Between 3 and 6 months old, many babies develop regular sleep habits and drop most of their night feedings. Implementing a sleep-training program now can help your child develop healthy sleep habits and encourage longer periods of sleep for both of you. Sleep training programs are abundant, and each has its proponents and critics; ultimately, the best choice is the one that feels right and works for your family.
Ferberizing
The technique developed by pediatrician Richard Ferber is the best-known of the "cry-it-out" sleep-training methods. In his book, "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems," Ferber advises parents to put their babies to bed while they're still awake and leave them alone for gradually longer periods, even if they cry. He believes that babies need to be able to soothe themselves to fall asleep on their own, and they won't learn this skill if parents intervene every time they cry.
Ferber doesn't advocate letting babies cry endlessly to fall asleep; however, he does allow progressively longer periods of crying and forbids parents from picking up babies to comfort them at night.
The Weissbluth Method
Sleep researcher Dr. Marc Weissbluth, author of "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child," advises parents to tune in to their babies' natural sleep rhythms and signs of tiredness, then act on them immediately. He advocates earlier bedtimes and longer daytime naps as means of improving nighttime sleep. Weissbluth offers multiple methods for addressing crying at bedtime, including allowing babies to cry indefinitely.
Attachment Parenting/No-Tears Methods
If you're uncomfortable with leaving your infant alone to cry at bedtime, you'll be relieved to learn that no-tears methods exist and have their own devotees. Pediatrician William Sears ("The Baby Sleep Book") and author Elizabeth Pantley ("The No-Cry Sleep Solution") promote bedtime as an opportunity to develop comforting, positive nighttime rituals that allow you to respond to your child's needs for food and physical contact. No-tears methods are compatible with attachment parenting philosophies, which promote and encourage co-sleeping (sleeping with your baby) and breastfeeding on demand.
No-tears techniques are gradual and child-focused. They encourage parents to tune in to their children's sleep cues and use routines to set the stage for sleep. They assume that parents will be available to rock, snuggle or nurse their children, but also provide tips for gradually reducing children's dependence on these sleep aids.
"Happiest Baby on the Block" Method
Dr. Harvey Karp, author of "The Happiest Baby on the Block," describes the first 3 months of a newborn's life as the "fourth trimester." To ease babies' transition from the womb to the world, he maps out a plan called the "5 S's": shhing sounds, swaddling, swinging/rocking, side or stomach positioning and sucking. While these methods are designed for newborns, some of them can ease slightly older babies into sleep, too.
"Baby Whisperer" Method
In her book "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer," registered nurse and celebrity nanny Tracy Hogg describes her approach as a middle ground between "cry-it-out" methods and attachment parenting methods. She believes children should sleep in their own beds and learn to calm themselves to sleep with gradually decreasing amounts of help from parents. Throughout the process, parents are encouraged to pick up and comfort their children when they cry, then put them back in bed once they've calmed down.
