5S IS NOT A FORMAL SLEEP TRAINING TECHNIQUE!!!

Surely someone has read somewhere that 5S is a sleep training method for babies. But in this article, I will share why I don’t suppose that 5S is not a sleep train method and explain Why there are still many mothers who successfully use 5S to train their children to sleep independently.

This article is not attacking any individual, simply sharing information

1. What is 5S? What is the purpose?

• 5S is a method to "reassure, soothe, and calm the baby from crying" and thereby help them fall asleep.

• 5S includes: swaddle, side position, swing, shushu and suck

• With 5S, we - parents - are directly helping our child to relax and fall asleep.

• 5S supports children best in the first 4 months of life. After that, we should gradually wean off the S's. After 4 months, each S's is a sleep dependence of the baby to fall asleep.

So what about sleep training methods?

2. Sleep training methods (including few tears to many tears)

• The purpose: to teach your child how to sleep independently, break the unhealthy sleep habits, to gradually eliminate parent’s support, so that the child learns to sleep on his own. It depends on which technique parents use during the sleep training process... but in the end the child should fall asleep on his own.

• Parents will no longer be present to support baby fall asleep and lengthen the sleep (you can observe the baby, but there is no physical intervention)

• Usually, a formal sleep train should be conducted from 4 months old. It means 5S can be replaced by a formal sleep train when the child is 4,5 months old, in order to maintain healthy sleep habits.

• So we have seen the differences and contrasts between 5S and sleep training methods! To understand more, you can visit Dr. Harvey's blog named happiestbaby.com to see how he defines 5S and why he does not put 5S into the common sleep training methods list.

https://www.happiestbaby.com/.../the-5-s-s-for-soothing...

https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/sleep-training

3.    So I answer the question: "why some people still be successfully sleep train their baby by using 5S?"

• Because they're using 5S in combination with other technique to sleep train their baby, but you don't know about it.

Ex:

- Gradually reduce rocking time: Fading method

- Ascending wait time before replace pacifier: Ferber method

- Sitting next to the crib and soothing them by voice: similar to The chair method

….

I will not argue about whether such a combination is right or wrong because it depends on each child and their age.

If you only use 5S to train your child to sleep, the results will not be as expected

With babies under 4 months, it’s not recommended to do any formal sleep training. You can do your best to establish “healthy sleep habits” – which is a foundation for a great little sleeper later.

If you were scared of spoiling your baby and wanted to sleep strain them as soon as possible, I would like to raise my voice that you definitely should enjoy the first 4 months to rock, cuddle, hug or even do skin to skin your baby as much as you can, beside try your best to create sleep fundamentals. The connection is very important for your child’s development, both mentally and physically.