Any success with Pick up Put Down?

[MooMaa83]

Just that really.... we need to do something about our current situation (no anti sleep training comments please). My only concern is that it might be a bit overstimulating, so am thinking we might wait 2 mins before picking up again? Interested in experiences. TIA

I did a version of this almost from birth basically, almost no crying but got DD used to sleeping in her cot rather than on us from the get go

Big fan, worked well for us. I would do wake windows, watch for sleepy cues, swaddle her, white noise, then lay her down when she seemed sleepy. If she cried / grumbled heavily, I’d give her 30 secs or so of shushing and patting, then if not, pick her up, sway and shush then pop her down again. Repeat until asleep. Was great.

I think it would take longer with an older child though so would do something else if they are over 6 months-1 year.

I wish i had started earlier really! My lo is 6.5 months....I read somewhere tonight that pick up put down is not that effective for over 6 month olds. I'm thinking now we May need to consider a different approach. 🤔

There really is no magic solutions. I think it's about the child's temperament etc more than a technique

PU PD is something I tried but looking back it must be confusing for the child.

We had loads of success with this plus parental presence when he was seven months. Not sure if there’s a special name
for it but we’d put him down, stay and soothe for up to six mins, then pick up and comfort, put down again. Keep trying for max 30 mins then feed to sleep. Try again next wake-up. We did it for first three wakeups on the first night and on the fourth he got it. Now sleeps 7-3, goes back to sleep with a feed. Still difficult sleep from 5am onwards. So as pp said I think it depends on temperament. Others I know who used the method took about 6 weeks. But we had tons of success.

My 6mo DS found PUPD method too stimulating and just screamed harder and harder to be picked up again and again.

We've since switched to Lucy Wolfe's Stay and Support method which works for us. It "allows" all sorts of distraction techniques to be used to bring down the crying wakes as he falls asleep, recommends picking up only every 20-30 mins if needed, and a lot of other tidbits. I'd recommend downloading her book from Audible or buying the hard copy. We're 2 weeks in and have had vast improvement in DD's sleep, albeit still ups and downs.

Thanks for replying....I actually agree PUPD may overstimulate. I actually have that book, and will have another look. If I try and settle DD in her cot she goes ballistic, but I will take another look at that approach.

We did controlled crying with our other child at 6 months and that worked brilliantly too, she was sleeping through within a few nights

I don't mean to say it won't work, all babies are different. Just it didn't work for us, despite my researching and best intentions for DS. He just had other ideas! So I thought I'd provide an alternative rather than a straight forward no to your OP. Good luck :)

We did it at 9 months on the HV advice and DD went from waking every 90mins to sleeping through in 2 days. It changed my life and i actually felt like a human again. It worked for us and i won't be waiting until 9 months if we have a #2.

So I can't believe I'm writing this....but tonight DD had actually gone to sleep by herself, in her cot!! This has never happened...no crying, put down wide awake just rolled over and gone to sleep. After 6 months of sleep hell I can't believe it. The only difference is that we have moved her into her own room and she is in the big cot instead of the next to me. I have been focusing a bit more the last couple of weeks on putting her down before she is in a deep sleep and resettling in her cot, but it has not been successful at all....hence earlier post. I'm wondering if this is just a fluke....interested to see how the night goes now as usually she is awake around 9.30 and won't go back in her own cot- we usually co sleep then. I don't know what to do with myself now! 😆

We went to do controlled crying with our DD and on the first night put her in her cot…. She went straight to sleep! We couldn’t believe it, no crying at all.

I think some babies are massively over stimulated by all the rocking / feeding / messing around and just want to be left to go to sleep.

good for yoj op, long may it last!

Do you think they sense some sleep training is coming @Pyri ? 😆. Do you remember if that was it for you from then on....or was it up and down?

@MooMaa83 hello, interested to know how this went for you in the end? x

Hi. In the end it was a bit overstimulating and I think frustrated her further. She's nearly 18 months now and sleep is still not great tbh, but we're down to 1 wake up a night which is manageable. She will only settle with milk, which is our next hurdle to tackle! Sleep's been a bit of a rollercoaster and we haven't really found an approach that has helped....I know CIO or CC methods are not for us. We have focused on consistent routine, lots of fresh air and good food during the day. And also encouraged independent sleep as much as we can, but provided help and comfort if she becomes too distressed. I'm not sure that's helpful...sorry! I know the approach works for some, and babies are so different it may be worth a try. Good luck

@MooMaa83 I hope things get better for you.

Was/is your baby a 'high needs' baby? My baby has 'high needs' baby traits so I'm also apprehensive about whether or not it would work for us. May give it a go in a few weeks but don't want to further distress her if she's already anxious. X

Yes definitely a 'high needs baby', wouldn't sleep anywhere but our chests for the first 8 weeks etc...very different from my other children. We've just gone with our instincts on what is right for her and our family rather than any particular sleep training method. Hope you find something that works.