Baby Whisperer - has anyone tried her methods, need sleep!!!!!!!!!!!

[emmywoo]

Hi, My lo is 10mo and for the last 2 months has been waking each night. She slept through from 8 weeks but now she wakes for no reason. I have got into the habit of picking her up and she will fall straight to sleep on me but when I try to place her back in cot she wakes up so I end up having to sit in chair with her in my arms and obviously I can't get any sleep. I was told by HV to try controlled crying but hated it as my lo got so upset she was really sick. I would love for my lo to got in cot awake (she currently falls asleep on my having last bottle at around 8.15) and then if she was to wake she could then settle herself. Was recommended the babywhisperer book which I bought and the technique is pick up put down, has anyone out there tried this method and does it work. Thanks

We did pick up put down with DS1 and it worked a treat. Takes a while and you think its never going to happen but they do seem to get the message. We had the same problem that he seemed sound asleep but as soon as he touched the mattress he wailed. When he got a bit older if he woke in the night we would go in and just put a hand on him to reassure him and that worked too. Also found that having him sleep in a sleeping bag at that age stopped him trying to stand up and waking himself up fully.

Did it with both of mine from 6 weeks, they were both settling themselves reasonably well within 2 weeks.

It may take a little bit longer with an older baby, but if you can stick with it for 2 weeks it is well worth the effort

Emmywoo,

Yes, the baby whisperer techniques worked for us. As this pattern started at 8 months, it could have been due to separation anxiety which starts around 7-9 months so it may take a while for LO to settle herself, especially if you have tried CC previously. But you do need to follow the book very closely for it to work, and it really helps to be able to know your LOs "mantra cry" as this will help you know they are settling down to sleep and you don't need to pick them up. It did sometimes take us an hour to get LO settled (usually under 20 mins) so don't expect it to be easy, and it did still involve crying but at least you stay with them.

Thanks to you all for responding so quickly, Due to only breifly reading this book, kept falling asleep!!!!! Can you please explain what the mantra cry is. Also, my lo has her last bottle of day before she goes to bed, she sits in my arms and always falls alseep having this, some nightes she will have 1oz other nights she will have 5oz. I have tried to give her her milk whilst she is away and she just won't have this, she has a large dinner around 6ish, as I want to start putting her in her cot awake any suggestions what to do with her last bottle of day

wake her up again? It seems a bit mean but that's what we did. I read somewhere that they panic if they wake up and are no longer in your arms where they fell asleep.

The mantra cry is i think a cry when they are falling asleep- usually not escalating in volume, not angry, no tears etc. It will be different for each baby. DS sounds a bit like a cat meiowing (sp?), accompanied by head movements from side to side, as he gets comfy in his cot (with eyes closed). If you pick up at this stage it would disturb him.