Ferber Method of Sleep Training
The Ferber method of sleep training is a technique to get your baby to sleep without spending a lot of time soothing him. It's not appropriate for all babies, and some experts recommend against using it while others encourage its use.
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The Technique
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The Ferber method involves putting your baby to bed and staying in the room for three minutes. You then leave the room and come back to check on your child in five minutes. After that, you check on your child every 10 minutes until he falls asleep. Each night you increase the amount of time between checks.
Effectiveness
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Some studies indicate that it works for children over the age of 6 months. Many parents find it works in just four weeks. However, some pediatricians recommend against it because little is known about possible side effects and some parents don't like hearing their child cry without being able to comfort him.
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When Not to Use It
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Parents should not try to use the Ferber method for babies under the age of 6 months. Very young babies need to eat during the night and their sleep-wake patterns have not developed enough for the method to work. Parents should not use the method with babies that have breathing disorders or other medical problems, children that sleepwalk, children that have night terrors and children that demonstrate excessive fear of the dark.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit baby image by Dron from Fotolia.com
