies, children seem to sleep better and feel more secure when they fall asleep within earshot of family noise, caregivers' voices and other familiar sounds, according to the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. The parent and child may participate in shared activities such as snuggling, reading, singing, playing music or whatever calming activity the child enjoys. Televisions and computers are turned off and lights are lowered to signal to the child that the day's activities are drawing to a close. Parents may lay down with the child and continue the calming ritual until the child falls asleep.
Faded Bedtime
Faded bedtime is a practice that initially pushes a child's natural bedtime back to a later time. If the child does not fall asleep immediately at the later hour, parents incorporate some pleasant routines into the quarter-hour before bedtime. This allows the child to associate the pleasant routines with the approach of sleep. After a few days, the parent begins the bedtime routine a little earlier. Gradually, the pleasant routines begin about 15 to 20 minutes before the desired bedtime.
