During Ferber Method, What if the Baby is Hungry?

The Ferber method is a popular way to sleep-train young children. This method teaches them to soothe themselves. But one crucial question many parents ask is during Ferber method, what if the baby is hungry? How do you know if the baby needs to eat and what to do about it?

In this blog, we will discuss this matter in detail.

Recognizing Hunger During Sleep

Before embarking on the Ferber method of sleep training, ensure that all of your baby’s basic needs are met and that a consistent schedule for essential activities is established.

For babies aged 6-12 months, nighttime feedings are customary. Make certain that your baby receives scheduled feedings at night, just as they do on regular days.

Nevertheless, there are certain signs that may indicate your baby is hungry:

Missed Scheduled Feeding: If your baby has not been fed at the usual time, there’s a possibility they may wake up due to hunger.
Frequent Waking: If your baby is waking up more frequently than usual during the night, it could be a sign of hunger or restlessness.
Sucking Reflex: Excessive sucking on hands, fingers, or thumb during the night may suggest hunger.
Intense Crying: A distinct change in the intensity or pattern of your baby’s cry, particularly if it resembles a siren, might indicate hunger—especially for younger babies (6-8 months old).
Restlessness: If your baby is frequently tossing, turning, or displaying signs of discomfort while sleeping, it may be a sign of hunger.

By being attuned to these cues, you can better understand your baby’s needs during sleep training with the Ferber method, creating a more positive and effective experience for both you and your little one.

What to do if the baby is hungry during the ferber method of sleep training?

Here’s what to do when the baby is hungry during Ferber method.

1- Don’t prioritize anything over his hunger:

During Ferber method, if the baby is hungry, address hunger without disrupting sleep training. Pause, let self-soothe; if not, feed without interaction, maintain low-stimulus, and pat for a smooth return to sleep.

If the baby repeatedly wakes up at night, it is crucial to prioritize addressing their hunger needs alongside the ongoing sleep training process.

The approach involves not discontinuing the training but incorporating a brief pause if the baby awakens.

Allow a moment before approaching the crib; if the baby self-soothes and returns to sleep, that’s satisfactory.

However, if the baby remains awake and cries, signaling hunger as the cause, proceed to feed without engaging in direct interaction or making eye contact.

Maintain a low-stimulus environment, especially if the baby is bottle-fed; refrain from picking them up during feeding.

After feeding, gently pat the child until they comfortably return to sleep, fostering a seamless transition within the sleep training framework.

2- Start solids before using the Ferber method of sleep training:

Since the Ferber method can be started at 6 months of age, and 6-month-old babies are typically on solids, ensure that the child receives an adequate amount of solids during the day to fulfill all the necessary nutrients.

Consider incorporating snack times and additional solid food meals to ensure the baby receives the required calories.

Additionally, try offering solid food 2 hours before bedtime to potentially reduce the need for night feeds to 1 or 2.

3- Schedule evenly spaced feedings:

Aim for 3 meals, 2 snacks, and evenly spaced milk feedings in 24 hours. (According to your child’s age)

This way, you can anticipate when your baby might be hungry.

I am not endorsing force-feeding here, go with the flow and give food and milk to the child as much as he is willing to have it.

4- Thoroughly review the baby’s feeding schedule before you start the training:

Review your baby’s feeding schedule in the daytime and nighttime before you start the Ferber method.

If the baby takes a bottle feed or the mother feeds at night, note the timings and set alarms at that time and feed the baby in his sleep when you start the Ferber method.

This type of feeding is called dream feeding where the child is still asleep but takes the feed.

Try giving him a burp so there could be no chance of reflux. But make sure that he should not be wide awake.

What to feed to the baby:

Here’s what to feed when the baby is hungry during the Ferber method.

1- Offer breastmilk/formula milk as per baby’s need:

When you are using the Ferber method of sleep training, it says that you should not do proper interaction with the child or should not pick him up.

It is quite understood that babies(6-12) or even older kids usually take milk at night when they are hungry.

So if you suspect hunger, feed the baby with milk depending on how he takes it.

But for breast milk try to feed the child before he widely wakes up and put him in bed back so that he goes into deep sleep on his own.

2- Solids in the day:

The Ferber method is applicable for babies who are 6 months and above, so you can start giving solids to the baby from the start of 6 months and start the sleep training once the child adjusts to taking the solids.

Solid feeds will help you and the baby to sleep peacefully at night.

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Summary:

During the Ferber method, if the baby is hungry, he will show signs such as a sucking reflex, crying in a siren sound, and restlessness that will increase with time.

If you are sure, that the baby is hungry, feed him without picking him up. Don’t interact or make eye contact. Feed him, burp him, and put them back to sleep as soon as possible.

When you start the sleep training, make sure your baby is properly fed before bed. And during nighttime, feed him on schedule, before he wakes up and cries.

Learn more about the ferber method here.