An Interview with Evi Kantor, a San Francisco Postpartum Doula, on how Sleep Training Helps Babies (and Parents!) Sleep through the Night

Evi Kantor has been supporting Bay Area families for over ten years as a postpartum doula. She has extensive experience in lactation and is a certified sleep consultant. The combination of her warm, loving presence and gentle guidance makes her perfect for working with new parents. She and I sat down to discuss one of the ways she provides support: sleep training using the Ferber Method.

Me: Hi Evi! Tell me a little bit about your sleep training techniques:

Evi: I use the Ferber Method, which is a gentler method of controlled crying that teaches your baby to self-soothe. After laying your baby down, I closely watch them on a monitor to see if they can calm themselves. If after two minutes the baby needs comforting, I will come to the baby and help settle them down. This process gets repeated and the time of check-ins gradually increases over the course of several nights, and I always modify the time based on the parent’s comfort level.  

Me: At what age can you begin sleep training? 

Evi: It is easiest to sleep train babies between 4 and 6 months of age, provided they weigh at least 13 pounds.

Me: What is a common misconception about sleep training?

Evi: A common misconception is that you should never let your baby cry and that any crying is bad for your baby. Studies have shown that sleep training with Professor Ferber's method does not harm a child's emotional development, sleep patterns, or relationship with the parents.

Me: What are some healthy sleep habits and general tips for babies?

Evi: Always have your baby sleep in a dark room with a noise machine. The baby should be swaddled, when age-appropriate. 

Me: Is there anything a parent can do during the day to help a baby get back on track from a poor night’s sleep? 

Evi: To get the baby back on track after a poor night of sleep, feed the baby every three hours and rest as much as possible during the day. Babies who are less than a month old should be sleeping as much as possible, but once they hit two months, limit their daytime naps to two hours. If the baby sleeps for too long during the day, they may start to confuse the night and the day.

Me: What is something you wish parents knew more about?

Evi: It’s amazing how babies can soothe themselves. Pay attention to their sleeping cues and cries. They cry in waves, so it’s really important to listen and understand the sounds and patterns. If a baby is simply whimpering, wait and see if they self-soothe. 

Me: Any final tips for new parents?

Evi: The best way to take care of your baby is to take care of yourself. Sleep when the baby sleeps!

If you’d like support from Evi, you can find her here.