I've heard a lot about sleep training, and I'm wondering if we need to do it. And if we should do it, how early do we start?? What did you do?
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I started at 3.5 months, which I think compared to other moms, is a lot earlier. But I was so sleep deprived that in the same day, I almost fell asleep at the wheel with LO in the car and almost dropped her because I almost fell asleep standing up. I decided then and there we would start sleep-training the next night (we had intended to start at 4 or 4.5 months). She wasn't sleeping, wasn't napping, and we had to put an end to the madness!
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We didn't feel comfortable sleep training until 6 months of age. The reason we finally even broached the subject was at my son's 6 month check up his pedi was surprised he wasn't sleeping through the night and he suggested we consider it. We chose to do it then because my son was barely fitting swaddles so we were starting to run out of options (we were still swaddling), he was starting to roll really well and we knew sitting up and pulling to stand wasn't too far behind and we didn't want to sleep train when we could have a baby standing in his crib and motivated enough to try to climb out. Also, we were supposed to go on a long weekend trip with family and we didn't want our son to be up at all hours of the night potentially keeping other people up so we took the plunge. IMO, you have to feel right and feel your baby is ready for it. We didn't feel my son was ready for it until 6 months but I know a lot of people that sleep train do it around 4 months of age.
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I didn't sleep train but having done a lot of reading on it - the general guideline is to start no earlier than 4 months. At 4 months, babies are generally out of the newborn sleep all the time phase and go through a major sleep regression. That is when a lot of people start to consider sleep training because no one is getting any sleep.
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We first tried at 8 weeks (total mistake... He howled for 4 hours before we gave up), then are trying again now at almost 7 months. I think in retrospect you should wait until your baby can roll over, both ways, before you try.
We used the rock and play from week 15 on. (we coslept from weeks 8-15, but I was terrified the whole time that I'd roll over on him, and never got good sleep then...)
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We never did it with Lala, but we may do a modified version this time around if needed, though Maisie is a great sleeper.
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We started a little before 4 months when the pedi said he didn't nutritionally need his night feedings anymore. We gave him his pacifier instead of a bottle and he fell back asleep. RJ was always a great sleeper so we never had to let him cry for more than 15 mins.
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We sleep trained Charlie at 4 1/2 months. By that point his sleep was horrendous. I think we should have done it sooner. He started rolling over in the middle of sleep training, which made everything harder. But once they can sleep on their bellies, they sleep better, so there is something to be said for sleep training after they can roll over. Still.... it's easier to train them when they are younger.
Most sleep training resources will say 4 months, but all the pediatricians I know say 3 months.... even 8 weeks!
Even if you don't full on sleep train, you can practice it from when they're very young. We started around 8 weeks. For instance put them in the crib drowsy but awake, but let them cry up to 5 min or so before picking them up. They may surprise you! It works half the time with Olive. Whenever she puts herself to sleep for naps, she always sleeps better.
She goes into the crib awake at bedtime though.
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