How To Do the Chair Method of Sleep Training for Babies

It’s a tale as old as time: Your baby starts drifting off to sleep while you’re still in the room, but they wake up and immediately burst into tears as soon as you try to sneak out.

If you’re researching how to solve this common parenting dilemma, you’re probably looking into all the various sleep training methods and guidance on how to do them. Could the chair method be the right fit for your family?

You might also hear this method called:

• The fading method
• Camping out
• The sit back method

Pediatrician Noah Schwartz, MD, explains this sleep training method and how it can help exhausted new parents or caregivers (and their sleepy kiddos) get a better night’s sleep.

How to approach the chair method

Like the Ferber method of sleep training (aka graduated extinction), the chair method relies on gradual intervals to teach your baby to self-soothe and slowly learn to fall asleep without you in the room.

“The difference is that when you’re following the chair method, you stay in your baby’s room until they fall asleep each night,” Dr. Schwartz clarifies. “By slowly moving farther away from them, they become less accustomed to how close you are.”

Ready to start? First, pick the right chair. You’ll want to use one that’s easily movable, so the big, heavy recliner you bought for the nursery isn’t your best bet. (That said, you don’t actually need a chair to do the chair method. “You can also just stand in your baby’s room and, each night, move slightly closer to the door,” Dr. Schwartz says.)

Here’s how to do the chair method:

1. Complete your baby’s bedtime routine to get them in going-to-bed mode. Put them in their crib while they’re drowsy but not yet asleep.
2. Seat yourself in a chair next to their crib, and stay seated until your child falls asleep.
3. When they’re finally snoozing, quietly leave the room. If they start to cry, return to the room and go back to quietly sitting in your chair until they fall back to sleep.
4. Every few nights, move the chair a bit farther away from their crib. “The idea is to progressively move your chair farther — toward the door, outside the door and then, eventually, you’re gone,” Dr. Schwartz explains.

Pros and cons of the chair method

All sleep training methods bring both upsides and downsides, and the chair method is no exception. Its main benefit is that it can bring comfort to your kiddo to have you in the room with them.

“This chair method can be especially helpful if your child is a little bit older and has some separation anxiety,” Dr. Schwartz says. “Knowing that you're right there can be comforting to them.”

But for younger babies, the chair method brings a few potential negatives:

• Can be hard on the parents. If your baby does begin to cry or fuss, you’re not supposed to pick them up. As a parent, this can feel nearly impossible!
• Takes time and patience. It can feel tedious to just sit there in the dark each night until your baby falls asleep. “Plus, there’s no telling how long it will take for your child to feel comfortable with you out of the room,” Dr. Schwartz acknowledges. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it — just that it might not be the right fit for everyone.
• May confuse or distract your baby. With you still in the room, your baby may not realize they’re supposed to be trying to sleep.

Dr. Schwartz also notes that the chair method isn’t ideal for families who live in small spaces. If you have a one-bedroom or studio apartment, it can be extremely difficult to implement this sleep training method.

Is the chair method right for you?

Before you implement any sleep training method, take a moment for self-awareness.

“You have to know your personality and the personality of any other potential caregiver,” Dr. Schwartz advises. “Everyone has to be on board for the method you choose because if one person breaks the pattern, the entire sleep training process just won’t work as well.”

Consider the pros and cons of the chair method to determine whether it’s a good fit for your family. And if so? Pull up a chair — and good luck!