Have problem getting your baby to sleep? Why not try out the Ferber Method?
Below are some information about it to share with you. Hope it helps.
The Ferber Method shows parents how to teach their child to soothe himself to sleep from the age of 5 or 6 months. The method has proven controversial, mainly because it has been misunderstood as a harsh system of letting the baby cry it out until he falls asleep. As the outline below shows, there is considerably more parental involvement in the Ferber method than many people have been led to believe
Process
The first night you attempt the Ferber method, put your child to bed as you normally do. Your baby should be tired but still awake when you put him to bed, so that he is left to fall asleep on his own. After you leave the room, the baby will inevitably start crying. Allow him to cry for about 5 minutes, then re-enter the room to console him. It's important that you stay in the room for only a short time - even if he is still crying - and that you don't pick him up or rock him. This second time you leave the room, wait 10 minutes before returning in the same manner. The third time wait 15 minutes, and set this as a maximum wait time for the rest of the night.
Every time thereafter, enter the room briefly and then allow your child to cry for 15 minutes. Eventually, he will fall asleep on his own during one of the 15 minute intervals in which you are out of the room. The second night, you should begin with a 10 minute wait before re-entering the room, followed by 15 and then 20 minutes. In a similar fashion, increase your initial and subsequent wait times by 5 minutes each night.
Using this method your child will soon learn to go to sleep on his own. Although it can be difficult to listen to your baby cry, understand that the Ferber method is a safe and effective way of getting your baby to learn to sleep on his own.
Benefits
Supporters of the Ferber Method believe that the process of teaching a child to sleep on his own encourages independence. It has also proven to be highly effective in reducing nighttime wakefulness in babies, resulting in better sleep for everyone.
Ferber’s method was designed to avoid unnecessary crying and to provide comfort to the baby.
What age is suitable
The Ferber method is meant for children aged 6 months or older, when our culture has decided that most babies are capable of sleeping through the night (yet many parents will tell you that their babies feel otherwise!). Some babies are able to sleep through the night at 3 months old, but under the age of 6 months (and sometimes later than that), most children will need to be fed during the night hours.
The Ferber Method is NOT to be applied during the first 4 months because truthfully, a newborn or young infant's wants and needs are *one in the same* and should not be ignored or second-guessed, just simply attended to! If your newborn or infant is unable to sleep on his/her own, that is very typical in the early months.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Ferber Method
Posted by ~ Brenda ~ at 2:58 PM
Labels: Parenting Tips
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