Here’s your beginner’s guide to common infant sleep dogma:
Cry It Out (CIO): Let Baby cry until he figures out how to stop and go back to sleep on his own.
Ferber method: Put Baby down drowsy, but awake. If Baby cries, soothe him, but not right away. Soothe after three minutes, then five, then 10, gradually increasing the intervals. Note: Attention withholding methods such as CIO and Ferber should not be attempted before 4–6 months of age, as nutritional needs must still be met — on demand — with younger babies.
Wake-and-sleep: Rock Baby or nurse him to sleep as you would, but wake him ever so slightly (by tickling his feet) so he learns how to fall asleep independently.
No-cry: Comfort Baby, but change up the routine so he doesn’t get attached to one soothing mechanism — sometimes nurse, sometimes sing, sometimes rocking with Mom, sometimes
cuddling with Dad.
Fading: Gradually phase out the comfort measure. Rock or nurse or cuddle or sing for a little less time each night.
Chair method: Sit in a chair (or on the floor) and slowly increase the space between you and your resting child over the course of a night or many nights.
Co-sleeping: Sleep near Baby — either on the same surface with the Le Leche League’s Safe Sleep Seven precautions in place (llli.org/the-safe-sleep-seven), in the same room or with a co-sleeper crib — so you can quickly or easily soothe Baby back to sleep.
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