Infant Sleep Training- There are alternatives to cry it out!
Often when we think of sleep training the image of a child screaming and crying alone in a crib all night comes to mind. Right?
What if I told you there are alternative to cry it out method? You don't have to sit in agony while your child cries and "figures out" how to sleep. There is a better way! There are effective alternatives to cry it out method!
Alternatives to Cry It Out
Gentle Sleep Coaching is an alternative to cry it out methods. It is a gentle, gradual approach offering physical and verbal reassurance. This method is also known as the Sleep Lady Shuffle. Our approach to Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching® is to create the right environment and offer the right support for the temperament of your child to easily and successfully learn how to sleep well.
Sleep Coaching Methods- Explained
It's important to understand there are different sleep coaching methods to determine which one is appropriate for YOUR Family.
THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF SLEEP COACHING METHODOLOGIES:
FADING, GENTLE SLEEP COACHING:
A gradual approach and one that allows the parent to stay with the child while the new sleep skills and behaviors are learned.
The Sleep Lady advocates a “shuffle”, where parent stays in the room with child while offering physical and verbal reassurance and moves further from the crib/bed every 3 days.
The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West is an advocate of this approach.
I am a 13 year tenured trained and certified Gentle Sleep Coach and top 200 Sleep Consultant in the US. I specialize in guilt-free sleep training combining sleep & behavioral science and attachment theory while building a strong parent child bond.
GRADUATED EXTINCTION:
Also called “controlled crying”/ ferberizing.
Involves being out of the room and checking on the child at intervals every 5- 15 minutes from bedtime and all arousals throughout the night.
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber, MD is known for this method.
EXTINCTION
Also referred to as “cry it out”.
The strict version is to simply leave them to cry until they fall asleep and same with middle of night arousals.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Marc Weissbluth, MD is an advocate of extinction.
How long does it take to get my child to sleep through the night?
Many people fear that an alternative method to cry it out won't be effective or fast, however that is not the case! Most nighttime sleep problems can be resolved in 2-4 weeks. However, most families see immediate improvement in the first 5 nights of implementing the sleep plan. It is always recommended to night train first and then move onto nap training.
Gentle Sleep Coaching teaches children lifelong healthy sleep habits. I often have clients reach out after attempting cry it out methods out of desperation only for their child to regress back to bad sleep and the parents end up feeling defeated. Sleep is a learned skill and Gentle Sleep Coaching teaches the ability to self-regulate, self-settle and self-soothe which allows them to sleep well for both nights and naps!
How do I decide whether I should hire a sleep coach or sleep train my baby myself?
Many parents contact me when the approach they’ve been taking towards their child’s sleep no longer works. Everyone in the household is tired & confused and no one is happy.
You would benefit from expert guidance from a tenured Sleep Consultant if you are experiencing any of the following:
Anxiety and distress over cry it out methods—and desire for an alternate to cry it out method
Difficult and long bedtime routine that leaves everybody drained
Broken, non-restorative sleep from multiple night wakings
Disagreement between parents in managing child’s sleep challenges
Desire to eliminate night feeding—needing guidance to do it gently and compassionately
Exhausted from waking too early in the morning
Fear over transition from co-sleeping to a crib, or from a crib to a toddler bed
Short or non-existent naps or nap transitions—resulting in crabby, overtired child
Difficulty in re-establishing healthy sleep habits after new sibling, travel, holidays, or lifestyle changes
Relentless self-doubt and guilt about current sleep routines
It’s important that you choose the right methodology & the right sleep coach based on family values, logistics and how much support you will need to reach goals.
IF YOU KEEP ASKING YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU DEFINITELY NEED A SLEEP COACH.
If you find yourself googling any of the following questions, I recommend learning about the different sleep coaching methodologies and consider if Gentle Sleep Coaching, an alternative to cry it out method, is right for your family!
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Hope and Help to solve sleep struggles is just a phone call away!
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Talk to live with Joanna so she can give you individualized insight and perspective on how to solve your sleep struggles.
Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.