When beginning the sleep training process I always encourage parents to start with a gentle approach. Each child is different and reacts in a different way to each approach. Some children do great with parental interaction while trying to soothe baby, while others will get more upset from this stimulation of seeing their parent. When deciding which method will work best, you should always consider your baby's temeperment as this will result in a smooth sleep training experience.

What we are teaching our children about sleep right now, will determine their sleep habits as adults. The only time our babies learn and develop is in their sleep. Everything they take in during the day, they learn while sleeping. If they aren't sleeping well, they aren't able to be alert during the day, eventually causing milestone delays. Unhealthy sleep habits in babies can eventually cause behavior disruptions in toddler and school aged children.

Sleep training comes with change of sleep habits which usually results in a bit of a protest from our babies. Parent's are always welcome to stay close to baby to comfort them while in the sleep training process. My goal while sleep training is to make sure all external needs are met before naps and bedtime. This includes making sure a daily balance of food intake, awake/sleep times are all correct to limit cry time.

You should not expect your baby to sleep 12 hours on the first night. It takes time to build good sleep habits. The more consistent you are in training, the faster the process! If you are consistent in training, you will see great improvement in less than a week.