In a candid revelation on Wednesday’s episode of her “IMO” podcast, former First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about a significant disagreement she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, faced early in their parenting journey. The subject of their clash? The ‘Ferber Method,’ a sleep-training technique for babies that involves letting them “cry it out” to self-soothe.
Joined by her older brother, Craig Robinson, and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the conversation delved into the intricacies of this widely debated parenting approach. The Ferber Method, popularized in 1985 by Dr. Richard Ferber, aims to teach infants independent sleep habits by gradually increasing the time parents wait before responding to their crying.
Michelle Obama confessed that she was initially resistant to the method when it came to their daughters, Malia (now 26) and Sasha (now 24). “I didn’t want to do it,” she admitted, expressing her discomfort with the idea of allowing her beloved infants to cry without immediate comfort. She even speculated that her emotional reaction might have been influenced by postpartum estrogen levels.
However, Barack Obama took a different stance, advocating for its implementation. To navigate this disagreement and ensure Michelle could get some much-needed rest, they devised a plan: “We set it up where Barack took the night shift. I went to bed, which was helpful because it got me some sleep,” she explained. The former First Lady vividly recalled having to cover her ears to endure her children’s cries, determined to give the method a fair chance.
Despite her initial apprehension, the Ferber Method proved surprisingly effective for the Obamas, and quickly so. “It took no longer than a week [for the method to work] and it was really after the first two nights, because we started early,” she revealed. Michelle attributed the swift success to their early adoption of the technique, starting when one of their daughters was just four or five months old, after being weaned off breastfeeding. She emphasized that the sooner parents implement such actions, the more responsive the child tends to be.
This intimate glimpse into the Obama household follows another recent podcast revelation where Michelle expressed her contentment with having two daughters, playfully stating she’s “so glad” none of her children were boys. When asked why she and Barack didn’t try for a son, she quipped, “Because he would’ve been a Barack Obama!” While acknowledging that a “baby Barack” would have been “amazing,” she lightheartedly added that she “would’ve felt for him,” alluding to the potential challenges of growing up under such a towering shadow. These honest anecdotes continue to endear the Obamas to the public, offering relatable insights into their family life beyond the White House.
