Skip to content 
Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Can You Sleep Teach Your Child in Two Months?”
I’m sure it wasn’t the most devastating story they’ve ever published for the average citizen, but between new moms, sleep-training, parenting and sleep-deprived parents, it was right up there with the moon landing.
Even the moon landing may not have been divisive.
As I’ve learned in the 13 years I’ve been a pediatric sleep consultant, it’s the nature of the beast when it comes to babies. What you feed them, what you teach them, how you guide them, these are all issues that people fall on one side or the other, and when they do, they fall on that side.
It is no different when it comes to sleep training. People tend to see it as good parenting or ignoring boundaries. There is not much in between.
So there is no doubt that a doctor who recommends enough sleep for eight-week-old babies will have a serious problem.
I will not go into the details of this story. (If you want to check it out, you can find it here.) But after last weekend’s New York Baby Show and hearing the buzz about it, I thought I should share my thoughts on Dr. Cohen.
So I’ll just start by saying that I don’t think that sleep deprivation is a great way for young children, and maybe bad for their parents.
One of the reasons I offer multiple options in The Sleep Sense Program is because it’s important for parents to be comfortable with the option they choose. If not, the stress and tension can be too much and they give up, and leaving half of the work is more difficult than not starting at all.
That being said, there are a number of things you can do to promote healthy, fuss-free sleep in your baby that don’t involve “training” in this way.
- Do not let the child stay awake for a long time
Newborn babies cannot withstand long periods of time awake. They get tired very, very quickly. I’m talking 45 minutes or so. You have time to feed them, change them, have a quick chat, then it’s time to go back to bed.
- Establish a bedtime routine
The habit of sleeping is another habit that doesn’t take too long to get into. It’s a great way to get a baby’s mind ready for sleep, and as far as I know, no one has argued against bedtime sounds. (I’m sure someone else has, since it’s about a child, but I’ve never heard of it.)
During that short nap, try to get your baby out into the sun. Healthy children sleep well because they know they look good.
I’m just chatting! I’m just kidding, but the sunlight during sleep helps baby move around. When a child is out in the sun, they produce a small amount of melatonin in preparation for sleep, which helps them fall asleep quickly and stay up until they are satisfied.
Since we want lots of natural light when baby is awake, we obviously want it nice and dark when he’s sleeping. Again, it helps get the circadian rhythm working and reduces confusion about what’s on the menu.’
- Let them sleep alone
Avoid rocking, singing, rocking or rocking your baby to sleep. Put them down in their room while they are still awake and try to fall asleep on their own. It might not be 100% success right away, but let them try. Little by little, they will fall asleep on their own.
So although I respect the opinion of Dr. Cohen, I disagree with them on this. Babies under six months should be fed once or twice a night. Sleep training leads to unexpected expectations and is unnecessary.
With a little knowledge and guidance, you can avoid any bad habits and start developing your child’s sleep skills naturally. Monitor the time they are awake, put them back in bed when they are awake and let them try to fall asleep without your help. Sometimes it works like a charm, sometimes it doesn’t, but the more a child learns, the better their sleep skills will improve.
When it’s time for him to sleep through the night, he’s such a good sleeper that you won’t have to worry about training.