Night 3 Sleep Training Disaster? You're Right on Track

That sudden backward slide on night 3-5 of sleep training has a name (and a solution). Here's how to push through the extinction burst.

AuthorAuthor

Sally Woods & Bec Maher
September 16, 2025

Hey Nap Trappers,

Picture this: Night one of sleep training was rough but you survived. Night two got easier. Night three you're thinking "we've cracked it!"

Then night four hits like a truck.

Baby's up every hour. Bedtime takes forever. You're googling "is my baby sick?" at 2am and wondering if you've broken everything.

You haven't. You've hit the extinction burst.

Get set for how to tackle this head on!

This week Sally & Bec explain why half of all families experience this predictable wobble around night 3-5, when babies test whether the old sleep rules might still be on the table.

You'll learn:

  • Why this backward slide is actually progress in disguise

  • The one thing you must do (stay the course)

  • How to tell extinction burst from actual illness

  • What happens if you cave and revert to old habits

The key takeaway? That rough night means you're one sleep away from smooth sailing—if you hold steady.

Listen now — and text this to whoever's on night duty tonight.

Coffee in solidarity, Sally + Bec 💤