Anyone plan on using the Ferber or Babywise method?

Re: Anyone plan on using the Ferber or Babywise method?

• AcaAwkward member

  April 2014

  I used Ferber with DD, ***but not until the recommended age of 6 MONTHS.*** It worked really well for us -- we actually did it in two steps: bedtime at 6 mo, but I still got up and nursed her when she woke up in the night, and then with the single night waking at 11 months when it was more than clear she was waking from habit and not hunger.
  
  I never really thought I'd use a CIO method, but at 6 mo, it would take nearly 2 hours to get DD to fall asleep at bedtime (and this was after having very few bedtime issues up until that point). I figured 30 min of CIO was preferable to 2 hours of her screaming while I nursed / rocked / swayed, etc.
  
  Babywise makes me super nervous and twitchy as it advocates putting very young babies on a strict eating schedule and allowing them to CIO. Past editions of the book were actually denounced by the AAP and cases of "failure to thrive" have been attributed to the use of Babywise methods. Plus it's not even written by a medical professional or sleep expert.

  
  

  DD 2/21/2012 & DS 4/1/2014

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• homediva member

  April 2014

  OMG I can't even think about sleep training yet.

   
  

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• Holljade member

  April 2014

  I did my own version of ferber at 6 months- DD was sleeping through the night within a few days so it wasn't like days/weeks of torture and listening to u kid cry.
  
  It worked reay well for us.

  
  
  
  

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• ksulli member

  April 2014

  We did Ferber-ish sleep training with DD1 around seven mos. She was upset about it for two nights, and the second night was only 10ish minutes, so it was t that bad and was completely worth it. Read a few sleep books and decide what fits your LOs temperament. But like pp said- sleep training isn't recommended until 6 mos.

  *Married 10.10.08*

   

  TTC #1 9.09 - BFP#1:2.18.10= missed m/c, D&C 4.16

  BFP#2:10.22.10=Avelin born 7.2.11

  TTC#2: 2.13 - BFP#3: 7.25.13=Kelsey born 3.31.14

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• smashton14th member

  April 2014

  We did Sleep Easy (ferber-ish style) when my daughter was 6 months old. It was a miracle worker. She was at the point of only being able to fall asleep on the breast and would wake up every 20-40 minutes! She got the hang of it super fast. The book called it sleeping learning (it is a skill that we can learn) instead. I highly recommend it.

  

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• momofmanyinthemitten member

  April 2014

  I go The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems route. I had DS putting himself to sleep in his crib at 2 months-no tears, no drama. I love the EASY routine, but never stuck to the 3/4hr time frame. Neither of my kids took long enough naps. I like that it didn't make them dependent on nursing to fall asleep.

  
  

   
  
  

  

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• Rrrrrachel member

  April 2014

  I think the "sleep crutch" thing is way overstated, personally. Ime sleep gets better all on it's own at some point, and a lot of sleep books act like your kid will always have sleep issues unless you use their method. I call bs. That means, to me, sleep training and whether to do it and how to do it is more about the parents and the rest of the family and what their needs are. Sleep problems are only a problem if they're a problem for YOU. The baby will out grow them eventually.
  
  Stay far away from baby wise, though.

  Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014!

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• *sparky* member

  April 2014

  Ditto @LalaMama81 re: Babywise.  A friend recommended that book to me when DS was 2 weeks old and IMO the advice was so far off base, especially with babies this little.  I ended up throwing the book away because I did not even want to give it to anyone else.

  Your LO is way too young at this point to think about any sort of training.  If you are having trouble with soothing, etc. I think The Happiest Baby on the Block is great. 

   

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• nikki912 member

  April 2014

  I second and third everything else that was said. It's way too early to think about sleep training. When the time comes that is developmentally appropriate (around 6-7 months) we will use the same method we did with DS. Put down sleepy but awake and then leave. If he cries come back in 5 minutes and soothe - trying not to pick up. Then wait ten minutes and soothe. Then wait 15 and soothe. We never had to go past 20 minutes and he fell asleep on his own without crying within two weeks. Bed time has been a breeze ever since. But that's my kid- everyone is different! Good luck!

  
  

  
  

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• MamaFantastic member

  April 2014

  Pretty much exactly what @aca said

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