Using The Ferber Method For Sleep Training

[Unregistered]

I have a 4 months old who sleeps 15-45 minutes at a time,although most naps are only 25 minutes and we are lucky to get a 45 minute nap. I suggested to DCM trying CIO and the Ferber method. How long would you allow an infant to cry after waking 25 minutes into nap before picking up and ending nap time?

[MarinaVanessa]

I don't do CIO on infants or any child under 1yo. CIO has been linked to cause a whole bunch of issues both emotional and physical later in life if an infant is left to CIO for extended periods of time. Infants are forming their secure attachments during this time of their lives and if they are left to CIO they may just lose hope that their needs will be met and never make those connections.

It's common misconception that Ferber means CIO. Ferberizing actually is laying the infant down while the infant is awake and then soothing the infant then walking away then prolonging the time that you are away. At first its just a minute or two and then you can add an extra minute etc. If the infant cries you wait a bit before returning and sooth again without picking the infant up. I wouldn't leave an infant to cry with or without me in the room for longer than 15 minutes. Crying for infants means stress and/or distress and ignoring an infant's crying can make it worse.

The time that you leave the infant to cry can also depend on the infant itself. Some children are needier than others and need more reassurance. Also some just have different sleeping needs. No child is the same.

[Willow]

Ferber himself acknowledges CIO the way most parents interpret it is damaging.

He has said no baby should just be left to bawl alone for endless amounts of time is nothing he'd ever endorse.



Investigate why the infant is crying (pain, reflux, trouble regulating body temp which makes them uncomfortably hot or cold, naturally jumpy and jittery, sensitive to noise etc). If none of those are causing the baby to legitimately awaken early then you can look into sleep training.

No amount of "Ferberizing" or sleep training will cure this problem though if there is an underlying problem.

[butterfly]

Maybe it's acid reflux. My son went through this when he was a baby. Elevating one end of the crib did wonders.

[Unregistered]

Possibly could be that infant startles easily, but also when baby wakes up, immediate response is to cry and fuss. What do I do if the child just startles easily?

[Starburst]

I don't do CIO on infants or any child under 1yo. CIO has been linked to cause a whole bunch of issues both emotional and physical later in life if an infant is left to CIO for extended periods of time. Infants are forming their secure attachments during this time of their lives and if they are left to CIO they may just lose hope that their needs will be met and never make those connections.

I have taken classes taught by both child development experts and nurses and they both say to never let a young infant to CIO because they are still in the stage of Trust vs. Mistrust (Erikson) of parents/caregivers and they may grow to distrust their caregivers. That is also their only means of communication (crying), so usually they are trying to tell you that they are hungry, soiled, or just lonely/bored.

A toddler over the age of 2 who can talk, that is a different story....

[MarinaVanessa]

I have taken classes taught by both child development experts and nurses and they both say to never let a young infant to CIO because they are still in the stage of Trust vs. Mistrust (Erikson) of parents/caregivers and they may grow to distrust their caregivers. That is also their only means of communication (crying), so usually they are trying to tell you that they are hungry, soiled, or just lonely/bored.

A toddler over the age of 2 who can talk, that is a different story....

[Oneluckymom]

Possibly could be that infant startles easily, but also when baby wakes up, immediate response is to cry and fuss. What do I do if the child just startles easily?

I had this issue with my new infant. She is almost 8 months now.

You need something for white noise. A fan or some light music that is ongoing during her rest time. This should help A LOT.

Hth

[Unregistered]

I have to say that there are sometimes when I believe that leaving an infant to cry is fine. I think it depends on the intensity of the cry, among other factors. I have had babies in my care who always fuss before they fall asleep, whether I am holding them or not. Since that is the case, it seems to me that it is perfectly fine to put them in their crib to do their fussing. Some need to fuss as they calm down as a way to expel their pent up energy.
Everything we do with a child is affecting their development of a trust/mistrust of their environment. If we are responsive with our feeding and cooing and diaper changes and snuggles, I truly believe the infants can handle periods in their day when they are self soothing or even just on their own and crying a bit.

