Is all Sleep Training Cry It Out?

Baby sleep is often a topic people have BIG opinions about. Especially on social media. One thing I noticed as a new mom is that I was constantly getting fed anti-sleep training content that contributed to my already high levels of first time mom anxiety. There were all of these posts leading me to believe that sleep training was traumatic and would affect your attachment with your child. That all sleep training involved leaving your child alone to cry all night. But when Raeya was 8 months old and we were still experiencing night wakes every couple of hours and I was exhausted, I decided to do my own research into sleep training. And what I found is the claims the anti-sleep training posts made that I had been bombarded with, weren’t actually supported by much research at all. That the benefits of a well rested baby and parent were backed by research and that there were multiple different methods of sleep training to choose from.

There are 4 main methods of sleep training available:

1. Extinction (Cry It Out)

2. Leave and Check (Intervals Check In’s)

3. Stay In The Room (Staying with your baby while they fall asleep)

4. Pick Up Put Down (Very Hands On)

The two main methods I teach are Leave and Check & Stay In The Room. Occasionally I will also use the Pick Up Put Down method. When working with a client there are many things I take into account before determining which method will best meet their goals. These variables include:

• The age of their baby

• Sensitivity to crying

• Their sleep goals

• How fast they want results

The one method I left out is extinction or Cry It Out. This method refers to putting your baby in its crib and leaving them for 12 hours. While in some cases Extinction does work, it doesn’t consider the many other variables that may impact sleep and instead your are simply leaving your child alone to cry until they fall asleep. But the truth is sleep is such a complex thing that may be impacted by many factors.

There are many things I take into consideration when creating an individualized sleep plan for a client to help them meet their sleep goals. These variables include:

• Wake Windows

• Sleep Pressure

• Bedtime & Naptime Routine

• Safe Sleep

• Ideal Sleep Environment

• Self Soothing Techniques

• Overtired or Undertired

• Daytime Sleep

• Avoiding Drowsiness

• Comfort Items

and so much more! Sleep is complex and sleep training should take into account all of its complexities. There are so many things that go into creating a sleep plan and choosing the method I use with each client. Sleep training is so much more than letting your child cry it out without intervening and there are so many different ways we can approach supporting your child through achieving better sleep.

With all that being said, crying is your baby’s only form of communication. So when making big changes to their sleep environment or sleep habits, you are likely to receive some protest (in the form of crying) from your baby. While sleep training with me, you are always encouraged to comfort your baby with your voice and gentle touch. They will always know you are there supporting them on their sleep journey.

If you are curious to see if working together might be a good fit for your family, I encourage you to book a free discovery call or check out the packages that I offer. I would be honoured to help your little one start sleeping better.