Practice for your baby to sleep by himself: Use the let the baby cry method

When it comes to the "let the baby cry" method, many people mistakenly let the baby cry and sleep. In fact, to be effective, teaching babies to sleep by this method needs to be done strictly according to the sequential steps.

How to train your baby to sleep on his own with the "let baby cry" method?
First, wait until your baby is both physically and mentally ready to sleep the whole night, usually between the ages of 4 and 6 months. There is no exact age at which to start teaching babies to sleep on their own as it can vary from baby to baby. If you're not sure if your baby is ready, you can give it a try. If your baby has a strong reaction, wait a few more weeks and try again.

Step 1:  Put your baby in the crib when he's sleepy but still awake.

Step 2:  Good night and leave the room. If your baby cries when you walk away, let your baby cry for a set amount of time.

Step 3:  Return to the room in no more than 2 minutes to comfort and reassure your baby. Still turn off the lights and say softly. Do not pick up the baby. Then leave the room while the baby is still awake, even when the baby cries.

Step 4:  Stand outside a little longer than the first time. Repeat the above steps, the time to stand outside the room increases each time and when entering the room should only stay for 1 or 2 minutes to comfort the baby, then leave the room while the baby is still awake.

Step 5:  Keep repeating until the baby sleeps when you leave the room.

You may have to try a variety of methods to find the right way for your baby to sleep on its own

Step 6:  If your baby wakes up after falling asleep, still do the same as above. Start with the minimum waiting time for the night and slowly increase it until you reach the maximum time.

Step 7:  Increase the time between each in and out to calm your baby every night. In most cases, your baby will fall asleep on its own on Tuesday or Wednesday night or up to a week at most. If your baby is still very upset after a few nights of using this method, patiently wait a few more weeks and then try again.

When teaching babies to sleep on their own, how long should they be left alone?
First night: Leave the room 3 minutes for the first time, 5 minutes for the second, and 10 minutes for the third and all subsequent wait.

Second night: First 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, and then 12 more. Extend the time in and out for the next night.

Actually there is no exact rule about outside waiting time. The above are only recommended times. You can choose any time as long as you feel comfortable.

Is this method really effective to train your baby to sleep on its own?
For some parents, the "let the baby cry" approach works as well as they'd like. After a few nights and a few tears, the baby slept straight through the night. As for other parents, when your baby is still crying and not getting enough sleep, it is time to try a different method.

In general, there is no effective baby-sleeping method for everyone. One method may work for one baby, but it doesn't work for another. Your best friend or your sister may be lucky with the “let the baby cry” approach but that doesn't mean it will work out that way for you. Even though this might work for your first baby, it won't work for the second baby.