<P> The Ferber method, or Ferberization, is a technique invented by Dr. Richard Ferber to solve infant sleep problems . It involves "baby - training" children to self - soothe by allowing the child to cry for a predetermined amount of time before receiving external comfort . </P> <P> The "Cry It Out" (CIO) approach can be traced back to the book "The Care and Feeding of Children" written by Dr. Emmett Holt in 1895 . CIO is any sleep - training method which allows a baby to cry for a specified period before the parent will offer comfort . "Ferberization" is one such approach . Ferber does not advocate simply leaving a baby to cry . More extreme methods, such as Dr. Marc Weissbluth's extinction method, are often mistakenly referred to as "Ferberization", though they fall outside of the guidelines Ferber recommended . Some pediatricians, however, feel that any form of CIO is unnecessary and damaging to a baby . </P> <P> Dr. Richard Ferber discusses and outlines a wide range of practices to teach an infant to sleep . The term ferberization is now popularly used to refer to the following techniques: </P> <Ul> <Li> Take steps to prepare the baby to sleep . This includes night - time rituals and day - time activities . </Li> <Li> At bedtime, leave the child in bed and leave the room . </Li> <Li> Return at progressively increasing intervals to comfort the baby (without picking him or her up). For example, on the first night, some scenarios call for returning first after three minutes, then after five minutes, and thereafter each ten minutes, until the baby is asleep . </Li> <Li> Each subsequent night, return at intervals longer than the night before . For example, the second night may call for returning first after five minutes, then after ten minutes, and thereafter each twelve minutes, until the baby is asleep . </Li> </Ul>

What does it mean to sleep train a baby