I think if you're a SAHM you get the chance to observe your child more, therefore you can pick up on their sleepy cues more easily and teach them how to sleep/resettle during the day which makes it easier for them to do it at night-time. My daughter is only eight weeks old so it is VERY early days for me but certainly having spent a lot of time with her (also because I'm virtually housebound because of a dodgy pelvis and I don't drive) I'm confident that I understand what she wants, most of the time. It's harder for her dad because he works. That doesn't make me a better parent or one that intuitively knows more because I'm her mum, just one that gets more practice at it.

I'm intending going back to work at some point but think I would definitely not be able to 'read' her as well as I do currently if we did not spend our days together.

At the moment she is sleeping very well (one night wake up, if at all) but occasionally she does decide it's party time at 3am and I have to remind myself that "well, what does it matter, I don't have to work tomorrow". There is no way I would be that calm if I did have to work. And if I had night after night of constant wake-ups I think I would be beside myself and definitely after a quick fix solution.

So whether we do gentle methods such as co-sleeping or less gentle methods such as controlled crying, at the end of the day I think most of us are after something that works as quickly as possible!