Guts or Instinct? When should you sleep train?
If you decide to sleep train your child, when is the right time? Ends up the answer isn't very clear cut. Read more here.
Today's guest blogger is Meghan Walls, PsyD, a pediatric psychologist at Nemours/AI duPont Hospital for Children.
The New York Times recently published this controversial article on how [and when] to sleep train your baby. In summary, one of the largest pediatric practices in New York City encourages parents to sleep train their babies for a full 12 hour stretch of sleep at eight weeks old. The method includes closing the door at 7 pm and not responding to the baby again until 7 am. Parenting and sleep experts alike have voiced their opinions- which cover the spectrum from support to horror-on this matter.
Sleep gurus and physicians Richard Ferber and Marc Weissbluth have differing opinions on the methodology of sleep training, but generally educate parents that babies may need feeds at night until they are nine months old. Pediatric psychologist Sarah Honaker, PhD, who specializes in sleep from the Indiana University School of Medicine, agrees, "The best evidence to support behavioral sleep intervention approaches is in infants ages 6 months and older. An alternative to an all night sleep training approach is to use behavioral sleep intervention at bedtime only, and soothe or feed the infant back to sleep following night wakings."
The discussion about the optimal age to sleep train is widely debated – but the truth is, every child is different. Temperament plays a role and some children can easily self soothe by eight weeks, making them prime candidates for gentle sleep training – letting them fuss or cry to sleep for a short amount of time – at bed time. Others need more comfort and feedings overnight. Often, parents feel the benefits of sleep training may outweigh the risks, but parents should know that stretching babies twelve hours may affect other aspects of life such as feeding.
Mona Liza Hamlin, RN, IBCLC, a Clinical Nurse Educator and the Lactation Consultant at Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, noted that parents should be aware of how a long stretch of sleep can effect feeding. She reminds that, "Babies wake up frequently to nurse which keeps them getting the response they need while maintaining the mother's milk supply. Breastfeeding longevity is about supply and demand. The demand comes from emptying the breast frequently. If [mom] doesn't feed baby at night during the first few month not only will she not be appropriately responding to her baby's needs; but she will also be telling her body to stop making milk."
In clinical practice, tired parents are constantly asking for advice on sleep. We know the importance of sleep and that children who get interrupted sleep or not enough sleep are negatively impacted with more difficulties in behavior and learning as well as possible role in obesity. Sleep should be a priority, but the answer on sleep training may not be as clear cut as we'd like.
Your best bet is to find an approach that works well with your parenting values, be consistent, and stick with it. If your baby isn't sleeping through the night by eight weeks, remind yourself it is normal. But if you are a sleep deprived parent as the months drag on, don't be afraid of some crying; all scientific evidence reminds us there is no long-term harm.
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