Gentle and fast technique that worked for us
Just wanted to post about a sleep technique that worked brilliantly for us. Though I've since been told that it's often used by non CC parents, in all my desperate looking I didn't find anything like it (until I stumbled upon it in a bookshop), so I thought I'd post about it in case it helps anyone. It involves talking your little one into a relaxed state in their cot, bed etc (it's okay for co-sleeping too), and then letting them calmly learn how to put themselves to sleep, and it works beautifully! Our (very high maintenance!) 5 month old DD just didn't know how to put herself aback to sleep after each sleep cycle, and was catnapping by 2 months, began night-waking at 4m, and by five months we were on 10-15 wake ups at night. We tried this new technique in the day first, for a week or so, and it seemed to be working, so then we tried at night too, and after 4 nights of doing this we were down to one wake-up. After one week she has been regularly waking only once a night for a feed. It has sorted out the catnapping too, because she has learnt to put herself back to sleep after each sleep cycle, and is so much happier for it. In this technique, it's your voice that does the soothing (though it takes a little while to find what works - sometimes quiet, other times not etc). At no point do you leave them to cry - if they get upset you get them up and comfort them with whatever works rocking, feeding etc - but they always go back into bed before they are asleep. You repeat this process of talking to them (and getting them up and comforting them if upset) each time they wake at night, unless they're hungry, in which case feed them, then back to bed sleepy but awake. We found that when we first put her down, if we made her laugh straight away she would calm, and after that we start saying something more quiet and rhythmic. But it's really important that they are not overtired when you try this, so its important to watch for those tired signs (roughly after 2 hours up for us). We had a small amount of crying, but actually MUCH less than we had before when she always wanted to suck our fingers to go to sleep (she would never take a dummy), and it seems this previous approach was only making her needy and upset. Now bedtime is much more fun (hard to believe!) and it sets up a lovely pattern which will eventually turn into bedtime stories. I think it works so well because you're actually setting up positive memories - there's no bad experiences that make them unhappy about going to bed. Anyway, it's been a lifesaver for us, and I just wanted to let others know about it. The author says the ideal time to do this is between 2 and 9 months, after they become more alert, and when habits are becoming established, but she also has other techniques for older babes too. It's called 'The Lull-A-Baby Sleep Plan' and is written by a Canadian paediatrician, Dr Cathryn Tobin. If you're interested its really worth getting a look at the book - which has lots more information about babies sleep cycles etc, and much more detailed advice on how to use this technique. Hope that's helpful!
