Understanding the Pick Up Put Down Method in Depth The core concept of this method revolves around picking up your baby when they cry or exhibit signs of distress, comforting and calming them down, and subsequently putting them back down in their crib once they have settled.
Pick Up, Put Down is a sleep training method where in which you leave your baby in their crib at bedtime; if they fuss, you wait a specific interval of time and then go in to briefly reassure them. Once they calm down, you leave again – if your baby cries again, you repeat the process until they settle for the night.
Does the pick up, put down method work? Yes, with enough practice and patience, the pick up, put down method can teach your baby that it's time to hit the hay. This process can be draining, however, as you're on deck all the time and it involves a considerable time investment of several weeks or longer.
Pick up, put down technique at four-months-old
In between each pick up, put down, try and soothe them with a 'shush/ pat' in their cot. If the shush-pat doesn't work, pick them up again. Put your little one down the moment they stop crying, start to settle or once you have held them for a maximum of five minutes.
Pick-up/put-down method
The pick-up, put-down method of sleep training is a no-cry sleep training method. Simply pick up your baby whenever they cry, soothe them briefly, then put them back down, drowsy but awake. Repeat these steps until the little one falls asleep.
Try not to stress if baby will only sleep when held. Remember, this stage with your little one is fleeting, so there's really nothing wrong with slowing down the pace of life, clearing your schedule and snuggling down. Most parents can agree that these aren't moments they'll regret.
The Ferber Method is best for easy-going babies that go with the flow and parents who can be consistent in waiting out the necessary intervals. Parents who want to ease their way into habit change with little protesting might find the Pick-up/Put-down method to be the best.
Young infants need comfort, so if your newborn is crying all night, it's probably because they need you! But as your baby gets older, wait just a minute or two before going to them—or poke your head into the room rather than picking them up. Slowly, they'll begin to develop some self-soothing habits.
Here's how it works: Walk your baby for a minimum of five minutes with no sudden movements, at which time the little one will be calm, if not asleep, according to the study. Then sit and hold baby for another eight minutes before making a gentle crib transfer.
“If you don't want to let them nap on you for the long haul, gradually backing out of it earlier—starting at three months—is ideal.” Getting your baby to transition from napping on their favourite human to sleeping soundly in their own bed isn't easy, but a few tried-and-true tricks can help.
Pick-Up Put-Down Technique
Basically you give your baby a cuddle, say it's time to sleep, then put her in her cot. Then if she grizzles or cries, you pick her up and help her calm down. Then put baby back into bed calm and awake, and have another try to settle in bed. Repeat until baby is calm in bed and falls asleep.
4.5-5.5 Months. Most experts recommend sleep training around this time, when babies can make it 6 to 8 hours without feeding overnight. But keep in mind that your little one is learning that crying gets a response from you—so expect plenty of waterworks when you leave the room!
Ferber Sleep Training Method FAQs
However, children tend to be more persistent in their cries if they're really hungry. If you've attempted to cut out a night feeding for a week and your child continues to cry for long periods, this can be an indication that your child is hungry and still needs this night feeding.
He says for most methods of extinction-based sleep training, including the Ferber method, babies usually cry the hardest on the second or third night.
If your baby doesn't fall asleep after an hour or more of check-ins, you can extend the time between check-ins to whatever interval of time still feels comfortable for you. For example, on the first night you can start checking in every 15 minutes (or more).
The PUPD method works just the way it sounds: when it's time to sleep, and your baby is fussing or crying in his crib or bassinet, you pick him up and comfort him until he's calm and drowsy. Then, you put him back in his crib to sleep, repeating this cycle until your baby is finally asleep.
When initially falling asleep, it's very common for a baby to take 20 minutes to reach deep sleep. If your baby wakes 5-20 minutes after initially falling asleep, it's likely because she did not reach a deep sleep. Don't mistake this for the baby not being tired.
A false start is when a baby fell asleep at bedtime but was unable to connect their sleep cycles. This causes a wake up. This wake up happens most commonly between 30-45 minutes after falling asleep. This is typically the time they are transitioning into their next sleep cycle.
Some things like cuddling or holding your baby until they fall asleep might be difficult to keep doing for the long term, as it may create a negative sleep association for your baby. They may then only be able to fall asleep if you cuddle or hold them.
Others, however, argue that picking a baby up reinforces crying, and that parents should leave the child. Now researchers say they have found that leaving infants to cry has no impact on their behavioural development or their attachment to their mother, but may help them develop self-control.
It's OK to let your baby cry if the baby doesn't seem sick and you've tried everything to soothe your baby. You can try to leave your baby alone in a safe place, such as a crib, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Many babies need to cry before they can fall asleep. And they'll nod off faster if you leave them to cry.
Is the cry it out method harmful or safe for babies? There are no data to support that the cry it out method is harmful in the short term or long term. On the contrary, a 2020 study found that babies who were sleep trained using a graduated extinction method showed increased security and attachment after the program.