PD method for 11 month old

[dramadama]

I'm confused by The Baby Whisperer Sleep Tips book. DD is 11 months so I'm supposed to just do PD not PI. So, if she cries, I put her down again and say "It's sleep time" or something to that effect. If she still cries I soothe her with words until she stands up again. Got it.

But, what if she doesn't cry? After the first night DD has decided she's fine in her cot, she chats, rolls about, plays with the bars etc. When she gets up I put her down again except she's started to make this into a bit of game, as when I go to put her down she throws herself back in the cot before I get a chance. Hilarious and good progress to an extent, but not getting her to sleep any quicker!

Today for morning nap and nighttime, she was in cot for an hour happy as anything, getting up and being put back down again. I then I decided to leave the room for a few minutes at which point she cried and I did PD till she went to sleep. Though I 'cheated' because she was so hysterical I had to pick her up and cuddle till she calmed right down several times. A hysterical baby is not going to go to sleep right? Was worried she was going to be sick.

So am I supposed to leave her if she's not crying or keep waiting it out?

Thanks!

[FATEdestiny]

I've not read the baby whisperer sleep tips book, but I know of her techniques.

It makes me smile a little that "PD" has an official sleep technique name and that Tracey Whatsherface is making a fortune out of advising something that Mums have been doing for years themselves anyway!

My DD (DC4) is just coming out of the phase where she has learnt to crawl and stand and so nighttimes/naptimes have become farcical episodes of her standing (or getting on all fours) and me lying her back down. And her getting up and me lying her down. Getting up, putting down, up down, up down up down as a massive battle of wills until eventually I win.

She first learnt to crawl/stand about 6 weeks ago and so I have been having this LIE DOWN IN THE COT (caps deliberate, said slowly through gritted teeth) battle of wills since then. It is now coming to an end. She has accepted that I will not let her sit, stand, get on all-fours or anything other than lie down in the cot when it is sleep time.

I never knew I was doing a sleep technique, just being a Mum!

I get that this could be a game. Make it no fun. This standing, climbing, sitting in the cot is a behaviour issue, more than a sleep issue. She needs to learn that while standing, climbing, sitting etc are great, there is a time and a place and the cot is not the place to do this. Cots are for lying down in.

Look away, don't engage, repeat, repeat, repeat - she'll get it in the end. DD now isn't getting up in any way when going to sleep, just rolls onto her side.

Another option would be to just leave her to it and wait until she lies herself down and settles to sleep. That might work for you? It wouldn't for us, DD would end up screaming.

[dramadama]

Hi there

Just to say thanks for reply, it was reassuring and I kept going (mostly). Thinking about it as a behaviour issue was helpful.

Felt a bit battered after an hour and 45mins no nap battle the other day so have temporarily danced with the odd 'feeding to sleep' again and a fluke 'she goes to sleep on my shoulder during the wind down before even getting to the cot'.

The 'this is really fun mum' bit has passed and she's used to being in cot enough for me to be able to put her down after night wakings and she can go off by herself so that's good. But she's teething again now and super clingy (one step back maybe after being inconsistent) so tonight I just did my own version which involved me practically being in the cot for an hour till she calmed down and went to sleep, not great on my back but it worked. Not sure I am cut out for this tough mummy lark, putting her down again and again is ok when she's not screaming, but when she is it wears me down. Will see how we go ;)