Which Baby Sleep Method is Right for You?

Author Name: Heidi Holvoet, PhD

A sleep method gives you guidance to help your baby sleep. Some methods can be called baby sleep training (typically the harsher or more impatient methods).

I personally prefer terms like approach, techniques, support and guidance for the truly gentle, truly-no-tears method that I work with.

There are many programs on the market that promise you blissful nights and it can be tricky knwoing which one will truly help you and your baby sleep more and better.

Right here on Baby Sleep Advice we offer an approach that's unique and truly no-tears.

In general the methods out there - sadly even the ones marketed as 'gentle' - will involve some form of crying. These include the Ferber method, Taking Cara Babies, Sleep Sense, Baby Whisperer, sometimes using terms like controlled crying or crying it out.

The single most important criteria will be how right an approach feels to you, how suited for your baby, and your family.

To be reliable and have a chance to be successful, any baby sleep (training) approach should be based on the same most valuable sleep parenting principles:

• be consistent and predictable
• use a well-adjusted and age-appropriate sleep schedule
• be in tune with a baby's individual needs
• promote age-appropriate self-soothing without forcing
• incorporate science-based healthy sleep foundations

The different sleep methods on the market each take their own approach to apply the basic principles and instruct parents how to apply them.

Please (please!) be very careful if you come across a quick-fix magical solution that promises a short-cut and omits any one of the above principles. They will do more harm than good for your child's sleep, especially in the long run.

Key differences among the methods are in whether letting baby cry or not, help her with settling or not, co-sleeping or not, etc.

Since we're all different, no single method works for all babies or toddlers and their families. What counts is to find out what works for you.

Truly No Tears Baby Sleep Advice

Uniquely adapted to your baby's personal needs + truly without tears

Helping you find that unique best-fit way to help your baby or toddler sleep is at the heart of this website. It is my very personal mission and passion to guide you through best-practice basics and helping you discover the specific techniques YOU and YOUR baby need, at a time you're both ready for them.

The many available modifications within the techniques, designed to ultimately suit your baby's needs are an essential and much-loved part of the method, as well as its being truly without tears.

And we get results.

Start at these pages for general guidance with the basics e.g. help your baby sleep through the night, understand why your baby wakes at night, and avoid common infant sleep problems.

Finding a baby sleep method or sleep train method that really works for your baby or toddler may not be easy.

Of course you don't necessarily need a specific market method to guide you. The main step in any case will be to trust your instincts. Approach sleep parenting in YOUR way all while keeping supported by researched information and proven tips and techniques.

I warmly invite you to read through the different topics on this site. It will help build your understanding of the why and how of sleep, and will help you discover what will work for you.

Never hesitate to Ask me A Question! any time.