Forgive my ignorance, but what is 'shush pat'?

[Cydonia]

Have seen it mentioned on here a lot, usually along the lines of 'I've tried shush pat but it isn't working'! Just wondered if it was an actual method or, as it sounds, just going shhhh at baby whilst patting?!

It really is just going 'shhh' while patting the baby! It can work surprisingly well though.

The idea is that you go and reassure the baby whilst not picking it up. I never thought much to it. My dc were not reassured by a pat. They were infuriated.

It's a Baby Whisperer technique. I found it was very effective and calming when my son was very little

Ah, thanks! I've been doing the 'shush' bit but with more of a stroke. So you pat without taking them out of the cot? On their chest? I don't think he'd like that!

I think the theory is that they can't focus on three things so if you're shh-ing and patting then they forget to cry!

I got a sleep consultant to help with DS and she said to add a shh-pat to my current method of getting him to sleep (rocking in my arms), then after a few days stop the rocking and just shh-pat while holding him, then shh-pat in the cot (pat his chest), then drop the pat and just put him in the cot and shh him. She did say that some babies get irritated by the pat once they're in the cot and tbh I found he didn't need it by then so we went straight to just shh-ing)

It teaches them to drop reliance on you to get to sleep - they transfer reliance to the shh sound and then it's easy to drop that so they then are able to self-settle. DS was a crap sleeper but after doing this he was able to self-settle every time, slept 7-7 at 4mo and has done ever since (6mo now)

Thanks Mistress, it sounds similar to what we're already doing so think I'll give it a try. DS is heading in the right direction, but can still take over an hour to get to sleep. V frustrating when you know they're tired but they won't give in! Congratulations on your success!

I can't recommend this method enough. Used it with my second colicky baby and wish I had with my first. I would definitely say stick with it. As 'Mistress Ploppy' says it's more than just a way to reassure your baby it actually abouit the fact that small baies can't focus on more than two things at a time so by making a constant shushing noise and rythmically patting them they are physically unable to cry!

It may take some time to get it right so stick with it! If it's of interest I wrote a blog post on the method a recently: colickybaby.co.uk/colic-relief-that-works-like-magic/ but I would strongly recommend getting the Tracy Hogg Book!

Good luck!

Just to say that the weaning off it is crucial as otherwise you end up with a baby like mine who is a shush-pat addict!

Well it is kind of working! Most nights DS settles to sleep a lot quicker and have been using it to resettle through the night ( he's started waking every two hours!) However as I am also on the sleep deprived/regression thread on here it hasn't worked wonders!! Though saying that I haven't been that strict with it, still rocking as well so not started the weaning off stage yet.