A study of the effects of sleep training has reignited the debate over the controversial method.
The trial found two ‘controlled crying’ techniques not only improved sleep patterns for babies but also left their cortisol stress hormones within a safe range (see graphs). In addition, no problems with attachment were identified during the trial or 12 months later.
The research, published in the journal Pediatrics last month, has been criticised for using a small number of families, and concerns have been raised that the practice may prove harmful to babies.
Clinical psychologist Dr Michael Gradisar, who led the study at Flinders University in Australia, accepted the cohort of 43 babies was small, but argued the findings replicated those of a larger randomised trial in 2012.
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