When to start sleep training: A guide for parents

Experts generally suggest starting sleep training from around six months, when children usually begin taking fewer night feeds. At this age, children on formula feeds may sleep through the night for longer periods than breastfed babies, who tend to reduce feeds from nine to 12 months.

As always, it’s important to remember that children all develop at slightly different rates, and there’s no set time to start sleep training your child. Knowing when to start sleep training will very much depend on your child’s individual needs.

Reassurance and routine

Babies and younger children mostly wake at night because of developmental needs. They may be hungry, thirsty, wet or soiled, and cry out to have their needs met. As children grow, they can develop anxious feelings about bedtime. They may start to feel alone and need to know that you are close by for reassurance.

Before starting proper sleep training, establish a simple bedtime routine, such as dinner, bath, story and bed. By having a consistent routine, your child will soon learn what to expect, and this can help them form a sense of security and comfort in the predictability of knowing what will happen next.

7 ideas for easier sleep training

Knowing when to start sleep training is the first step; you need to prepare for the adjustment period. There are lots of tweaks and changes you can make to your child’s bedtime that may make a difference in helping them get to sleep securely and safely:

1. Comforters

If they have a comforter or special blanket, make sure it’s in their bed. If possible, have a duplicate in case their favourite comforter gets lost or needs a wash.

2. Soft lighting

Keep bedroom lights soft and low, and use a night light to give your child reassurance.

3. Music

Soothing music can help your child relax. You can incorporate it into the settling down period of bedtime.

4. Temperature

Make sure your child isn’t too hot or too cold. If they kick their bedding off in the middle of the night, try a sleeping bag.

5. Nap times

If your child is having trouble sleeping at night, look at their daytime sleep. Is it time to drop a nap?

6. Bedtimes

If your child is taking a long time to fall asleep, consider moving bedtime a little later.

7. Safe sleeping

Never let your child fall asleep with a bottle in their bed. Ensure that any toys or comforters are safe and there are no choking hazards or long lengths of material.

The bedtime battle with older children

As children get older, they can suddenly develop a hundred needs at bedtime – insisting that they’re thirsty, need the toilet or have another ‘important’ question. Try to pre-empt and eliminate any unnecessary requests that act as an excuse to get out of bed.

If your child continues to get out of bed, take them by the hand, say: ‘It’s time for bed’, and place them back in bed without a fuss. Continue to do this until they realise the result will be the same no matter how many times they get up. By being consistent, your child will soon learn that it’s time for bed.

If your child is getting increasingly anxious about being left alone at bedtime, they may be experiencing separation anxiety. If this happens, you can try sitting quietly next to them until they are calm and settled and then gradually move further away.

Choosing a sleep training method

There are many different sleep training methods you can try once you’ve got your routine and ideal bedtime environment in place. It’s important to decide which approach best suits your family – as with most things to do with your child, consistency will really pay off, so everyone involved in bedtime must be on the same page.

At N Family Club, we support the sleep training needs of our families. If you decide to start sleep training and want to incorporate it into naps at nursery, we will follow your routine to maintain consistency, making it easier for your child to adjust.