Sleepy-time Stress

Reviewing Sleep Strategies

By Laurie Dove

Infants and toddlers who don't rest well now can suffer later when school starts; they stay tired, become irritable and do poorly in school because they are simply too exhausted. Children who don't rest well also tend to be ill more often and more accident prone, Maas says.

There is no shortage of expert advice for helping infants get a head start on good sleep habits. Today's popular methods often are contradictory: One expert suggests parents bring Baby to bed; another insists Baby must learn to sleep on his own. Still more experts fall somewhere in the middle. Most, however, agree that babies aren't physiologically ready to sleep through the night until 3 or 4 months of age.

Dr. Richard Ferber's method, sometimes called sleep-training, is based on the idea that parents can train their children to have healthful sleep habits. After taking Baby through a relaxing bedtime routine, Dr. Ferber suggests that Baby is placed in her crib to fall asleep on her own. At first, Baby will likely cry, and after a few minutes – anywhere from five to 15 – parents should respond, comfort and put Baby to bed again. During the next few nights, the length of time increases before the parent responds. In as little as three nights, or as many as 14, babies should learn to fall asleep on their own.

Dr. Ferber, director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital in Boston, Mass. and author of Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems

Want to see more?

• The Crying Game: Soothing Your Newborn
• Crying Baby, Sleepless Nights: Why Your Baby is Crying and What You Can Do About It
• The First Year: Birth to 3 Months
• Talk about it!