With this series of blog posts, I will be giving a brief background on a specific method of sleep training and share some pros and cons of each. My aim is to educate and inform, not to throw criticism towards any parent who may choose a specific method. I just want to be clear that there are many forms of sleep training methods (some I don’t be covering) and you need to choose the best strategy for your specific child.
What is the Ferber Method?
Dr Richard Ferber, director or The Centre for Pediatric Sleep Disorders in Boston wrote a book called “Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems” in 1985 but the book was updated and revised in 2006. What is interesting is that there have been quite a few modifications and versions to this type of method.
Some people class Richard’s “Ferberization” as a “cry-it-out” sleep training method. The Ferber method, or variations of this method, can also be called “Controlled Crying,” “Timed checks,” “Progressive Waiting”, or “Leave and Check.”
What does the Ferber Method aim to achieve?
The goal is for your baby to fall asleep independently, with little or intermediate parent intervention that is faded out over a period of time. It eliminates any negative sleep associations like rocking, feeding to sleep, dummy/pacifier, cuddling to sleep etc.
So how does the Ferber Method work?
First of all, preparation is key. Make sure your baby…
- Isn’t overtired.
- Is well.
- Has a cool, dark, quiet place to sleep.
- Has a bedtime routine.
- Has a sleep phrase introduced.
Like I mentioned earlier, there are many adaptations to this method, making it somewhat more flexible. In a nutshell, you place your baby into the cot, awake as possible, and leave the room. You set a time to check back on your baby. You re-enter the room, say a sleep phrase, you may or may not offer some touch or a cuddle, you leave the room again for a set time. The timed intervals gradually increase either between each actual check or each new night.
The Ferber Method advocates no physical touch and checks at very specific set timed intervals. Other adaptations are slightly different in the actual timing of the checks and whether touch is to be offered or not. Ideally if physical touch is offered, it is eventually faded out. Another thing to note is that you can continue to room share with your baby (not co-sleep) if you wish.
This method can take between 1-3weeks for your baby to be able to sleep independently depending on the variation you decide upon.
Cons of The Ferber Method
- There can be a lot of crying if your baby becomes distressed with the constant coming and going.
- The re-entering of the room may wake your baby as they initially drift off.
- It takes longer to see progress than the Extinction Method.
- The timed intervals can become confusing for parents especially in the middle of the night.
- This method isn’t helpful for children already in a bed as you will find your child will follow you out of the room.
Pros of The Ferber Method
- You can continue to room share.
- You can continue to night-feed.
- You are able to offer physical and verbal comfort.
- It is a slower process but it is more of a gentle, intermediate approach to change.
- The crying will eventually reduce.
- This method works well if you have more than one child at home.
- You may see progress quicker than other methods of sleep training.
Final thoughts from me…
If you offer gentle touch or visit often AND can clearly see that your presence is making it harder on your baby, then you may need to increase the time between checks or choose a different method.
When choosing a method of sleep training it is important to remember that the approach is only one piece of the puzzle. Finding the cause of the difficult sleep comes first. Next you need to establish positive sleep cues for your baby. Lastly comes the sleep training method. With any sleep training method, it is really important to listen to your baby. When families work with me, quite often the method changes and evolves depending on how the baby is coping and the signs he is giving me.
Other forms of sleep training methods that will be covered in this 4part series are: The Extinction Method, The Ferber Method, The Camp Out Method and the No Cry Method.
Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime
