Ferber method (or “Ferberizing”) is a baby sleep training system popularized by doctor and researcher Richard Ferber in 1985. To use Ferber sleep training, you put your baby down drowsy but awake and let them cry for a set amount of time (starting at a few minutes) before comforting them. Over subsequent nights, you’ll let your baby cry for increasingly longer intervals until they learn to soothe themself to sleep. Research shows that the Ferber method helps babies fall and stay asleep on their own, and doesn’t cause behavior or attachment problems.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- What is the Ferber method?
- When can we try the Ferber method?
- How to use the Ferber method
- Ferber method chart
- Does the Ferber method work?
- Tips for using the Ferber sleep method
What is the Ferber method?
The Ferber method is a form of cry-it-out sleep training (CIO) that can be easier on parents who hate to hear their baby cry. (It’s also one of three sleep training methods that a pediatric sleep gives night-by-night instructions for in Baby Sleep 101, our premium course on all things baby sleep.)
The Ferber method does involve crying – but you’re allowed to go in and soothe your baby after a set period of time. At first, you’ll check on your baby after just a few minutes of crying. You’ll gradually extend the time between check-ins, until eventually your baby learns to fall asleep on their own.
With cry it out, parents put their babies to bed at a set time every night and avoid entering the room again until a scheduled time the following morning – no matter how much their baby cries. Many studies have found that CIO sleep training successfully helps babies fall and stay asleep, usually in just a few nights. Most research has also concluded that the method doesn’t result in long-term psychological harm and doesn’t impact parent-baby attachment.
That said, CIO proves very challenging for many parents. It’s not easy to listen to your baby cry, especially if the wailing continues over several nights.
Similar to straight CIO sleep training, the Ferber method teaches that it’s important for babies to learn to self-soothe and fall asleep without your help, even if that involves crying.
To use the Ferber method, you’ll follow a schedule that involves set periods of crying – for example, five minutes, then 10, then 15 – over a week. Your baby’s crying may taper off after the first few nights, however. The Ferber method often works within three to four days.
When can we try the Ferber method?
Like all sleep training methods, it’s best to start the Ferber method when your baby is between 4 to 6 months old. By this age, your baby will begin to have regular sleep-wake cycles and can usually make it through the night without a feeding. Babies this age can sleep through the night – meaning that when they wake up briefly during the night (as all kids and adults do), they can soothe themself back to sleep without help.
Some babies need a little more time before they’re able to sleep train. If you’re not sure whether your baby is ready for the Ferber method, talk to your child’s doctor.
How to use the Ferber method
To use the Ferber method of sleep training, follow these steps:
Step 1
Look at the Ferber method chart below and get familiar with the time intervals you’ll be using. You may want to check on your baby at 2 minutes, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes on the first night, for example.
Step 2
Follow your baby’s regular soothing bedtime routine. This could include:
- giving your baby a bath
- changing your baby’s diaper
- dressing your baby in PJs
- giving your baby a final feeding
- reading a book
- singing a lullaby
Step 3
Put your baby to bed drowsy but not asleep. Leave the room right away, even if your baby starts crying.
Step 4
If your baby keeps crying, return to the room after a short amount of time (2 to 3 minutes).
Keep the visit brief, and minimize interactions. Don’t pick up or feed your baby. Some experts say you should avoid talking to your baby, while others say it’s okay to use a few soothing words.
Step 5
Gradually increase the amount of time between check-ins, up to 30 minutes. You can do this within the same night, or over several nights. Keep checking on your baby at set intervals until they fall asleep (both at bedtime and if they wake in the middle of the night).
Step 6
Continue this routine for the next few nights, until your baby eventually falls asleep easily on their own. The goal is to increase the intervals between check-ins until your baby is able to go to sleep without crying or needing you.
Be consistent. The key to the Ferber method and other sleep training strategies is following the same routine, night after night.
Ferber method chart
The Ferber method is flexible: The amount of time between check-ins depends on your baby’s temperament and how long you can handle hearing your baby cry. You can adjust the times below as you see fit.
This Ferber method chart can help you time your check-ins:
| First check-in at: | Second check-in at: | Third check-in at: | Subsequent check-ins at: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 2 minutes | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Day 2 | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 12 minutes | 12 minutes |
| Day 3 | 10 minutes | 12 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Day 4 | 12 minutes | 15 minutes | 17 minutes | 17 minutes |
| Day 5 | 15 minutes | 17 minutes | 20 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Day 6 | 17 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Day 7 | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
On the first night, if your baby is crying you’ll go in after 2 minutes, then again at 5 minutes, and then every 10 minutes until they fall asleep. If they wake up a few hours later, you’ll start over at 2 minutes and increase the intervals from there.
Keep in mind that this Ferber method chart is just a suggestion. If your baby doesn’t fall asleep after an hour or more of check-ins, you can extend the time between check-ins to whatever interval of time still feels comfortable for you. For example, on the first night you can start checking in every 15 minutes (or more).
The Ferber method isn’t for every family. Some babies become even more upset when they see their parents come and go, and if they don’t fall asleep after numerous check-ins it becomes mentally and physically exhausting for parents. Many parents combine the Ferber method with cry it out sleep training: After a certain number of check-ins, you can decide to let your baby cry until they fall asleep.
Does the Ferber method work?
Yes, the research to date seems to show that extinction sleep training methods, including the Ferber method, work. They successfully help babies learn to fall asleep on their own and stay asleep.
(Note: Though “extinction” sleep training sounds unpleasant, in psychology extinction means the eventual elimination of unwanted behaviors. Researcher refer to CIO as unmodified extinction, and the Ferber method as graduated extinction.)
An often-cited 2006 review of 52 sleep training studies found that nearly all sleep training methods (including the Ferber method as well as gentle or “no cry” sleep training methods) were equally effective at helping babies to sleep better in the long-term. The Ferber method appeared to work as well as cry-it-out sleep training, and the authors noted that the Ferber method reduced bedtime problems and night awakenings.
A small 2016 study compared sleep training to providing education about best sleep practices. Researchers found that compared to education alone, the Ferber method helped babies to fall asleep faster and wake less during the night. It was also more effective at reducing moms’ stress levels in the first month of sleep training. Plus, it didn’t lead to sleep or attachment problems in babies after one year.
A 2022 review of 10 studies on sleep training methods, including Ferber, found that all methods helped reduce sleep problems in children and improved sleep quality for moms.
Tips for using the Ferber sleep method
- Choose a good time that’s not stressful or busy. Don’t start sleep training right before you move or the week you go back to work. If you work Monday to Friday, you may want to start sleep training on the weekend. That way, if your baby struggles to fall asleep for the first couple of days, you may have some time to nap or rest.
- Enlist help. It can be hard to listen to your baby cry, even if only for a few minutes. And getting up to comfort your baby on a set schedule can be exhausting – especially if they don’t fall asleep easily. Ask your partner or a friend or family member to assist for the first couple of nights. If your baby’s crying gets to be too much, take a walk outside or watch TV in another room while your co-captain takes over for a while.
- Follow a regular daytime schedule. Playing and napping at around the same time every day is reassuring for babies and helps them settle into sleep better at night.
- Establish a bedtime for your baby, and stick to it. Aim for a time when your baby naturally shows signs of sleepiness, such as rubbing their eyes, yawning, and fussing.
- Follow the same bedtime routine every night. This helps to mentally prepare your little one for sleep.
- Ensure your baby’s sleep environment is safe and soothing. That means putting your baby to bed on their back on their own bassinet or crib. They can sleep in the same room as you, but not in the same bed. To reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), put your baby to bed with just a tight-fitting sheet – no crib bumpers, loose blankets, loveys, or toys. Keep the room dimly lit, and use a white noise machine if it helps your baby sleep well.
- Don’t count every noise. Babies are noisy sleepers, and not every little grunt or whimper counts as crying. Try to give your baby ample opportunity to learn to self-soothe before responding.
- Be consistent. Following the same bedtime routine and sticking to the basic rules of the Ferber method is critical for success.
- Know when to quit. If your baby isn’t making progress after one week, or if the Ferber method just doesn’t feel right for you, stop and try again later. Or, consider trying different sleep training methods such as gentle sleep training or fading. Also, you may want to talk to your baby’s doctor to be sure there isn’t another issue at play.
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