Controlled Comforting - how to do it?

[ellasmum]

I have read on a previous thread about controlled comforting - I just wanted to get a few more details about how to actually do it.

From what I can tell, do you put dd down facing away from you and pat her back until she is asleep? Do you just continue to pat through the crying and if so, how long do you let them cry for?

I have been picking dd up after a v. short period of time which settles her again but crying starts again after she is back in the cot. This morning I had to pick up/put down 6 times before she was alseep properly - although only for 25 minutes.

Any tips on controlled comforting would be greatly received.

Ellasmum, when I get home I'll look up the name of the book/ Video mentioned in the article I referred to. It was in June's Practical Parenting magazine, which you should still be able to get if you hunt for it!

As far as I can recall, you only let baby cry for 5 mins before picking up(if 6 mos or less).
I must admit I haven't done it, as I'm now trying the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" on the recommendation of ionesmum, but apparently, its the way they do it down under!!

Maybe bloss could elaborate?

I have just ordered No-cry Sleep from Amazon on several recommendations - as you can tell I am desperate for a solution!!

Bloss - any info?

I have just ordered No-cry Sleep from Amazon on several recommendations - as you can tell I am desperate for a solution!!

Bloss - any info?

I have just ordered No-cry Sleep from Amazon on several recommendations - as you can tell I am desperate for a solution!!

Bloss - any info?

Good! The author doesn't hold with letting your baby cry at all.

Stick with it- its working for us, although its not quick, and we've gone backwards abit due to a bad cold. I really believe that it will work and I'm now much more relaxed about night wakenings that I was before!

Good luck with the no-cry book, I hope that it works for you. With our dd, we find that the best way to soothe her is to keep her in her cot whist stroking her head, whispering "ssh, ssh, time for sleep." Sometimes it also helps to put our other hand on her chest.

Sorry, ellasmum, I just didn't have time to turn on the computer yesterday evening, and haven't remembered to bring the magazine into work with me- I'll have another go this evening!

Message withdrawn

There is a video of the method, called "It's time to sleep" (no book apparently) and its available at Amazon.

I am quite a fan of controlled comforting mainly because it worked so well with DS. I can't remember when we started doing it - it must have been about 5 months I think because it was def well after I went back to work and DS was 15 weeks. Bearing in mind that in that 5 months DS had NEVER fallen asleep in his cot. He'd been fed to sleep, rocked to sleep, slept in the car, pram, bouncy chair pushed against the dishwasher etc but always been lulled.

We started by putting him on his front (uneasy about that for safety reasons) and patted his bottom and shh ed him or sang Twinkle twinke until he fell asleep which could sometimes be 20 mins (normally less). I used to get the dressing table stool to sit on and have the cot side down and the mattress up. We gradually reduced this to just shs - no singing, and then just the patting and then just a perfunctory pat and leave him to it. Still use the shhs and pats if he won't settle (eg on holiday). Although we got instant results (ie took similar length of time to get him to sleep but removed the risk of him waking as we laid him in the cot) it took time to gradually improve as in weeks.

Now he prefers his cot of anywhere to sleep.

Bozza - this is v. encouraging!