This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Video Blog: Parents "R" Talking

Parents "R" Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs.

This week’s parenting topic is Sleep Training.

What are your thoughts on Sleep Training? Did you sleep train your child or did your child start sleeping through the night on their own? How old was your child when you sleep trained?  What Sleep Training method did you use? Was the method you chose successful? What challenges did you encounter?

In our family… we chose the Timed Crying Sleep Method. This method works best when the child is around 4 months old but can still be used for a toddler. It takes longer to complete than the “cry-out” method, but a lot of parents prefer it because it is gentler (gentler for both the parent and child).

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Step-By-Step Timed Crying Sleep Method

Put your child to bed and stand outside the room (out of sight of the child).  If your child starts to cry, wait until the cry is consistent (this is beyond the occasional, whinny cry).  Once the cry is consistent, start your timer.  You’ll want to give your child some time to calm themselves on their own (for 3 to 5 minutes).  Make sure to restart the clock if your child stops and restarts consistently crying again at any point. 

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If the 3 to 5 minute timer expires, and the child is still crying, go into the room and comfort them.  This comforting includes rubbing or patting the child’s back, and very quietly and soothingly saying “shhhh.”  You will comfort the child until they stop crying and they are calm. This method should be applied any time you are trying to get your child to sleep, from when you first put them to bed to overnight wake-ups. Use the schedule below as a guideline (adapting as needed):

Sample schedule:

  • Day One – From the time they start to really cry, set the timer and wait for 3 minutes before going in to comfort them. Once they are fully calm and relaxed, you can leave the room.  If they start to cry again, this time wait 5 minutes before comforting them.  Any subsequent crying sessions should use a 10 minute timer.
  • Day Two – Increase the first interval to 5 minutes. Next time, wait 10 minutes. The next time they cry, and all subsequent episodes, wait 15 minutes.
  • Day Three – Increase the first interval to 10 minutes. Next time, wait 15 minutes. The next time they cry, and all subsequent episodes, wait 20 minutes.
  • Every Day After –Make the intervals longer by 5 minutes on each subsequent night.

Consider these times as guidelines for you to follow.  Feel free to modify them according to your comfort level.  Always consult with your pediatrician before starting sleep training.

Leave your parenting comments, questions and tips in the comment area below. You can also contact us at ParentsRTalking@gmail.com or visit www.ParentsRTalking.com.

Rebecca Kammerer is formerly the co-author of the Patch column, Parent Sense.

(Editor's Note: The opinions in this article are those of Parents“R” Talking. The opinions are not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about any changes you are contemplating.)

Download the movie

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?