One of the most common questions parents ask is whether it’s too early to sleep train a newborn. Given that your baby is still so young, it’s normal to be concerned if your child is ready to learn the skill of self settling. Let us address the commonly asked questions here!
What is sleep training?
Sleep training actually sounds a lot scarier than it really is and what you are doing is fostering healthy sleep habits for your baby. Your little one will be learning how to self settle and connect sleep cycles independently. If your child requires sleep props to fall and stay asleep, it’s going to be really difficult for them to get the quality rest that they need to thrive.
When can you start sleep training your baby?
The answer to this question depends mainly on your baby’s health. If your newborn is healthy, you can start sleep training as soon as you bring your baby home from the hospital!
If your child has a medical condition eg. severe reflux, conditions that require surgical intervention then it is best to wait till after those issues are resolved before beginning any kind of sleep training program.
Will sleep training harm my baby?
The purpose of sleep training is to get your child to sleep well so they can get all the benefits of quality sleep every day and night. So why will sleep training be considered harmful?
In fact, there are plenty of studies that support sleep training. One research done by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia showed that sleep training is beneficial and not harmful. The researchers did a follow-up study with 225 6-year old children who have been sleep trained and they found no adverse impacts on the children’s emotional or mental wellbeing!
How do I sleep train my newborn?
With newborns, it’s important to have a routine and provide as many opportunities as possible for your child to self settle. Avoid feeding your little one to sleep and with consistency and patience, your baby will learn this important skill!
Want more guidance and support in developing good sleep habits for your newborn? We will love to help so book your discovery call with us today – It’s no obligation – just a chat to find out your challenges and what are your goals and then you can decide if we are the right support for you!
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