Sleep Training Gets a Bad Reputation: Why It’s Time to Reconsider

Having children isn’t for the faint of heart. One of the hardest parts of early parenthood is caring for a baby while being chronically sleep-deprived—by the very same little one who’s also not sleeping well.

The Real Cost of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make parents tired—it can have serious consequences. Research shows that sleep-deprived mothers are at a higher risk for postpartum depression and even car accidents, both of which can be fatal to parent and child.

And it’s not just parents who suffer. Studies show that sleep-deprived children are more likely to experience:

• Behavioral problems 【1】

• Cognitive issues, such as poor memory and academic struggles 【2,3】

• An increased risk of obesity 【4】

The evidence is clear: sleep is not optional, it’s essential for both parents and children.

Why Parents Resist Sleep Training

Despite the proven importance of sleep, many parents hesitate to sleep train their babies. The reason is simple: most sleep training methods involve some amount of crying.

Hearing your baby cry is one of the hardest experiences as a parent—it can trigger guilt, fear, and even shame. Complicating matters further, there’s a lot of misinformation online about the “Cry It Out” method and its supposed harms.

One of the most widely cited critiques came from Dr. Sears, a well-known pediatrician and advocate for attachment parenting. While his intentions were good, his interpretation of certain studies was incorrect. In fact, the authors of those studies later clarified in TIME Magazine that their research involved neglected and abused children, not babies from loving, attentive homes undergoing a few nights of structured sleep training 【5】

A Parent’s Perspective

As a new parent myself, I understand firsthand how exhausting it can be when your baby won’t sleep. My husband and I have tried various approaches—reading Dr. Ferber’s Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems and Dr. Weissbluth’s Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and following Dr. Weissbluth’s nap schedule strategies (like not letting infants stay awake longer than two hours).

We’ve also found Dr. Craig Canapari’s website (a pediatric sleep expert) to be incredibly helpful: drcraigcanapari.com.

Now, we’re preparing to try the Cry It Out method ourselves—for our baby’s health and our own sanity. It’s not easy, but after reviewing the science and understanding the data, I believe it’s worth trying. I’ll be sure to share how it goes.

The Takeaway: Sleep Training Is About Love, Not Neglect

Sleep training doesn’t mean ignoring your child, it means helping them learn one of the most vital skills for their growth and development: independent sleep. When done with care and consistency, it benefits the entire family’s physical and emotional health.

Sleep isn’t just rest—it’s restoration. And both parents and children deserve it.

References

1. Lavigne JV, Arend R, Rosenbaum D et al. 1999. Sleep and behavior problems among preschoolers. Journal of Dev Behav Pediatr. 20: 164–169.

2. Hairston IS et al. 2005. Sleep restriction suppresses neurogenesis induced by hippocampus-dependent learning. J Neurophysiol 94: 4224–4233.

3. Fallone G et al. 2005. Experimental restriction of sleep opportunity in children: effects on teacher ratings. Sleep 28 (12):1561–1567.

4. Lumeng JC et al. 2007. Shorter sleep duration is associated with increased risk for being overweight at ages 9 to 12 years. Pediatrics 120: 1020–1020.

5. TIME Magazine: The Science Behind Dr. Sears—Does It Stand Up?