[Starburst]

I have to say that there are sometimes when I believe that leaving an infant to cry is fine. I think it depends on the intensity of the cry, among other factors. I have had babies in my care who always fuss before they fall asleep, whether I am holding them or not. Since that is the case, it seems to me that it is perfectly fine to put them in their crib to do their fussing. Some need to fuss as they calm down as a way to expel their pent up energy.
Everything we do with a child is affecting their development of a trust/mistrust of their environment. If we are responsive with our feeding and cooing and diaper changes and snuggles, I truly believe the infants can handle periods in their day when they are self soothing or even just on their own and crying a bit.

I am saying not to ignore the baby when they start crying, if its been a while and you changed them/fed them/burped them/held them and otherwise done everything in your power to help them be comfortable and they are still acting fussy after a long time (at least 15-30 minutes) then yes I would try to leave them alone for a while to see if they sooth themselves, but I would only use that as a last option if nothing else helps or if I knew that is what that particular infant is like.

[Familycare71]

I have to say that there are sometimes when I believe that leaving an infant to cry is fine. I think it depends on the intensity of the cry, among other factors. I have had babies in my care who always fuss before they fall asleep, whether I am holding them or not. Since that is the case, it seems to me that it is perfectly fine to put them in their crib to do their fussing. Some need to fuss as they calm down as a way to expel their pent up energy.
Everything we do with a child is affecting their development of a trust/mistrust of their environment. If we are responsive with our feeding and cooing and diaper changes and snuggles, I truly believe the infants can handle periods in their day when they are self soothing or even just on their own and crying a bit.

[Familycare71]

Possibly could be that infant startles easily, but also when baby wakes up, immediate response is to cry and fuss. What do I do if the child just startles easily?

I swaddle... It helps- and with just a thin receiving blanket. Also I believe babies do need to learn to put themselves to sleep. I don't do this until they are about 4 months old-
I agree too with white noise-
I am putting a ceiling fan in the room where kids nap as well to help w younger ones

[Unregistered]

I swaddle... It helps- and with just a thin receiving blanket. Also I believe babies do need to learn to put themselves to sleep. I don't do this until they are about 4 months old-
I agree too with white noise-
I am putting a ceiling fan in the room where kids nap as well to help w younger ones

Swaddling in a receiving blanket is considered dangerous, and NOT recommended. Children under 12 months should NEVER have a blanket in their crib. NOTHING but a sheet.

I would recommend stopping this practice immediately to protect yourself. I have a new DCM who recently lost her child AFTER the supposed "6-month window" for SIDS had passed. Her provider was told no blankets allowed, provider used blanket anyway, child suffocated because of blanket. You do NOT want this happening at your home, I am sure. People always think it's safe until it happens to them.

[Cradle2crayons]

Swaddling in a receiving blanket is considered dangerous, and NOT recommended. Children under 12 months should NEVER have a blanket in their crib. NOTHING but a sheet.

I would recommend stopping this practice immediately to protect yourself. I have a new DCM who recently lost her child AFTER the supposed "6-month window" for SIDS had passed. Her provider was told no blankets allowed, provider used blanket anyway, child suffocated because of blanket. You do NOT want this happening at your home, I am sure. People always think it's safe until it happens to them.

Unregistered, where are you getting your information?? Research indicates that swaddling actually reduces the chance of SIDS, as long as the baby is placed flat on their back as they should be anyway.

Here is the info::

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2768591/

[Hunni Bee]

Swaddling in a receiving blanket is considered dangerous, and NOT recommended. Children under 12 months should NEVER have a blanket in their crib. NOTHING but a sheet.

I would recommend stopping this practice immediately to protect yourself. I have a new DCM who recently lost her child AFTER the supposed "6-month window" for SIDS had passed. Her provider was told no blankets allowed, provider used blanket anyway, child suffocated because of blanket. You do NOT want this happening at your home, I am sure. People always think it's safe until it happens to them.

Swaddling and just placing a blanket in the crib are not the same thing, are they?

My daughter is in intensive care and she's always swaddled. She's not sick and not moving around either...shes as active as any other newborn. They told me to get a swaddling blanket for her when she comes home....

:confused::confused: