How do I know if my baby is ready for sleep training?

The most telling signs that your baby is ready for sleep training are these:

1. Being past the 3-4 month mark—Newborn reflexes fade, and sleep cycles begin to take on an adult-like structure. General pediatric opinion holds that structured sleep training before 4-6 months isn't developmentally meaningful.

2. Nighttime feedings becoming less frequent—Your baby can sleep 5-6 hours straight at night (this usually matures by 4-6 months). If they can fall asleep without frequent nighttime feeding needs, you can consider that nighttime wakings are from habit rather than hunger.

3. Signs of self-soothing—If when waking up your baby doesn't immediately cry but instead sucks their thumb, turns their head, or makes soft sounds, your baby is developing self-soothing skills.

4. Regular sleep-wake rhythm—If there are clear awake periods during the day and longer sleep blocks at night, the biological clock is beginning to settle.

5. Understanding object permanence—From 6-8 months on, babies start to understand the concept "the thing I don't see is still there." This helps them know you're still present even when not in the room and makes separation anxiety easier to manage.

You don't need to see all these signs at once—points 1 and 2 are the most fundamental. Between 4-6 months is an appropriate window for most babies, but every baby is different.