Is sleep training healthy for babies?
In fact, it’s been known to improve parental mood, improves an infant’s sleep quality and increases the secure attachment between babies and their caregivers. As long as your baby is old enough and is in a safe environment, sleep training (no matter which method you choose) is perfectly safe and healthy.
At what age should I start sleep training my baby?
4 to 6 months old
Experts recommend beginning sleep training when babies are 4 to 6 months old. This age range is the sweet spot, since babies are old enough to physically make it for six to eight hours overnight without needing to eat but aren’t quite at the point where the comforting you provide has become a sleep association.
Do pediatricians recommend sleep training?
We recommend that sleep training start at around four to six months. It’s important that children get comfortable falling asleep on their own before the separation anxiety phase, which starts at around eight months of age. At bedtime, parents let their children cry for a bit.
What do child psychologists say about sleep training?
The study found that there were absolutely no differences between these kids: Sleep-trained kids were no more likely to have emotional problems, sleep problems, or attachment issues than kids that weren’t sleep trained as babies.
What’s wrong with sleep training?
One reason why sleep training might not work is because waking at night is developmentally normal for most babies throughout their first year. Even adults sometimes have difficulties sleeping through the night and insomnia is a common complaint. But, unlike babies, adults are able to meet their own needs.
Can sleep training traumatize baby?
Myth #1: If I let my child cry, they will hate me. Fact: Multiple studies show that there are no negative consequences in parent-child bond due to sleep training. In fact, some studies actually show an improvement in security between parent and child following sleep training.
Does sleep training cause psychological damage?
Of the few studies that have looked at the short- to longer-term outcomes of sleep training, none have found an effect on a baby’s attachment or mental health.
Is sleep training evidence based?
Sleep training improves infant sleep problems, with about 1 in 4 to 1 in 10 benefiting compared with no sleep training, with no adverse effects reported after 5 years. Maternal mood scales also statistically significantly improved; patients with the lowest baseline depression scores benefited the most.