The Ferber method is not working: 7 things to check

You have done the routine, watched the timer and sat on the hallway floor through every wait. Several nights in, your baby is still crying for a long time, or still waking at 2 a.m., and you are starting to think the Ferber method is not working for your family.

When the Ferber method is not working, the cause is usually one of a handful of things: it is still early in the week, the response is not quite consistent, check-ins have grown too long, your baby still falls asleep with help at bedtime, the schedule is off, night wakings are handled differently from bedtime, or your baby is unwell, teething or hungry. Work through the list below. If you see no improvement after about a week of consistent nights, talk to your pediatrician.

Is the Ferber method not working, or is it still early?

1. Has it been long enough?

The hardest nights often come early. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners notes that the first few nights are often the hardest and that controlled crying takes around five to seven nights to work. Nights 2 and 3 in particular can be worse than Night 1, because crying tends to get stronger for a short time when a response that always came stops coming. Our article on why Night 3 can be worse explains this, and the glossary has a short definition of an extinction burst.

If you are on Night 2 or 3, the most useful thing may be to keep going. Look at the trend across several nights rather than any single night. Is the time to fall asleep shorter than it was on Night 1, even on a bad night? That is progress, even when it does not feel like it. How long the Ferber method takes covers what “working” tends to look like across a week.

Check how you are responding

2. Is everyone responding the same way, every time?

This is the most common reason the method stalls. The Sleep Foundation says the keys to success are patience and consistency, and that a single lapse in consistency may reinforce the habit you are trying to change.

Inconsistency often creeps in without anyone noticing:

• One parent follows the chart, the other picks the baby up after a while
• The waits get shorter when the crying gets louder
• A feed appears at 3 a.m. “just this once” on a tired night
• Bedtime follows the plan but naps do something different

From your baby’s point of view, a response that sometimes comes after long enough crying is worth crying for. Agree on the plan together before bedtime, write it down, and stick to it for the week. The guide to co-parenting and consistency has ideas for getting on the same page.

3. Are check-ins short and boring?

Check-ins are meant to reassure your baby that you are close, then leave. The Sleep Foundation suggests keeping them under one to two minutes, with a pat or soft words and no picking up or feeding.

Check-ins can quietly grow. A minute becomes five, patting becomes rocking, a quick visit becomes sitting by the crib until your baby drifts off. When that happens, the check-in becomes the new way your baby falls asleep. Some babies also get more upset when they see a parent come and go. If check-ins seem to wind your baby up, make them shorter and quieter. Our guide to what to do during a check-in covers the details.

Check bedtime, the schedule and night wakings

4. Is your baby still falling asleep with help at bedtime?

The Ferber method works on how your baby falls asleep. If your baby is still fed, rocked or held until they are nearly asleep, then laid down at the last moment, the main habit has not changed yet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends putting babies to bed when they are drowsy rather than waiting until they are asleep. A practical way to do this is to move the feed earlier in the routine (feed, then bath or pajamas, then a book, then into the crib awake). If your baby drifts off during the last feed, try ending it a little earlier. The method page explains why the way a baby falls asleep at bedtime tends to shape the night.

5. Is the schedule working against you?

Timing matters. A baby who goes to bed far too early may not be tired enough to fall asleep, and a baby who is badly overtired can be harder to settle. Very late or very long afternoon naps can push bedtime crying longer too.

Look at the last few days. Is bedtime roughly the same time each night? Has a nap crept later? Is your baby waking very early and then napping long in the afternoon? Small, steady adjustments over a few days usually work better than big swings. The age pages, for example 7 to 9 months and 10 to 12 months, have typical rhythms for each stage.

6. Are night wakings handled the same way as bedtime?

Some families do well at bedtime, then fall back on old habits at 2 a.m. because everyone is exhausted. Then the night wakings continue, because they still bring the old response.

The Ferber method uses the same chart for night wakings as for bedtime, starting again from that night’s first interval after each waking. The AAP notes that it is normal for a 6-month-old to wake during the night and go back to sleep after a few minutes, and that babies need time to learn to fall back asleep on their own. If you are going in the moment you hear a stir, try waiting to see whether the fussing settles first. The troubleshooting page on multiple night wakings covers this in more depth.

If your baby may still need a night feed, that is a question for your pediatrician. A feed your pediatrician wants kept can stay, on a clear rule, with the chart for every other waking.

Check your baby’s health

7. Could your baby be unwell, teething or hungry?

The NHS notes that growth spurts, teething and illness can all affect how a baby sleeps. Sleep training cannot fix crying that comes from pain or illness, and it should not try to.

The teething and illness guide explains how to pause and how to pick the plan back up once your baby is well.

When to stop, wait or try something else

The Sleep Foundation suggests talking to your pediatrician if you see no improvement within a week. The RACGP gives similar advice: if there is no improvement after five to seven nights, seek professional advice. Your pediatrician can look for medical causes and help you decide what to try next.

It is also fine to step back. Some families wait a few weeks and try again. Some choose a gentler approach, such as longer check-ins at shorter intervals or a method with more parental presence. The comparison page sets out the main options side by side. Not sleep training at all is a reasonable choice too. And if the crying is wearing you down, our page on parent anxiety may help. If you are feeling low or worn out for more than a few days, talk to your own doctor as well.

Whatever you choose, keep your baby’s sleep space safe throughout: on their back, on a firm, flat surface, in their own crib, with no soft bedding. The AAP’s safe sleep guide has the details.

One thing to do tonight

Before bedtime, sit down with anyone else who will be doing check-ins and go through this list together. Pick the one or two items that sound most like your nights, agree on exactly what you will do differently, and write it on a note by the crib.

The Ferber app keeps a sleep history of every night you run, so you can look at the trend across the week instead of judging by the hardest night.

Common questions

How long should I try the Ferber method before deciding it is not working?

Give it about a week of consistent nights. The first few nights are often the hardest, and Nights 2 and 3 can be worse than Night 1. The Sleep Foundation suggests talking to your pediatrician if you see no improvement within a week.

Why is my baby crying longer since we started Ferber?

Crying often gets longer or louder for a night or two when a familiar response, like rocking or feeding to sleep, stops coming. This is called an extinction burst and it usually passes. If crying keeps rising after several consistent nights, look at consistency, check-in length and your baby's health.

Can one inconsistent night undo Ferber?

One slip rarely undoes everything, but a pattern of sometimes responding and sometimes not can make crying last longer. The Sleep Foundation notes that a single lapse in consistency may reinforce the habit you are trying to change. Get back to the plan the next time and keep going.

Is it okay to stop the Ferber method if it is not working?

Yes. It is fine to stop, wait a few weeks, or choose a gentler method. Sleep training is optional, and the right approach is the one your family can carry out calmly and consistently.

Sources

1. Sleep Foundation: The Ferber Method
2. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: Controlled crying FAQ (2016)
3. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Getting Your Baby to Sleep
4. NHS: Helping your baby to sleep
5. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep