Sleep training: methods, evidence and how to do it safely
Sleep training is a choice, not an obligation. If you choose it, here is what the research actually measured, and the safety rules that never bend.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
Sleep training means teaching a baby to fall asleep on their own with a consistent method. In a randomized trial of babies aged 6 to 16 months, graduated extinction and bedtime fading both improved sleep with no harm to stress or attachment a year later, and a 5-year follow-up of another trial found no lasting effects, good or bad. It is optional, and never replaces safe sleep rules.
First, is there a problem to solve?
Night waking in the first year is normal. The AAP notes that it is normal for a 6-month-old to wake in the night and go back to sleep after a few minutes, and the Lullaby Trust reports that around a third of babies have never slept all night by 12 months. Sleep training makes sense when broken nights are affecting you or your family, not because a baby "should" sleep through by a certain date.
Before starting, check with your pediatrician or health visitor that there is nothing else going on: illness, feeding concerns, poor weight gain, snoring or breathing pauses.
What the trials found
| Study | Who | Methods | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gradisar et al., Pediatrics 2016 | 43 babies aged 6 to 16 months, randomized | Graduated extinction, bedtime fading, or sleep education (control) | Both methods shortened the time to fall asleep; graduated extinction also cut night waking. Cortisol and mothers' stress fell slightly. At 12 months: no differences in emotional or behavioral problems or attachment. |
| Price et al., Pediatrics 2012 | 326 children with sleep problems at 7 months, followed to age 6 | Behavioral techniques taught in 1 to 3 nurse consultations at 8 to 10 months, versus usual care | No evidence of differences in any outcome at age 6: emotional and behavior scores, stress, child-parent closeness, attachment, maternal mental health. The authors conclude there are no marked long-lasting effects, positive or negative. |
In plain words: in these trials, sleep training worked in the short term and did no measurable long-term harm, and it also did not make a long-term difference either way. That is the honest, evidence-neutral picture.
The main methods
Graduated extinction ("Ferber")
- Follow your usual calm bedtime routine.
- Put your baby in the crib drowsy but awake, on their back, say goodnight and leave.
- If they cry, wait a short interval, go back, reassure them briefly without picking them up, and leave again.
- Make each interval a little longer. Keep visits short and boring.
- Repeat the same steps every night, and when they wake in the night.
Bedtime fading
- Note the time your baby actually falls asleep on most nights.
- Make that the temporary bedtime, so they are genuinely sleepy when put down.
- Once they fall asleep quickly, move bedtime earlier in small steps over several nights, towards the time you want.
This was the second method in the Gradisar trial. The idea is to put your baby down when they are already very sleepy, so there is less time awake in the crib.
Gentle steps for younger babies
From about 4 months, the AAP suggests putting your baby down drowsy but not asleep, so they learn to fall asleep in their own bed, and not rushing in at every sound. Many families find this is enough, without a formal method.
Safe sleep comes first, whatever the method
- On the back, on a firm flat surface, crib bare, for every sleep until age 1. No pillows, bumpers, blankets or toys to "comfort" a crying baby.
- In your room for at least the first 6 months, as the AAP recommends. Sleep training does not mean moving your baby to another room early.
- Never in a car seat, swing, bouncer or inclined product. If your baby falls asleep there, move them to their crib.
- No weighted sleep sacks, swaddles or blankets (AAP). Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of rolling: see swaddling.
- Do not try to make a young baby sleep longer or deeper than is normal for their age. The Lullaby Trust warns this can affect a baby's ability to wake if something is wrong.
The full rules are on our safe sleep page.
When to stop and get advice
Pause and talk to your pediatrician or health visitor if your baby is unwell or has a fever, if crying sounds different (high-pitched, weak, in pain), if they are not feeding well, or if you are struggling to cope. If you ever feel overwhelmed by crying, put your baby down safely in their crib, step away for a few minutes, and call someone: read our page on crying and the PURPLE period. Never shake a baby.
Call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) if your baby stops breathing, will not wake, or is struggling to breathe.
Toddlers raise new questions (climbing out, bedtime battles, night terrors): see toddler sleep.
Questions parents ask
What is the Ferber method?
It is the popular name for graduated extinction. You put your baby down awake, leave, and return to reassure them briefly at intervals that get longer, until they fall asleep on their own.
Does sleep training harm attachment?
The two trials cited here found no evidence of it. Gradisar (2016) found no differences in attachment or emotional and behavioral problems 12 months later, and Price (2012) found no differences in any child, parent-child or maternal outcome at age 6.
What age can you start sleep training?
The trials cited here involved babies from 6 months (Gradisar, 6 to 16 months) and 8 to 10 months (Price). Under 6 months, the AAP suggests gentler habits, such as putting your baby down drowsy but awake from about 4 months.
Is sleep training necessary?
No. Waking at night is normal in the first year: the Lullaby Trust reports that around a third of babies have never slept all night by 12 months. Sleep training is one option if night waking is wearing your family down.
Sources
- Gradisar M. et al. — Behavioral Interventions for Infant Sleep Problems, a randomized controlled trial (Pediatrics, 2016) checked October 13, 2026
- Price A.M. et al. — Five-Year Follow-up of Harms and Benefits of Behavioral Infant Sleep Intervention (Pediatrics, 2012) checked October 13, 2026
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP) — Getting your baby to sleep checked October 13, 2026
- The Lullaby Trust — Baby sleep patterns, how long should my baby sleep? checked October 13, 2026
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP) — How to keep your sleeping baby safe, AAP policy explained checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.