Ferber Sleep Method

The Ferber Sleep Method refers to the creation of pediatrician Dr Richard Ferber to get babies to sleep without having to rock them to sleep every night until pass the age of three years. There is nothing unique about doctors coming out with how-to books for babies but what makes Ferber’s method stands out is, unfortunately, the controversy which surrounds it.

Many parents who have tried using his method erroneously thought that all it involves is letting the baby cry until they are exhausted and then fall asleep on their own. These parents have not done their homework properly because that is not the way to do it. Hence, if you want to try it, read Ferber’s instructions carefully first.

Let me recap – the Ferber sleep method is not one where you let your baby cry, even for hours, in a room on their own until they fall asleep. Ferber had explained many times in the past about how his method works but many of his efforts have fallen on deaf ears. Babies must not be allowed to cry endlessly or else they will grow up distrusting their parents.

When children feel drowsy, parents should carry them to their beds, lie them down and let them go to sleep on their own. This routine should be started as early as possible. Now, if your baby has problem sleeping and you plan to use the Ferber sleep method, this is what you should do: When your baby cry, let them cry for a while before you go into his bedroom to comfort them but without picking them up. This way the child will know that you are around and they don’t feel abandoned. As time goes by, the waiting time between when the baby start crying and you move in to soothe them increases in incremental steps from seconds to minutes. So, you can see that there is no truth that babies should be left to cry endlessly until they fall asleep.

The Ferber’s initiative does work for babies but if you search online you will notice that he has gotten quite a lot of bad rap. This is because many pregnant ladies who studied his method before giving birth did not fully understand how it worked and thus implemented it wrongly. Ferber certainly knows that babies should not be left alone to cry endlessly because that would be cruel.

By all means use the Ferber sleep method if you want to teach the apple of your eye to go to sleep on their own, but read the instructions carefully so that you do it correctly. Many who have followed his examples have experienced successes. I am pretty sure it will work for your baby too.