Please help me and explain Pick Up / Put Down

[TattooedGrrrl]

DS2 is 8mths, and wakes around 3/4 times a night, still expecting breastfeeding to settle him, and ending up in our bed more often than not. I am exhausted to the point of seriously losing it now- i haven't had a proper nights sleep in about 2yrs, as i also have a 2yr old who wouldn't sleep through until he was 1yr old.

Controlled crying isn't an option- it would probably wake DS1 up, and i don't like the idea.

What does pick up / put down involve? Does anyone have any practical advice to offer? (I've already read The No Cry Sleep Solution, and i'm not a Gina Ford fan either)

As far as i know, it's exactly what it sounds like. You pick the baby up and comfort him till he's calm and not crying, then put him back. Then he'll probably cry again, so you pick him up again and do the same thing. I think the idea is that you're not denying him affection and comfort but he's getting the message that sooner or later he needs to go back in the cot as that's where he should sleep.

This is only what I've gleaned from threads on here though, so someone please come a long and explain it better!

Is he hungry and feeding properly or is the bf a quick suckle for comfort and back to sleep? Have you tried breaking his latch when he's falling asleep etc to try to break the feed-sleep association?

yes, i've tried breaking the latch. He feeds loads in the day, so i can't imagine he's really hungry at night.

do i stay by the cot when i've put him down, or do i leave the room?

I dont' know really, I think you stay there and perhaps pat the back etc if they're still unsettled, then leave for a few moments. Have a look at the other thread in this section on it, that might have some more info.

What does he do if you dont' feed him just cry until you do? Do you think he'd settle just being cuddled instead of feeding? That might be a starting point? IT is hard though, I really sympathise. My 14mo dd was a nightmare on and off until about Feb this yr and was brilliant, now has gone back to being a nightmare

He searches madly for my boob when picked up usually. Sometimes he'll settle for a short period with just a cuddle, but either way, he always goes down asleep.

Buy the book - really. It's worth a few quid.

Sorry, the book is "The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems".

PU/PD worked for my ds.