Sleep training for your baby
ARE you a new parent who is groggy every morning? You are probably among those who have just discovered that babies’ sleep patterns rarely conform to a regular schedule.
But while getting your baby to adopt a particular sleep pattern may seem difficult, with training it can become a reality.
According to consultant paediatrician Dr Anona Griffith, bedtime routines should be initiated at about six weeks, and should involve establishing a desired bedtime, inclusive of daytime naps.
“These activities may include bathing baby an hour or two prior to the time chosen, feeding, retiring with baby to a specified sleep area which should ideally have minimal noise, lighting and distraction.
Reading and the playing of soft, soothing music may also be included during this time,” she advised.
The aim of sleep training is to get infants accustomed to sleeping through the night, usually from the age of about three to six months.
Dr Griffith explained that success will facilitate better family dynamics and will give family members a chance to rest.
The proponents of sleep training vary in their views, hence there is a wide variation in the methods proposed.
In the final analysis, the method employed will depend on parent choice, infant personality, and all the other factors that may influence baby’s sleeping habits.
She suggested trying the following methods to sleep-train a baby:
1. Cry it out (CIO) or extinction method
Dr Griffith said this utilises the concept of self-soothing, whereby babies discover their own method of soothing themselves to sleep. “It is recommended that the baby be put to bed when drowsy but awake; parent then leaves baby and walks away, returning briefly with minimal interaction, if any, to reassure baby of parent’s presence. The periods of absence should increase over time. As is expected, most infants will cry, but this can be ignored if there is no other problem. It has been shown that with persistence and consistency, crying usually ceases as baby becomes adjusted,” she said.
2. Ferber, also known as the check-and-console method
“Dr Richard Ferber of Children’s Hospital Boston proposes a method similar to CIO, where the parent prolongs the period of waiting between interaction with each cry. He suggests that the baby should be consoled but not picked up,” she pointed out.
3. Weissbluth (Dr Weissbluth)
Dr Griffith said this method also encourages self-soothing from the newborn, by putting the baby to sleep at the first sign of drowsiness, thereby limiting periods of wakefulness.
4. No-cry method
The consultant paediatrician said the no-cry method encourages maintaining contact with the baby while he is falling asleep, and allowing him to fall asleep in his own time. “Proponents vary in their methods, but all agree on the principle of creating positive associations with the sleep process, and that crying may be negative. The opponents of this method believe that crying oneself to sleep is a natural process and may not be negative in and of itself,” she explained.
5. Fading or gradual removal method, or chair method
“This is good for parents who do not want to leave the baby altogether. It calls for the parent’s presence, with minimal interaction. The parent will gradually withdraw by systematically creating physical distance between him/herself and baby while he falls asleep, until the parent no longer has to be present for baby to fall asleep. Parent sits in a chair beside the bed and moves further away each night.”
6. Scheduled awakening
She said this is best for parents who know their baby’s sleep routine well, and are willing and able to follow through with this method. Parents are encouraged to wake baby 15 minutes before their predictable routine waking times, and then soothe them back to sleep. The awake period is then extended by 15 minutes each day in an attempt to eliminate the unscheduled wake times. She concluded that a well-rested baby with good sleep habits sets the stage for lifelong health for the entire family.
