Since the Ferber method is the most famous sleep training program across the globe, many parents want to adopt it to sleep train their children so that they would get over sleepless nights.
Usually, parents of newborns till 6 months old babies compromise a lot on their sleep and desperately look for solutions to stretch their sleep for some hours to be able to have enough rest in between.
In this blog, we will find out whether you can sleep train a 4-month-old baby using Ferber method or not and how to make babies of such age sleep a little longer so that parents can take enough rest to function the next day.
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Can a 4-month-old baby be sleep trained by the Ferber method:
You should not try to sleep train a 4-month-old using the Ferber method.
Any sleep training isn’t recommended until your baby is at least 6 months old. But don’t worry it doesn’t mean you are not going to have some peaceful sleep unless your child is 6 months or above.
The good news is you can make your 4-month-old sleep for almost 12 hours a day (with obviously some waking ups for feeds in between) even if he co-sleeps or sleeps in the crib next to you.
I can recommend three great books. You can read them and by implementing the strategies given, you can make your little one sleep for around 12 hours at night.
1- Precious Little Sleep:
The book “Precious little sleep” is absolutely worth reading. This is written by Alexis Debief.
If you really want to understand how babies sleep, get this book today. The author gives great insights on a baby’s typical sleep cycle and offers some very unique tips to make your baby sleep for the whole night.
There are little things that parents usually ignore, that are very beautifully explained in this book.
Moreover, the tips given in the book are very practical.
Check out what other readers of this book had to say about it. (“Precious little sleep” readers reviews on Amazon). You’ll understand why this book is highly recommended.
2- The Sleep Lady®’s Gentle Newborn Sleep Guide:
The sleep lady’s Gentle Newborn Sleep Guide by Kim West is another masterpiece to make newborns sleep faster and longer without leaving them to cry it out. This book offers a realistic and compassionate perspective on newborn sleep patterns.
Kim West the famous sleep consultant has provided an extensive guide for parents who are seeking effective sleeping solutions for their children who are under 6 months of age.
In this guide, West has jotted down the practical techniques and approaches to deal with the baby’s sleep struggles and parent’s sleep deprivation. This newborn sleep guide prioritizes the well-being of both the baby and the parents.
The best part about this guide is that there is a wide range of topics that discuss how to establish healthy sleeping habits in infants, understand sleeping patterns, and to create a conducive sleep environment so that the child sleeps peacefully and in long stretches.
3- Twelve Hours’ Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old: A Step-by-Step Plan for Baby Sleep Success:
This step-by-step plan for baby sleep by Suzy Giordano and Lisa Abidin is an absolute must-have for the parents of a newborn child. This book presents a structured plan to help you and your child to achieve peaceful and longer sleep stretches by the age your child is just 12 weeks old.
The best thing about this step-by-step guide is it provides a clear roadmap to the parents to gradually extend the sleep duration of their child at night by following some tips and tricks so that both the parents and baby get some restful nights.
The plan given in the book is adjustable and well-structured and caters to parents and babies of all temperaments, backgrounds, and parenting styles. The authors emphasized that all babies and parents are not the same, so they have allowed the parents to self-tailor and modify the plan as per their family settings. We would suggest friends and family to gift or suggest this book to new parents who are desperate to find a solution for sleep-deprived nights.
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Tips to help a 4-month-old baby sleep longer:
Here are a few effective tips to make your 4-month-old sleep better:
1- Consistent bedtime routine:
A consistent bedtime routine is necessary for children of all ages. It’s better to start it as early as you can so that the baby gets used to the routine.
Keep in mind that the routine is different from the schedule. It is about the pattern of activities you perform. For example, giving a massage, a warm bath, putting on a sleep sack, and singing a lullaby. While the schedule is about the timing.
2- safe and calm sleeping environment:
Whenever you put the baby to sleep, ensure that the room has a calm and relaxed environment.
The baby will start to associate sleep with a calm environment in some weeks. You can play a white noise machine to drown out external noises.
3- Make a difference in the daytime and nighttime:
In the daytime, except for the time for naps, keep interacting with the baby. Keep the lights on and the curtain out so that the baby can recognize that there is a difference in the environment.
At night keep the lights dim and make the environment cosy.
4- Divide the nap times and nighttime sleep equal to 12-14 hours:
A 4-month-old should sleep for 12-14 hours per day.
So if you want to make the baby sleep for 12 hours at night then make sure you dont over cross 2 hours for naps. Because if you overdo the nap timings, the child will most likely sleep late or less at night.
Moreover, avoid naps in the evening so the baby can sleep well at night.
5- Associate some healthy practices with sleep:
If you want a peaceful night’s sleep and long sleep stretches then associate some healthy practices with your baby.
Healthy practices like warm baths, a massage, dim lights, moderate temperature, and calming lullabies can help the baby to sleep long and peacefully.
6- Notice his feeding time and take care of his hunger needs:
A 4-month-old baby needs frequent feedings at night, for that notice his timings for a week and give him milk as soon as the feeding time approaches. Talking care of hunger needs also helps in long sleep stretches.
7. Dream feeding can also help in peaceful sleep:
You can also “dream feed” your child so that he does not wake up from hunger. Dream feed means you notice your child’s feeding timings and feed him in deep sleep, give him a burp, and put him back on the bed.
8- Use a swaddle or sleep sack for more peaceful sleep:
Swaddling or using a sleep sack is the best way to make the baby feel secure and mimic the cozy feeling of the womb. Babies tend to sleep more when they are swaddled from the start.
9- Encourage self-soothing:
Give the baby a chance to self-soothe and see if he can go back to sleep on his own. Not every sound from the baby needs intervention.
10- Be patient and flexible with the baby:
It is not necessary that the baby always follow the same sleeping patterns. Some nights might be tough due to reasons like a growth spurt, sleep regression, sickness, or teething.
Also, the phase before 6 months is usually rough. When the child turns 6 months old, things get better on their own as the baby starts to take solids which helps in a peaceful night’s sleep and long sleep stretches.
Summary:
You should not use sleep training techniques especially the ferber method of sleep training for a 4-month-old baby. As it is not recommended for babies under 6 months of age. However, you can implement other simple strategies to make your baby sleep for longer.
I highly recommend reading the book “Precious Little Sleep” as it has so much helpful information that you will find so much effective.
