Sleep training?

Question

I need help! When should I start sleep training and how ???? I’m a single mom and she’s the worst sleeper ! She’ll be 4 months 1/24. I’m so tired 😟 she def looks for me to soother her throughout the night with rocking and nursing. I know she’s too young to know how to self soothe. I’m not fond of her pediatrician and will be switching but he’s been telling me about the Ferber method (CIO) since she was 2 weeks old! I do my own research and know that they are not old enough to learn until 4 months at the very youngest but some articles suggest waiting until 6 months. Advice? Tips? I go back to work March 4 and terrified of being overly exhausted ! I work 12 hour shifts in the hospital 😳

Answer

I did it at 5.5 months, but had a friend that did it at four months. I waited because I wanted my baby to be able to move freely and confidently around the crib to get comfortable and I wanted to wait until he was naturally dropping night feedings. It was a great time for my son. He slept through on the first night. It’s really all when you think you and your baby are ready. You can take some steps to prepare and get a routine going and start trying to reduce night feeds a bit then officially train once you think you baby is ready! Generally though the closer to 6 months the more likely they will take quickly!

Answer

My little man was seriously causing me to be sleep deprived. He went from having a few good 2 hour naps and sleeping 6 hours, eating then sleeping another 4 at night, to cat napping for 20 mins and waking up every 30mins-2 hours at night for the sole purpose of using me as a soother to go back to sleep. I was getting maybe 3 hours sleep a night. 
I read the sleep sense book and modified it for what I felt was best. He developed such a strong feed to sleep association, as I had been doing that since he was born. 
I have been sitting right next to his bed in our room until he falls asleep. He will cry a little and fuss but I soothe him as much as I feel is needed and even pick up/put down too. When he wakes from a nap, I'll wait 5 mins before I respond, most times he resettles and goes back to sleep within the 5 mins, if he's not, I go back and resoothe til he falls asleep but if he's not asleep after 20 mins, I give up and carry on til next nap time. If he wakes in the middle of the night and it's been less than 4 hours since he's eaten, I wait the 5 mins and then resoothe. If it's been more than 4 hours, I feed him and put him back to bed. 
Before reading the book, I tried other methods of trying to break his sleep association. I started a bedtime routine, and if he was eating, right before he fell asleep I'd take my nipple away so he finished falling asleep on his own, but it seemed to be getting worse. Most nights it would take me 2-5 hours to get him to finally go to sleep. 
Every baby is different and every family is different. Some babies fall into a routine on their own, others don't. You have to do what you feel is best for you and your babe! There might be some crying or fussing, there might not be too! But you're teaching your babe a valuable life skill! (To be able to fall asleep on their own). Good luck momma!

Answer

I used the book “12 hours of sleep by twelve weeks old” and it worked! My son was sleeping 12-14 hours a night with no wake ups ever since he was around 11 weeks. He was also taking two 2-3 hour naps still, which never interfered with his sleep at night. Training is not easy and it takes a ton of patience, but if you are strict with yourself it will work. I never let him cry it out, but 4 months is definitely not too young to self soothe. The book gives lots of tips to teach self-soothing. Good luck!

Sleep training?

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