One of the most important parts of early parenting is helping your baby learn how to fall asleep and how to stay asleep. During the first few months of your baby’s life, night time can be a challenging period for many families. This is where sleep training comes in; a process of teaching your little one how to sleep independently and peacefully through the night.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to how to sleep train a baby, and not all parents wish to do it. From structured strategies like the Ferber Method to more gentle parenting techniques. Your sleep training style should reflect your own values, your baby’s temperament, and the rhythm of your family.
In this guide, we are going to break down the most popular sleep training techniques, using real world insights and baby sleep tips. We’ll also explore how you can support this process with a white noise machine or sound machine. This will help you create a sleep environment that’s calm and soothing whilst being consistent.
What Is Sleep Training?
Simply put, baby sleep training helps your baby fall asleep without needing to be held, rocked or fed each time. It’s about encouraging independence while still being there emotionally for your baby. This foundation sets the stage for better sleep quality for both your baby and for yourself.
Sleep training methods usually begin between 4-6 months. This is when babies start to sleep for longer stretches and when they aren’t reliant on multiple feeds during the night. However, of course every child is different. We recommend consulting with a health professional before starting a new routine.
Whether you choose to start this process early or wait a little longer. The main goal is to build those healthy sleep associations that are going to last a lifetime.
1. The Ferber Method (Graduated Extinction)
Developed by Dr. Richard Ferber, the Ferber Method is one of the most well-known sleep training approaches. It involves putting your baby down while they’re awake and gradually increasing the intervals between check-in times. This is how it works:
- Place your baby in the crib while they’re drowsy but still awake
- Leave the room, returning at gradually increasing intervals, say 3, 5 and 10 minutes.
- Comfort your baby with your voice but don’t pick them up
- Continue this until your baby falls asleep independently
Many families will notice an improvement within just a few nights. It can be emotionally tough for a parent in the beginning if they are sensitive to hearing their baby cry. But this sleep training method does allow your baby to safely develop self-settling skills.
Try playing white noise for baby, whilst implementing the Ferber technique. This will reduce any disruptive background noise such as household chatter. The soothing sound also signals bedtime and encourages your baby to self-settle.
2. Extinction or “Cry It Out”
“Cry it out”, known as extinction, involves putting your baby to bed and not checking in on them during bouts of crying. This can feel intense but some parents see results in a few days where baby adjusts and falls asleep without help.
This is how it works:
- Put your baby in the crib whale they are still awake
- Don’t return for check-ins, unless for safety worries
- Allow your baby to fall into slumber independently
We understand this method isn’t for everyone. Although research has shown it to be safe and effective. Especially where babies are overstimulated by their parents’ presence.
Create a reliable sleep environment for baby to sleep better and to build healthy sleep habits. A baby white noise machine will mask any external noise, to help your little one feel secure, even in a busy household.
3. The Chair Method
This method is often considered a more gentle approach. As it allows the parent to stay and offer comfort while encouraging independent sleep. The parent remains in the room but reduces their presence gradually over time.
This is how how it works:
- Sit in a chair close to your baby’s crib
- Offer verbal reassurance to baby without picking them up
- Move the chair further away every night until you're entirely out of the room
This method can work well for families who want to be present but don’t want to create dependency.
Alongside this, use calming sounds such as brown noise and pink noise from a sound machine. This will help your baby rely less on you being there in person, and more on these natural sounds that signal it’s time for bed.
4. Pick Up Put Down
Gentle enough to use on young babies, but sometimes less sustainable the older they grow, this method helps babies to gradually learn how to fall asleep in their crib while limiting lengthy durations of crying.
How it works:
- Place baby in the crib
- If they cry, pick them up briefly for a cuddle
- Once they are calm again, put them straight back in the crib
- Repeat this technique as needed
This can be time-consuming, but is an option worth considering for parents who don’t want to use extinction-based sleep training; as many feel this aligns better with their gentle parenting values.
Be firm in establishing a consistent routine, bath, lullaby, and a cuddle. At this stage, turn on the white noise sound. This regular sequence of behaviour builds consistency for baby, helping them feel relaxed and knowing it’s time to sleep.
5. No Tears Method (Gentle Parenting Approach)
Sometimes called “The gentle parenting” approach, or the No Tears Method. The aim is to avoid your baby crying for any length of time and focuses on bonding, comfort and a more gradual transition.
This is how it works:
- Feed or rock your baby to sleep
- Slowly reduce the amount of assistance over a period of time
- Use strong sleep associations such as lullabies, a night light or coloured noise
This can be the slowest method so requires patience and consistency from the parents, but the aim is to prioritise emotional security and lots of comfort for more sensitive or anxious sleepers.
Think about using a sound machine with volume control. You can then adjust the soothing sound so it suits your baby’s preference. Try this during naps or at bedtime changes.
Choosing the Right Sleep Training Method
This depends on your baby’s personality, age, your own comfort level, and the rest of your family’s needs.
Ask yourself:
- Do I feel all right in allowing my baby to cry?
- Do I want to stay in the room or not?
- Am I hoping for quick results or prefer a slower transition?
- What type of sleep approach fits in with my parenting style?
Regardless of whether you're using a sleep trainer device or sticking with other consistent rituals, the key word here is repetition. Babies thrive on predictable cues such as dim lighting, a familiar voice, or the gentle sound of a white noise machine.
Why White Noise Works for Babies
Regardless of the many sleep methods, a large number of parents find using a baby white nose machine noticeably improves their baby’s ability to fall and stay asleep.
Zello’s sensitively designed white noise machine for baby incorporates a wide range of natural sounds, simple volume settings and a portable design which fits seamlessly into any sleep setup or nursery.
Final Thoughts
It’s a fact that sleep training is a journey and each of those journeys looks a little different. Some babies will latch quickly on to the Ferber Method whilst others require further time and more cuddles. What matters the most is that the approach you take feels right for your family
At Zello, we strongly and wholeheartedly believe that with love, patience, and a handful of smart tools, such as a white noise machine, you can create nurturing and restful sleep routines that help your baby and you feel your best.
Here's to many more sweet dreams and fewer sleepless nights.
