Sleep Training

There can be differences to baby cries when sleeping but it’s also totally normal to not know every time and especially at this age. The only approach I’m comfortable with is pausing and waiting to see if a cry escalates or if it’s just a quick almost like shake it out kind of cry. Some babies do need to have a quick moan type cry to help settle their systems for sleep. Maybe a sign they were a bit overtired and need to release some of that feeling. And there is a difference because the cry won’t really be a cry and will be very short little bursts and not prolonged. Like a few seconds on/off. Anything more then personally at this age especially I think you need to offer comfort/support, it may not even be an actual need to do anything but just they need help to settle and there are various ways to do this. I would be careful of some sleep consultants who will say a baby crying is fine because if a baby is crying, they need you.

Have a look at Kendrs Worth on Instagram who I recently came across. I suggest her because she has gentle tips to support sleep and see how it compares to what your sleep consultant is suggesting. You can support healthy sleep habits but you should be able to put baby down awake/happy and if they cry try pats in crib, shh’ing but if they are still crying then pick them up and reset and if still crying pick them up and rock or feed. It may not be a ‘hunger cry’ but for some babies they need that comfort. Then try again. In order for awake/happy to really work they can’t be overtired and the more they are, the more support they will probably need. Though all babies are different too, my first we didn’t always get timings right but she was a total contact/carrier napper & lots of cosleeping for the first 5-6months but still ended up sleeping great on her own in the end with a gentle approach.

@Lauren thank you Lauren, I think you have verbalised what I already knew in my heart My lo never just cries and stops and I think that’s the issue, all cries lead to a meltdown and is also extremely hard to soothe. 3 months feels so early for any form of cry it out method to me but all the gentle methods are a flop for us too. I know I’m over feeding at this point because my only weapon is a bottle

I would also weigh in and say I’m not at all against sleep training - in fact I’m definitely pro it when it’s the right time: with my first born we taught him to self settle over months 4-5 and he took to it really well (he had actually naturally started self settling already from around 2.5 months) however I definitely think 3 months is too young for any sort of sleep training - the best you can do at this age is gently encourage good sleep habits like a routine and working on settling! I’ll let my little girl have 5 mins in her cot before I actively settle her as she is now sometimes self settling so it’s just to give her the space to try- I definitely wouldn’t be leaving her to cry it out though!