“Crying it out” is a form of sleep training for infants. It’s designed to help babies learn to self-soothe so they sleep better, and you can try several different methods.

When you have a baby, it seems like everyone has advice to share. One of the more popular topics is getting your baby to sleep through the night, and one of the most debated answers is whether to let them cry it out. Grandmothers, aunts, neighbors – they all seem to have strong opinions about this method of sleep training, and often, these opinions are very different.

There are dozens of parenting books written specifically about baby sleep training methods. Many of them involve letting your baby cry for some period of time.

While it can sound harsh (and some people may let you know), the idea behind “crying it out,” or CIO as it’s called, is that babies can learn to soothe themselves to sleep rather than relying on a caregiver to soothe them. Most CIO methods do not involve ignoring your crying baby but rather offer different ways to transition from 100% parental soothing to something called baby-led soothing.

Helping your baby learn how to self-soothe may lead to solid and more independent sleep skills over time. Let’s take a closer look at different cry-it-out methods so you can decide if it’s something you want to try.

Before starting any sleep training method or program, consult with your pediatrician or healthcare professional to be sure it’s safe and appropriate for your baby.

What does that mean?

Here are a few terms you may see while learning about CIO sleep training methods:

  • Cry it out (CIO): This is the process of letting your child cry for a period of time before you pick them up or soothe them.
  • Controlled crying (or controlled comforting): This is allowing your baby to fuss or cry but providing comfort at scheduled intervals, like 2 minutes or 5 minutes, that increase over time
  • Extinction: This is a form of CIO in which the baby is placed safely in their crib and allowed to fuss or cry until they fall asleep. Depending on the method followed, you may choose to remain beside the crib, somewhere nearby, or outside the room completely.
  • Graduated extinction: This form of CIO is a type of extinction in which the baby is allowed to fuss or cry for gradually longer periods of time before you soothe them.
  • Full extinction: This is another type of extinction in which you place your baby safely in their crib and let them fuss or cry until they fall asleep without any intervention from you.
  • Dream feeding: To dream feed, you slightly awaken your baby to feed them just before you are ready to go to bed. Your baby may stay asleep and still feed. The goal is to increase their sleep time by feeding them before hunger awakens them.
  • Baby-led soothing: This happens when your baby calms down without intervention from you or another caregiver.

“Cry it out” (CIO) — or sometimes called “controlled crying” — is an umbrella term used to describe several different methods that involve letting a baby cry as they learn to fall asleep on their own. Here are some of the more commonly used methods of CIO sleep training:

Ferber method

The best-known CIO method is likely Richard Ferber, MD’s, which uses the graduated extinction model. Ferber suggests starting when your baby is at least 6 months old. “Graduated” basically means that parents are encouraged to put their babies to bed when they’re drowsy but still awake.

Then, you’re supposed to let your baby cry for 5 minutes before responding the first time. After that, you may extend the time between responses by 5 (or fewer) minute increments.

Weissbluth’s method

The Weissbluth method, created by Marc Weissbluth, MD, explains that babies may still wake up two times a night at 8 months old. However, Weissbluth encourages parents to have predictable bedtime routines — letting babies cry for 10 to 20 minutes to sleep. With this method, parents may start using it with infants as young as 5 to 6 weeks of age.

Then, when the baby is 4 months old, Weissbluth recommends “full extinction,” which means allowing the baby to cry until they stop crying or fall asleep without parent interaction or checks.

Murkoff’s method

Heidi Murkoff, of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” fame, explains that by 4 months of age or when they weigh at least 11 pounds, babies no longer need night feeds. This also means they can sleep through the night, and night waking after 5 months old is a habit rather than a need.

Sleep training using graduated extinction and scheduled awakening while maintaining sleep rhythms begins after the baby is 4 months old, as the parents choose.

This method teaches that going “cold turkey” (full extinction) is appropriate – even for babies under 6 months old.

Bucknam and Ezzo’s method

Robert Bucknam, MD, and Gary Ezzo — who gave their original book “On Becoming Babywise” the subtitle “Giving your infant the gift of nighttime sleep” — feel that teaching your little one to self-soothe is truly a gift that will help your baby in the long run. Their method teaches that babies between 7 and 9 weeks of age are capable of sleeping up to 8 hours a night. By 12 weeks, this increases up to 11 hours.

The CIO method here involves allowing 15 to 20 minutes of crying before sleep. It’s also important to note that this method prescribes a specific rhythm of daytime sleep as well (eat-wake-sleep).

In 2025, Dr. Bucknam removed his name from the Babywise franchise, but Ezzo has continued the Babywise work, issuing a revised edition of the Babywise book in 2024.

Hogg and Blau’s method

“Baby whisperers” Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau developed the E.A.S.Y. method, which suggests that by the time a baby weighs 10 pounds, they are ready to sleep through the night. However, they still recommend cluster feeding in the evenings and a dream feed before the parent goes to bed.

Their method involves four stages: Eat, Activity, Sleep, and You.

With regard to CIO, the authors say that babies will do three “crescendos” of crying before sleep. Parents tend to give in during that second peak. In this method, parents are permitted to respond, but encouraged to leave again immediately after the baby settles.

Giordano and Abidin’s method

Suzy Giordano and Lisa Abidin, authors of “Twelve Hours’ Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old: A Step-by-Step Plan for Baby Sleep Success,” believe babies are capable of sleeping 12 hours at a time without a night feed by 12 weeks of age.

Once a baby reaches 8 weeks old, this method allows crying at night for 3 to 5 minutes before you respond. Instead of night feeds, the authors encourage parents to feed babies every 3 hours during the day.

How you go about CIO depends on your baby’s age, your parenting philosophy, and your sleep expectations. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and what works for one baby or family may not work for another.

Before sleep training using CIO, you may want to speak with your child’s pediatrician to get clarification on how much your baby should be sleeping at night for their age, whether or not they need a night feed, and any other concerns you might have.

Here’s one sample way to start CIO sleep training:

1. Establish a predictable nighttime routine

It’s important that your baby has a bedtime rhythm or routine before you begin CIO training. That way, your baby is already used to starting to relax and has cues that it’s time to sleep. This might involve things like:

2. Place your child in their crib

But before you leave the room, make sure to practice safe sleep practices:

  • Don’t practice CIO with a baby who is still swaddled.
  • Make sure the crib is clear of any stuffed animals, pillows, or loose bedding.
  • Place your baby on their back to sleep.

3. Watch and wait

If you have a video or audio baby monitor, tune in to see what your child is up to. In some cases, they may go to sleep. In others, there could be some fussing. This is where your specific method comes in. The method you choose will help determine how you respond to your baby’s crying:

  • If you’re following a full extinction method, you’ll still keep an eye on your child to make sure they’re safe.
  • If you’re following a graduated approach, be sure to keep track of the different intervals as you go to briefly soothe your child.

4. Soothe, but don’t linger

For example, if you’re following the Ferber Method:

  • The first night, you would go in after 3 minutes, then again after 5 minutes, and then again after 10 minutes.
  • The second night, the intervals might be more like 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 12 minutes.
  • And the third night, you might go in at 12 minutes, 15 minutes, and 17 minutes.

Each time you go in, simply pick your baby up (or not — it’s up to you), reassure them, and then leave. Your visit will be brief – 1 to 2 minutes, tops.

5. Be sure your baby doesn’t need assistance for other reasons

Sometimes, cries are your baby’s signals for help.There are times when your baby is more likely to cry, and they actually need you to act. If your little one is really having a hard time, take a step back and evaluate the bigger picture:

There are a number of reasons your baby may cry and actually need your help.

6. Be consistent

It may be hard to keep up CIO training night after night if you feel your efforts aren’t immediately working. Every baby is different, and learning to self-soothe and sleep may take longer than a few days. Eventually, your baby should get the idea. Some methods suggest keeping a journal of your baby’s sleep so you can see the subtle progress they are making.

However, to get there, it’s very important to try to stay consistent and follow the plan you have chosen. Responding at certain times and not others can be confusing to your baby.

7. Notice if your baby is in distress beyond trying to sleep

Be prepared to stop CIO training immediately if your baby is distressed for reasons besides trying to sleep or seems unwell.

When NOT to let your baby cry it out

There are reasons and times when it may not be appropriate to let your baby cry it out, such as:

Your baby is younger than 4 months old. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), babies younger than 4 months old don’t have established sleep cycles yet. Research suggests CIO methods may be ineffective before 6 months old.

Your baby is sick. If your baby already feels bad, it’s probably not a good time to let them cry it out. They may be crying for other reasons that require your attention.

Your baby has a developmental delay or condition present at birth. Babies with health conditions may cry for many reasons that mean they need attention and care, and that are unrelated to sleep.

Your baby has reflux. Babies with reflux may experience pain when they are lying down and may cry more than babies who do not have reflux. They may need more burping and may feel better when held upright. They may need more attention to fall asleep.

Whether you follow a full extinction or graduated extinction CIO plan, there comes a point where you might wonder: How long should I let my baby cry?

There’s really no single answer to this question when you’re considering sleep training.

First and foremost, parents need to respond to any crying that seems to indicate a need, like when their baby is hungry, in pain – from gas, teething, or other things, or just needs a diaper change.

Beyond that, how long you choose to let your baby cry during sleep training will also depend on the method you choose and your comfort level.

You know your baby, and you know the way you hope to parent.

Various methods state you can start CIO as early as 3 to 4 months old (sometimes younger); however, the AAP recommends waiting until your baby is at least 4 months old, and some research suggests the effects of CIO are most lasting after 6 months old.

Some CIO methods go by a child’s weight as a recommendation on when to start. Others go purely by age.

Whatever the case, it has to do with development and different ideas about when a baby needs night feedings versus when they’re ready to go without them.

Another primary concern is that an infant, especially those who are nursing, doesn’t miss feedings. There’s a big difference between going 6 to 8 hours without a feeding and going 12 hours without one. Dropping a night feeding too soon may also lower your milk production.

The following table displays the age at which different sleep training methods suggest parents can start things like “cold turkey”, “extinction,” or “graduated extinction” with babies.

MethodStarting age/weight
Weissbluth4 months old
Murkoff6 months old
Ezzo and Bucknam1 month old
Hogg and Blau6 weeks old / 10 pounds
Ferber6 months old
Giordano and Abidin8 weeks old

It’s a good idea to speak with your pediatrician before starting any CIO program, as your baby may have specific health or feeding needs not addressed by parenting books.

As with all things parenting, your child’s individual needs can guide you since they may be different than what is covered or explained in parenting books.

Pros of the CIO method of sleep training

  • Research suggests there are no longer-term effects from letting babies cry it out to learn to sleep and self-soothe.
  • The AAP recommends letting children 6 months and older put themselves back to sleep without parental intervention.
  • Many parents report that they and their babies sleep better after using CIO methods.

Cons of the CIO method of sleep training

  • One study that considered attachment theory of parenting found that mothers of securely attached infants had nighttime interactions that were generally more consistent, sensitive, and responsive than those of insecurely attached infants.
  • Some psychologists argue that “self-soothing” is a modern term with little science behind it, and a baby that is quiet after crying may not be a good thing – the baby may have simply accepted that no help is coming.
  • Some researchers suggest CIO methods of sleep training may risk unintended consequences like premature ending of nursing, increased crying in other situations, and the potential for an increased risk of SIDS if the baby sleeps in a different room from a caregiver and is not checked.

You can work on better sleep habits with your baby without subscribing to any specific method of sleep training. Here are some tips:

  • DO keep a consistent bedtime routine each night and place your baby in their crib drowsy but awake.
  • DO let your baby fuss a bit and consider using a pacifier to help them settle.
  • DO work to understand what’s developmentally appropriate for your baby’s age and weight when it comes to night wakings and feedings.
  • DON’T fret if the methods you’re trying aren’t working.

Some babies are born good sleepers. For others, it’s a process that can take some time. If you have concerns about your baby’s sleep habits, talk with your child’s pediatrician or healthcare professional. They can help you find solutions that work for your baby.