Why I Won’t Sleep Train Babies Under 6 Months
Dec 20, 2023
I discovered a fascinating similarity between infants and my pup! I recently hired a dog trainer to help dog with his new fear of noises. You can imagine the challenge living in NYC! Before we even starting engaging my dog, the trainer wanted me to understand some basics about dog behavior.
Here’s my biggest take away:
When dogs get stressed, they release cortisol into the body, and this surge of hormone prevents the dog from learning new behaviors. Guess what?! The same thing happens to babies. When babies are distressed –crying for an extended period – they can’t learn new skills.
And for babies under 6 months, their brain development is not mature enough to regulate themselves, especially when they are upset, frustrated and overstimulated. They need help to calm their nervous system – whether it’s from another person or from some external support (think swing, pacifier, stroller).
IDEA:
Sleep shaping (The Sleep Lady’®s Gentle Newborn Sleep Guide p. 3) offers a foundation of healthy sleep practices.
Newborn brains are rapidly developing and when they first come into the world their brains are quite primitive. They are unable to sooth themselves and need our help to regulate their nervous system. The research shows cortisol has a negative effect on learning so how can we expect a 3-month-old to learn the skill of putting herself to sleep?
By using sleep shaping strategies, you are setting you and your child up for success for later sleep coaching. Sometimes, families barely need to sleep coach because they’ve steadily supported their infant through sleep shaping.
RESOURCE:
Grab my FREE Sleep Shaping Guide HERE.