How Long Does It Take to Sleep-Train a Baby?

The length of time it takes to teach babies how to self-soothe, so that they can sleep 10-12 hours through the night, largely depends on the method parents choose, the temperament of the baby, and the consistency of the parent.

Methods

There are many different methods of sleep training, but they fall under a few main categories. Extinction (a.k.a. “Cry-it-out) is the fastest: It can be completed in 1-3 nights. But many parents find the emotional toll too taxing if they must endure long periods of crying. Leave-and-check methods can be complete in 3-7 nights. They involve limited crying and more parent involvement than extinction does. Pick up, Put down and Stay-in-the-room/Chair methods take several weeks to complete. There is a trade-off for each method: The faster methods require less frequent parent intervention than the ones that take longer. But it can be harder for parents not to intervene if their babies are fussing.

Temperament

The method of sleep training that parents choose provides a framework for how long they should expect the process to take, but it is not the only factor. The temperament of the child affects how much crying is involved in the process and how long the process takes. Children who are strong-willed and determined will protest louder and longer than those who are mild-tempered, calm, or flexible. Although babies love routines, they hate change. This means that when you change their routine to teach them a new one, there will likely be some form of protest. But all healthy babies can learn in a safe and well-prepared environment. 

Parents

Lastly, one of the most common issues in the sleep training process is not the baby’s stubbornness but the parents’ habits. Parents teach babies what to expect and how to behave based upon the parents’ responses to their babies’ behavior. Parents will teach babies to sleep independently or to rely on the parent to rock or feed them to sleep. When parents get exhausted and respond inconsistently to their babies, they send mixed messages to their babies and they prolong or thwart the process. It is completely understandable that exhaustion can make parents desperate to do whatever is fastest to get their baby to go back to sleep. But parents must understand that what they do tonight sets the expectations for what their baby prepares for tomorrow. And the cycle continues. Whatever method parents choose, they should remain consistent with that method so that they set their baby up to succeed. Send the same message to babies consistently for a few nights, and they are so adaptable and intelligent that they will learn and adjust.

Moving Forward

Sleep training is easy for some families, but it is incredibly stressful for others. Even if the process does not take long, it still might be incredibly challenging while it lasts. Parents that need clear guidance for sleep training or accountability and support should use a safety-approved program or a baby sleep consultant for the best and fastest results.