When's the right time to start sleep training?
Before you had baby, you were probably warned, “You’re never going to sleep again!” And after a few weeks or a few months… you might start believing that to be true. But let me tell you, sleep training can fix all that!
You might be wondering when you can start sleep training and how that’ll work for your little; some babies can start sleep training earlier and some do better a little later, if you’re unsure if the time is right for your little, keep reading!
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When to start sleep training baby
Most pediatricians recommend you can start sleep training when baby is about 4 months old. At this age, babies are typically old enough to learn to self soothe, and may no longer require night feedings. Still, there’s no “right” time to begin sleep training.
While 4 months is a great time to consider starting, that doesn’t mean you can’t start laying the foundation for healthy sleep earlier than that (sleep shaping) – or that you’ve missed out if you don’t start sleep training until baby is 10 months, a year, or even older.
0-3 months
While you can’t officially start sleep training your newborn baby – again, it’s not recommended until they’re about 4 months old – you can start setting healthy sleep patterns. It starts with understanding newborn sleep, sleep needs, and sleep rhythms. Learn more about what it means to start building healthy sleep foundations for newborns in our 0-3 Months Healthy Little Sleepers Blueprint!
4-6 months
At 4 months, you can finally start sleep training your little one! Your baby is starting to develop their circadian rhythms and are hitting amazing developmental milestones – which means sleep training is not only possible at this age, it’s important too!
7-11 months
This is the age where you might start noticing separation anxiety with your little one (and it might start affecting their sleep). With support and the right sleep training method (one that fosters and strengthens connection!), you’ll be able to help baby transition through this stage and sleep will fall into place!
12-24 months
Once baby turns one, they start becoming a little person with a BIG personality. If you haven’t started sleep training yet, you might think they are too old to get them into new sleep rhythms and habits, or maybe you’ve tried a few things and nothing’s clicked yet. Toddlers can sleep train too though, it’s not too late! At this age, it’s all about finding the right sleep training method that works for your little’s needs and personality. And there’s no cry-it-out here!
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What to know before you start
There are quite a few different sleep training methods – and they all go far beyond the cry-it-out, or extinction method! Choosing a method that fits in with your parenting philosophy and getting support along the way are both important keys to your success.
At Healthy Little Sleepers, we offer a ton of ways to get support! From age-specific online courses to overnight consultations and one-on-on-consults! There are so many ways to personalize your journey – all you have to do is take that first step and start!
Think you’re ready? Take this quick quiz to see if it’s time to start sleep training your little one!
If you answered “no” to one or more of these questions, you should hold off on starting sleep coaching – for now (or schedule a FREE consultation call with us to chat things through).
And if your results show that you and baby are ready… congrats!! Better sleep is just around the corner!
Join the Healthy Little Sleeper’s Blueprint! That means you can help your little get the sleep they need (and you’ll get some better sleep too) in just 7 DAYS!