The main goal of the Ferber method is to help your kid to sleep alone when she wakes up at midnight. Many people know the Ferber method as Graduated extinction and progressive watching. You can start this meeting when your baby is 5 or 6 months old.
Steps to implement the Ferber sleep training method
This method is developed by Richard Ferber, a famous pediatrician.
Step 1
Self-soothing is the most important factor that allows babies to sleep by themselves. It can be learned by being left for a short period to cry alone. You will discover that crying only takes a short time to comfort the child.
Step 2
This method does not tell that you should leave your child in the crib to cry until she falls asleep. But, it allows you to take care of your baby at specific time intervals.
Self-soothing and learn to fall asleep alone are the two most important skills that a baby should learn. By learning these skills kids will be able to sleep alone even when they wake up at the midnight. They would not anyone to take care of them.
Steps to implement the training method of getting a baby to sleep
These are some of the important steps that you need to implement as a training method for getting a baby to sleep.
Step 1
The first thing you need to do is to make a bed routine that your kid follow every night. It should include all the important activities that help to calm your child. This routine can include a bath, drawing, or a night story. Make sure that your kid follows the routine when bedtime starts.
Step 2
Put your child on the bed to sleep and leave the room when she is half sleepy. Make a separate place for your baby so that she can sleep alone. This will make her comfortable when you return to her.
Step 3
When your baby wakes up in the middle of the night and starts crying let her cry for some time. Do not suddenly jump to her and pick her in your arms to calm her. Wait for some time while keeping an eye on her. Go to check her after five minutes and calms her just by sitting with her. Do not sit for more than 3 to 4 minutes. When the time is over leave the room.
Step 4
Do not look back while leaving the room. If she continues to cry then again wait for some time before you go to check her again. This time wait for some more minutes. Then go to check her, talk in a soft voice and console her so that she can stop crying, and turn off the lights while you again leave the room.
Step 5
Continue this process until she falls asleep. Make sure that when you go to check her do not pick her up in the arms or hug her. Just talk in a soft voice and console her. So that she can feel comfortable and it will surely help to fall asleep.
Conclusion:
Ferber follows some basic steps that include in every sleeping program. The first is to leave the room when you have done the bedtime routine of your baby. Then wait for some time before you go to check your baby in case she cries. The time limit depends upon the baby and your behavior. On the first night, do not wait for more than 5 minutes.
It will help your child to learn self-soothing. Try to console your baby when you re-enter the room. But keep in mind do not stay for more than 3 to 4 minutes and during this period do not pick her up in your arms. When you have done consoling, she leaves the room even if she is still crying. After leaving the room, keep a close on your baby until she falls asleep.
As a parent, you may not be able to see your child crying but keep in mind this is for the betterment of your child. So, before you going to check her increase your waiting time if she continues to cry. For example, if you wait for 3 minutes in the first attempt then now wait for at least 5 minutes. After that wait for 10 minutes before you going to check her.
Next night, for the first time, wait for 5 minutes. Then gradually increase the time for 10 and 12 minutes and more than that. Repeat this process until your baby becomes able to sleep alone without crying.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
