Newborns often sleep 14-17 hours a day. From 4 to 12 months the usual range is 12-16 hours in 24, naps included, and needs drop gradually from there. Every baby is a little different, so treat these as ranges, not targets.
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, creating a calm sleep environment, and putting your baby to bed drowsy but awake can help foster healthy sleep habits.
If your baby wakes up frequently, try to determine if they are hungry, need a diaper change, or are uncomfortable. Consistently responding to their needs in a calm and soothing manner can help them feel secure and encourage better sleep patterns.
You can start introducing a sleep schedule as early as 2-3 months old. At this age, you can begin to establish a consistent bedtime routine and nap schedule.
Observe your baby’s natural sleep patterns and create a schedule that aligns with their sleep-wake cycles. Include regular nap times, a consistent bedtime, and a soothing bedtime routine.
The Ferber method, sometimes called graduated extinction, has you check on your baby at gradually longer intervals while they learn to fall asleep on their own. The check-ins are brief: a few calm words or a pat, then you leave again.
After a consistent bedtime routine, put your baby down drowsy but awake. If they cry, wait a set time before a brief check-in, then make the wait a little longer each time and over the following nights. Comfort without picking them up, then leave the room. Winkle’s graduated check-ins show how long to wait before each one.
Guidance on when to start ranges from about 4 to 6 months, and Winkle offers its sleep training options from 4 months. Studies of graduated methods like Ferber have not found later harm to children’s emotional health, behavior or bond with their parents. Check with your pediatrician before you start, especially if your baby was born early or has health concerns.
“Cry it out” covers a range of methods. At one end is full extinction: after the bedtime routine, you don’t go back in until morning. At the other are graduated methods like Ferber, where you check in at set intervals. Winkle supports the graduated kind and does not offer full extinction.
Settle on a consistent bedtime routine first. Put your baby down drowsy but awake and leave the room. If they cry, wait a set time before a brief check-in, and make the wait a little longer each time. Pick a plan you can keep up for a week or two.
Research on graduated methods, where you check in at set intervals, has not found later harm to children’s emotional health, behavior or bond with their parents. Check with your pediatrician before starting any sleep training method to make sure it suits your baby.
If your baby cries excessively or seems unusually distressed, take a break from sleep training and try again later. Ensure that their basic needs (hunger, diaper, comfort) are met and consider adjusting your approach.
Sleep training can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on your baby’s temperament and the consistency of your approach. Be patient and stay consistent with your chosen method.
Yes, some parents find success by combining elements of different sleep training methods. The key is to remain consistent with whichever approach you choose and ensure it meets your baby’s needs.