When do you start sleep training?
If you’re on the roller coaster ride that is newborn and infant sleep, the topic of sleep training has probably crossed your mind a time or two. Many families worry that it’s too early or too late to sleep train. It’s probably one of the most common questions I am asked as a sleep consultant! For the purposes of this blog I want to clarify the definition of sleep training. I’m referring to changes in habits and routines surrounding sleep to improve sleep quality.
How early do you start sleep training?
Many people believe that sleep is a developmental skill; something like crawling or walking that eventually their baby will just learn to do. You may be holding out for a long time for sleep to click. Some babies give long stretches at 8 weeks old and some toddlers still wake up several times a night. With behavioral interventions however, these same toddlers can begin sleeping through the night. This is why the argument that sleep is developmental doesn’t really hold weight.
In the newborn stage, many will suggest sleep training is not recommended, but this is in reference to separation based methods (Ferber, CIO) that require your baby to have some degree of object permanence. it doesn’t mean that you can’t begin to set your baby up for sleep success by optimizing their schedule and sleep environment, and being curious about what they can do without your intervention. Check out this blog for how to sleep train without “sleep training”.
Many families begin sleep training at four months old, because of baby’s maturing sleep patterns known as the “four month regression”. This is actually a permanent change to your baby’s sleep patterns! They may begin waking even more frequently than before, and may or may not give long sleep stretches again (if they ever did) until sleep training occurs. However, this is not a requirement.
when do you start sleep training?
You feel ready to make a change
Your baby is no longer sleeping as well as you’d like
YOU are not sleeping as well as you’d like
Here are some more blogs for you about sleep training:
It is ever too late to sleep train?
Nope, nope, and nope. There are adults in my life that I would love to write a sleep plan for if they were willing to try 😂. Everyone at any age can begin to change their sleep habits. If your two year old has never slept through the night, or if your one year old has only slept in your bed and you’re ready for a change, there ARE ways to make that change happen.
The number one thing that drives success when sleep training is not the method, or the age of the baby, but the level of commitment and consistency with which it is approached. You can do this, and if you’re in need of a support system I got your back! 🫶🏻
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