Transitions
Transition 1 – 8 pounds/ 8 Weeks
Make sure your baby is ready for the first transition in sleep training.
- My baby is at least 8 pounds
- My baby is at least 8 weeks old
- My baby has been cleared by the pediatrician for one longer stretch of sleep with no food at the 2-month check-up.
- My baby is NOT sick.
- My baby has not had any vaccinations within the last 48 hours.
- My baby’s circadian rhythms have begun (you will notice this when they are more alert during the day, and start to get sleepy as the sun goes down)
If you have checked all of these, then you are ready for transition 1.
Begin with your day time schedule and give it two full days before beginning nights.
Also, asses your nursery/sleep space to ensure you are promoting healthy sleep.
- Night 1
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day time schedule
- Night 2
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding, you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 3
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and result in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 4
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 5
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
The next transition will happen based on weight gain, but to maintain this progress you must stick with your day time schedule and forms of soothing at night as needed.
Transition 2 – 10 pounds
Make sure your baby is ready for Transition 2 of sleep training.
- My baby is at least 10 pounds
- My baby is NOT sick
- My baby has not had a vaccination within the last 48 hours
- My baby has successfully completed Transition 1
If you have checked all of these then you are ready to start Transition 2.
At 10 pounds, your baby can do one, 4 to 6-hour stretch of sleep without feeding in a 24-hour period.
Begin with your day time schedule and give it two full days before beginning nights.
Also, asses your nursery/sleep space to ensure you are promoting healthy sleep.
- Night 1
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 12 you will resume feedings as scheduled (12a, 2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 2
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding your baby, you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 2 am you will resume feedings as scheduled (2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 3
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is past 2 am you will resume feedings as scheduled (2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 4
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is past 2 am you will resume feedings as scheduled (2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 5
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is past 2am you will resume feedings as scheduled (2 am, 4 am)
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
The next transition will happen based on weight gain, but to maintain this progress you must stick with your day time schedule and forms of soothing at night as needed.
Transition 3 – 12 pounds
Make sure your baby is ready for Transition 3 of sleep training.
- My baby is at least 12 pounds
- My baby is NOT sick
- My baby has not had a vaccination within the last 48 hours
- My baby has successfully completed Transition 2
If you have checked all of these then you are ready to start Transition 3.
At 12 pounds, your baby is able to go one, 6 to 8-hour stretch of sleep in a 24-hour period.
Begin with your day time schedule and give it two full days before beginning nights.
Also, asses your nursery/sleep space to ensure you are promoting healthy sleep.
- Night 1
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a full feed. This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed and ensure it is a full feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 2
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a full feed. This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed and ensure it is a full feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 3
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a full feed. This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed and ensure it is a full feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 4
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a full feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 5
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a full feed. This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed and ensure it is a full feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
The next transition will happen based on weight gain, but to maintain this progress you must stick with your day time schedule and forms of soothing at night as needed.
Transition 4 – 15 pounds
Make sure your baby is ready for Transition 4 of sleep training.
- My baby is at least 15 pounds
- My baby is NOT sick
- My baby has not had a vaccination within the last 48 hours
- My baby has successfully completed Transition 3.
If you have checked all of these then you are ready to start Transition 3.
At 15 pounds, your baby can go one, 10-hour stretch in a 24-hour period.
Begin with your day time schedule and give it two full days before beginning nights.
Also asses your nursery/ sleep space to ensure you are promoting healthy sleep
- Night 1
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a reduced feed (only 2oz). This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed your baby.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule.
- Night 2
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Bring milk in case you need it, but the plan is to not use it until the designated feeding time. Try an assortment of soothing techniques to get the baby to go back to sleep without the feed.
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- If breastfeeding, you will not need to bring milk but need to make your breast inaccessible.
- Once it is 4 am you will offer a reduced feed (only 2oz). This must be offered with a bottle so that you can measure the amount your little one is consuming at this feed. You can’t go past 4 am because it will affect your day time schedule. This may result in you waking your baby to feed your baby.
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 3
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- No night feed tonight so soothing is a must
- Nights 2 and three are typically the most difficult nights and require extensive soothing.
The most important thing to remember with pushing a feed and soothing is that you get your baby back to sleep without food. If you soothe for 25 minutes and get tired and this results in feeding you will create a very negative association to food and crying for your baby.
-
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 4
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- Night 5
- Assess the daytime for calories and total number of hours of daytime naps
- Soothe as needed
- Once its morning (6am) leave your nursery and start your day schedule
- For the next 2 to 3 weeks it is very important to not do any traveling, and to not change your plans/schedule in any way in order to solidify the sleep training process. At this time, it is important to remain consistent with the schedules to have created. If your baby beg
