Interactive Tool
Find Your Sleep Training Method
Five major methods, very different fits for very different families. Take the 7-question quiz to find the one that matches your baby and your parenting style. Or scroll down for the side-by-side comparison. Kiri's DreamGeniusis our personalized AAP- and AASM-aligned program that adapts to your baby's actual patterns. The four traditional methods below are listed for completeness.
How old is your baby?
The five methods side-by-side
DreamGenius is listed first because it's the Kiri method we built, and the one we recommend for most families. The four traditional approaches below it are presented for completeness. There is no single “best” approach. The right method depends on your baby's age and temperament, your tolerance for crying, how quickly you want results, and how aligned both parents are.
DreamGenius (Kiri)
medium parent involvementPersonalized sleep program built around your baby's actual patterns and your parenting style. Methods are grounded in American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) clinical guidelines, and adapt as your baby grows.
Best for
- Parents who don't know which method fits their baby
- Families where one rigid method hasn't worked
- Anyone who wants a plan that adapts as the baby grows
Things to consider
- Requires the Kiri app
- Best results when sleep data is logged consistently
Typical crying: Varies based on selected approach
Time to results: 1-3 weeks depending on starting point
Source: Courtney Palm and the Kiri clinical team; aligned with AAP and AASM guidelines
No-Tears (Gentle / Pick Up Put Down)
high parent involvementParent stays in or near the room, soothes baby with minimal crying. Includes Pick-Up-Put-Down (Tracy Hogg) and gradual fading methods.
Best for
- Parents who can't tolerate any extended crying
- Younger babies (4-6 months)
- Families where one parent is uncomfortable with cry-based methods
Things to consider
- Requires patience and consistency
- Slower results than cry-based methods
- Some babies become more stimulated by parent presence
Typical crying: Minimal. Parent intervenes early
Time to results: Often 2-4 weeks for visible progress
Source: Sears, Hogg
Chair Method (Sleep Lady Shuffle)
high parent involvementParent sits in a chair beside the crib at bedtime and gradually moves the chair further from the crib over 1-2 weeks.
Best for
- Parents who want to be present during the transition
- Children with separation anxiety
- Toddlers (12+ months) who need parent visibility
Things to consider
- Requires committing 30-60 min per bedtime for the chair sessions
- Some children stay engaged with the parent and don't settle
Typical crying: Some crying, parent stays present
Time to results: 1-2 weeks for most babies
Source: Kim West
Ferber (Graduated Extinction / Check-Ins)
medium parent involvementParent leaves baby in the crib drowsy but awake, and returns at progressively longer intervals (3, 5, 10 minutes, etc.) to briefly comfort.
Best for
- Parents comfortable with some crying
- Babies 4-12 months who can self-soothe with practice
- Families that need faster results
Things to consider
- The first 1-3 nights are typically the hardest
- Requires consistency from both parents
- Not for babies under 4 months
Typical crying: Several days of crying, decreasing each night
Time to results: 3-7 nights for most babies
Source: Richard Ferber, MD
Cry It Out (Full Extinction)
low parent involvementParent puts baby down drowsy but awake and does not return until morning (except for safety or feeding needs per pediatrician).
Best for
- Parents who have tried gradual methods unsuccessfully
- Babies 6+ months where parent presence escalates rather than soothes
- Families that need rapid resolution
Things to consider
- The hardest emotionally for parents
- Not appropriate under 4-6 months
- Should be cleared with pediatrician
Typical crying: Significant on nights 1-2, dropping quickly
Time to results: 1-3 nights for most babies
Source: Marc Weissbluth, MD
Before you start, set yourself up
Sleep training works best when the foundations are already in place. A few things to do in the week before you start any method:
- Confirm with your pediatrician that your baby is healthy, gaining weight appropriately, and developmentally ready
- Make sure wake windows are age-appropriate. An overtired baby will fight any sleep training method
- Establish a consistent bedtime routine (bath, book, song, bed) so the baby's body knows sleep is coming
- Get both caregivers fully aligned on the method and the response script for the first few nights
- Pick a low-disruption week. Not during travel, illness, vaccines, or major schedule changes
- Set expectations: nights 1-3 are usually the hardest. Don't quit on night 2
Frequently asked questions
When is the right age to start sleep training?
Most pediatric sleep specialists recommend waiting until at least 4 months. Before then, babies' sleep architecture is still developing and they don't have the physiological tools to self-soothe consistently. Cry-based methods (Ferber, Cry It Out) are generally not recommended before 6 months. Gentler methods (Pick-Up-Put-Down, Chair) can start as early as 4-5 months with pediatrician approval.
Is sleep training safe? Will it harm my baby?
The strongest research on this topic, including a 2012 randomized controlled trial published in Pediatrics, found no negative emotional, behavioral, or attachment effects from sleep training methods (including Ferber and gentle extinction) when followed appropriately. The AAP does not warn against sleep training. However, every family is different, and your pediatrician should be involved in the decision.
What if my baby is exclusively breastfed and waking for night feeds?
Sleep training and night weaning are separate decisions. Many breastfed babies under 6 months still need 1-2 night feeds, and that's fine. Sleep training can focus on the non-feeding wake-ups, while preserving the feeds you and your pediatrician agree are still nutritionally needed. Discuss the specifics with your pediatrician.
What if my partner and I disagree on a method?
This is one of the most common reasons sleep training fails. Inconsistency between caregivers extends the process and confuses the baby. If you can't agree on Ferber vs. Chair vs. anything else, consider DreamGenius. It's designed to adapt to mixed approaches and personalize as your baby's data comes in.
What if we start a method and it doesn't seem to be working?
Give any method at least 5-7 nights of full consistency before deciding it's not working. Most methods get harder before they get easier (nights 1-3 are usually the worst with Ferber). If you're past two weeks of full consistency and seeing zero progress, it's reasonable to try a different approach. DreamGenius is specifically designed for families who have tried something and want a more personalized path.
Will sleep training fix all night wakings forever?
No. Sleep training teaches the skill of independent sleep. But regressions, illness, teething, travel, and developmental leaps will still disrupt sleep. The good news is that a well-trained sleeper usually returns to good habits within a few nights of any disruption. The skill stays with them.
Related on Kiri Journal
Sleep Training Methods Compared
The long-form article version of the comparison above, with case studies and method-by-method walkthroughs.
Inside DreamGenius: A Clinician-Backed Path to Better Sleep
How DreamGenius adapts to your baby's actual patterns, written with pediatric sleep specialist Courtney Palm.
Baby Bedtime Routines Backed by Science
The wind-down ritual matters more than the method. Set the foundation before you train.
The 4-Month Sleep Regression
When sleep gets harder right at the age sleep training becomes possible. How to tell whether to train or wait.
Not sure which method fits?
DreamGenius is built with pediatric sleep specialist Courtney Palm and grounded in American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) guidelines. It adapts to your baby's actual patterns and your parenting style. Designed for parents who don't want to pick one rigid method off a list.
See how DreamGenius works