Ferber method

Starfish02807 · June 2013

I need a breakdown of the Ferber method, I think I am going to try this with my daughter in the crib. She us five months and growing out of her rock n play. Everyone I put her in the crib she seems to roll over and get mad she is on her tummy but she is growing out of the rnp. I have been nursing her to sleep until now.

ObLaDi · June 2013

I would recommend reading a book on any sleep training method before trying it. It's important to have a good handle on what you're doing and why, so that you can be effective and consistent.

I haven't read Ferber but my understanding is that it's not typically recommended until at least 6 mo. I'm currently working my way through Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West, since I'm interested in a gentler method.

littlebean4 · June 2013

I would highly recommend picking up the book and reading it. He gives a lot of different scenarios that I know I myself will likely go back to the book to look at so I stay consistent. However, with that said, it's basically a check method to get Lo to fall asleep on their own. You follow your normal bedtime routine then put baby down awake, without nursing/rocking to sleep, basically without any sleep props, for Ferber this includes paci, white noise, etc. I will still be using thw white noise machine though bc we live in an apt with noisy neighbors. Then you check on them in intervals. I don't have the book iin front of me but I believe you check on them after 5 mins, then another 7 mins, then another 10 mins and the intervals increase. No picking up just reassuring her that its bedtime and she's ok. As the night go on, the intervals increase, and if you stay consistent they should fall asleep quicker each night, he states it shouldn't take more than 3-4 nights. You also follow this for MOTN wakings. Of course at our LOs age you go in and feed then place them back in the crib and do the interval checks then as well. You can also do the same for naps starting the following day. However, naps are a little trickier and he states if they don't fall asleep within a half hour at naps, scratch it, skip the nap and try again at the next nap. One thing he mentions that's pretty important is putting LO to bed about a half hour to an hour later than usual so they are "extra" tired.Good luck, hope this helps!

We're also starting this at 5 months in a few weeks so I'm curious to see how it goes for you. Keep us posted!

littlebean4 · June 2013

ObLaDi:
I would recommend reading a book on any sleep training method before trying it. It's important to have a good handle on what you're doing and why, so that you can be effective and consistent. I haven't read Ferber but my understanding is that it's not typically recommended until at least 6 mo. I'm currently working my way through Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West, since I'm interested in a gentler method.

I just finished the book and he recommends starting as earlier as 3-4 months. At that age, they have an easier time adjusting than if they are a bit older. I'll be starting it at 5, bc I did feel 3 was a bit too young still for my LO.

jenn248 · June 2013

We started Ferber at 4 months. I didn't read the book, just a summary of the method in my Baby 411 book. Essentially, you put your baby down in her crib and leave the room. If she is crying, you go back into the room after 3 minutes to soothe her by talking to her and/or rubbing her back or belly - don't pick her up. If she continues to cry, go back in after 5 minutes and use the same soothing techniques. You then go in at 10 minute intervals after that.

We've been lucky in that we've never had to go in past the 5 minute interval so far (DD is now 5.5 months). We've never used a paci, but we do use white noise since sound travels easily in our house.

Wild_flower25 · June 2013

I'm on night 4 and it is not working. She cries on and off for an hour and a half

But I also just broke the swaddle habit so she has to learn a whole new way to fall asleep now.

martha919 · June 2013

We did it at 4mos and it was great. She cried for about 20min the first night, but every night after that has been a breeze. The book says 3 to 4mos, and definitely by 5 to 6mos if you're still having problems. I was terrified of it at first because of all of the things you "hear" on TB, but there is a method to the madness and it makes sense and worked great for my daughter. It's not for everyone though.