Common Sleep Training Methods Used By Early Learning Institutions

Parents need to make sure their newborn children get between 14 and 19 hours of sleep in a day. When kids are ready for prekindergarten, they still need to sleep between 10 and 13 hours per day. At this stage, parents need to depend on early learning institutions to make sure their child gets enough sleep during the day.

Daycare centers and other early learning institutions may use a variety of sleep training methods. The methods discussed here include the Cry it Out (CIO), Ferberizing, and Chair methods.

The Cry It Out (CIO) Method

This method involves placing a baby or toddler in a crib and leaving them to fall asleep on their own. Even though this method may lead to a lot of crying, the method has been proven to be harmless by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, caregivers and parents still need to make sure that the child sleeps in a safe environment.

The Ferber Method

The ferber method can be used when an infant is about 3 to 4 months old. Richard Ferber designed this technique to be a lighter version of the CIO method. The caregiver or parent uses a customized sleep plan, leaving a child for increasingly longer intervals of 5 minutes and more so that they may learn to fall asleep on their own.

The Chair Method

This method requires a parent or caregiver to sit next to or nearby the crib until the child falls asleep. The child is not consoled by words or cradling. Consolation is only provided by the presence of a parent or caregiver.

The CIO and ferber methods are the most used sleep training methods. The methods differ in terms of how present a caregiver or parent needs to be and how much comfort a child needs as they fall asleep and when they wake up.