If you have embarked on the Ferber method journey to help your child to have healthy sleeping habits, you would have been wondering,” How do I know if the Ferber method is working”?.
In this blog, we’ll be discussing some common signs that indicate that the Ferber sleep training is making progress and you are close to training your child for healthy sleeping habits.
Lastly, we have added some tips to make the process better and smoother for all the parents who want to start the Ferber method real soon.
So let’s unravel the secrets behind a successful Ferber experience together.
How do I know if the Ferber method is working on my child?
Every child shows different signs of progressing for the Ferber method but here are the general positive signs children show when they are taking the Ferber method progressively.
1- Prominent reduction in crying during or before bedtime:
As you start the sleep training through the Ferber method, initially, your child will cry when you put him to sleep and leave the room.
He will even cry if he wakes up at night. But after a few days, if you see your child is crying less or even not when you leave the room and you notice a prominent reduction in crying at night also then it means the Ferber method is progressing in a great manner.
It is best to log the time your child cries during each waiting period.
2- The child would figure out how to self-soothe himself:
Initially, your child would need comfort from you and does not know how to soothe himself.
After some days when you see that your child is figuring out how to self-soothe himself and go to sleep is the time when the Ferber method is working correctly.
3- The sleep stretches will gradually become longer:
Initially, the child would wake up multiple times at night and cry for comfort but as the days passed his sleep stretch would become longer and he would eventually learn to sleep for 3-4 hours straight without waking up.
4- Even if the child would cry, he would settle down before the progressive waiting ends.
You can say that the Ferber method is progressing when your child settles down before you enter his room after completing the progressive waiting.
He would learn that now his sleeping pattern has to be like this forever. The Ferber method helps the child to adopt a new sleeping pattern and style gradually.
5- He would be less dependent on sleep associations like patting, lullabies, or comforting words.
If your child is progressing well with the Ferber method, he will most likely be less dependent on you and your assistance when he wakes up at night.
Even if he cries and you enter the room after progressive waiting, he might just see and go back to sleep independently.
6- A positive effect on the child’s mood and behavior can be noticed:
When the Ferber method starts working, the effects will be shown in the child all over mood and behavior.
Once the child gets a hold of the training, his sleep improves which has a positive impact on his mood and behavior during the daytime.
If you notice your child is less cranky, active, and happy during the daytime it means the Ferber method has started working on him.
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How to make the experience more smooth and better?
As you go through the Ferber method, you can sense that the process is going to be tough for the initial days and you might end up leaving the process in the middle.
Remember! No transition in your child’s life is going to be easy whether it is potty training, sleep training, weaning off the breastmilk, or starting a preschool.
There would be a continuous struggle in parenthood but what you need to know is that everything goes along at the end.
To make the sleep training process more smooth and better you need to read on to these quick tips.
1- Educate yourself.
First and foremost, educate yourself! Do thorough research on the process and think specifically for your child.
Write down the pros and cons of the process and what difficulties you can face during the process depending upon your child’s temperament and previous sleeping pattern and habit.
See if your child would be able to adjust to the standard progressive waiting intervals or if you need to modify it. If the modification is needed then make a self-made chart where you mention all the waiting time for the whole week and stick to it strictly.
Don’t fall for any sleep training process just because any friend or family has suggested you. Every family is different, every child is different. So do what your child and your family can do easily.
After all the research, if you think that the Ferber method would be the most suitable sleep training method for a child, then be ready for some tough initial nights where you won’t be able to catch sleep and your patience and emotions will be tested.
I suggest getting the Ferber method book written by Dr. Richard Ferber.
I recommend reading the book “Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems”.
Dr. Richard Ferber has a lot of great information to share that will help you sleep-train your baby within 7 days without being overwhelmed.
Click the link below to get the book on Amazon.
2- Start at the right time:
Always select the right time to start the training. Sort all the necessary work for the whole week and take an off from your work if you are a working parent.
Check if the baby is fine and he is not going through any kind of discomfort like a growth spurt, teething, illness, etc.
Don’t plan outings or comeovers.
3- Get sleep when the child sleeps in the daytime.
It is necessary that parents also get some sleep to keep their senses and emotions sorted.
Sleep when your child naps in the daytime and try to pre-done all day time chores before you start the training at least for the first week.
4- Be consistent and modify according to your child’s temperament.
You as a parent know your child other than anyone else. So if you think your child will not be able to do well with the standard progressive waiting then modify the chart and extend the training for more than a week. Be consistent and go with the flow even when you see the tiniest progress.
Read more about gentle / Modified Ferber method here.
5- Seek support.
Both parents must participate in the sleep training process. It would be extremely hectic if only one parent took up the whole training alone.
Seek support from your partner and discuss the plan before you start the training. Take turns when your baby cries and wait outside his room for the interval to finish.
When you have the support you are also able to control your emotions and someone can validate your feelings as well.
6- Pre-plan everything for almost 2 weeks.
Sort the groceries and laundry for almost 2 weeks and pre-done the food for almost a week or two.
7- Provide a soothing and sleep-friendly environment.
You should allocate a separate sleeping space for your child way before you start the sleep training.
Take your child to that room every day so that he gets familiar with it. The room should be peaceful, less crowded, and give a nice soothing vibe.
Here is the guide to the best sleeping arrangments for ferber method.
8- Don’t put yourself and your child in distress, Take one day at a time.
Take one day at a time, don’t stress about the next night, and think about it the whole day.
If you see no progress and more distress at the end of the week, then maybe it is time to reconsider your decision and look for any other sleep training method to try after some days.
