Sleep training is not recommended for newborns, but as your baby ages, it becomes essential. Six months is considered the perfect age for sleep training your baby and by the time your baby has matured into a toddler who has slept happily with you since birth, moving into his or her bed will be difficult. 

But don't worry! We've got you covered. Continue reading to learn about various methods of sleep training your toddler.

What is sleep training?

The purpose of sleep training is for your child to be able to sleep for many hours on their own at night. When they wake up, they should be able to return to sleep peacefully. You can use a variety of sleep training strategies developed by pediatricians and sleep specialists.

Top four sleep training methods — take your pick!

There is no such thing as the "best" sleep training technique. Choose what is more convenient for you. Some will teach the toddler in a matter of days, and others will take weeks. However, if you are persistent and polite, you would be able to work with all of them.

1. The Cry It Out Method

The Cry It Out sleep training method is also known as extinction or full extinction. In this method, parents tuck their toddlers into bed, cuddle with them, leave the room and then completely shut themselves out if the baby cries. They do not respond. Eventually, the toddler grows tired of crying and goes back to sleep.

This approach is somewhat controversial, despite its effectiveness. It is difficult for parents to abandon their crying baby, but it works fast. Many parents say that their baby is sleep trained in a matter of days.

2. The Check and Console Method 

Also known as the Ferber method, graduated extinction, progressive waiting, or the interval method. 

If you’re uncomfortable with the Cry It Out Method, this one's for you. Parents practice the same bedtime ritual as described above, but they ease their child into it gradually. For the first few nights, they would come in and comfort their child if he or she cried. After that, they progressively raise the amount of time they let the child cry before re-entering the room, until the baby self-soothes.

This method can take up to a week and requires a lot of effort. It can make your toddler even more clingy and upset when you leave. In such a case, another method may be a better option.

3. The Fading Method

This method encourages parents to stay in their child’s room until they fall asleep. But instead of leaving the room, they sit in a chair next to the crib for a while. When the toddler wakes up and cries in the middle of the night, the parent sits in the chair and gives slight assurances (maintaining physical distance). Every few nights, they move the chair further and further away until they’re out of the room.

4. The “No Tears” Method

This technique, also known as the gentle sleep training method, focuses on doing sleep training without any crying. It is mostly based on a consistent bedtime schedule. This schedule should consist of the same tasks performed in the same order so that the toddler can recognize this pattern and, as a result, bedtime. This procedure takes a long time and causes sleep loss in the parents.

Consult With The Baby Sleep Experts

If you can’t decide yet which method to choose for your little one, you may also consult with sleep experts that are dedicated to help you and your baby get a good night’s sleep. Here are a few of the mom-recommended sleep consultants in the Philippines to coach you and give you personalized sleep training.

• Himbing.ph

Himbing Sleep Solutions offers sleep coaching via email and phone led by Maria Campos Lopez, a Family Sleep Institute Certified Sleep Consultant. Families residing in Manila, Philippines also have the option for an in-home or face-to-face consultation.

• Babeofbliss.org / Babysleep.ph

Offers Holistic Baby Sleep Coaching One-on-One Wellness & Positive Parenting Coaching led by Gabrielle Weil, a UK-based Holistic Pediatric Sleep Coach, Baby ListeningTM   and Positive Parenting Instuctor. 

Whatever sleep training method you choose, know that there will still be some rough nights and sleep training can be a bumpy road. There may be times it will not work. Take a deep breath, try to be patient, and accept it as part of the process.