The Pick up, Put Down baby sleep training method (otherwise known as PUPD) was introduced by Tracy Hogg in her well known book, The Baby Whisperer. It works like this. Baby can’t self settle and is therefore not sleeping through the night. So mum and/or dad decide it’s time their little one learned how to fall asleep by herself. Of course baby has no idea how to do it. So when she’s put down in her cot she hollers and screams. Mum or dad then pick baby up and hold her until she stops crying. As soon as she stops crying, baby is put back down in her cot, before she falls asleep.
It can take a lot of picking up and putting down but this method is very effective. It allows mum or dad to be present in the room, comforting their child as she learns how to fall asleep by herself. And as long as it's followed through consistently, it does teach most babies how to fall asleep by themselves. Which is the first and biggest step towards a little one who sleeps through the night. If you plan to give it a try, here are some tips:
1 – It doesn’t work with all babies. Some become more and more stimulated while becoming more and more exhausted. If this seems to be the case with your little one, you may find the Return and Check sleep training method works better.
2 – It doesn’t work for all parents! Some parents love the fact that they are in the room with their baby – it reassures them that they are not abandoning their little one to the difficult task of figuring out how to fall asleep by themselves. But for others, the frustration after picking baby up for the 100th time, and possibly getting another kick in the ribs is too much. For these parents, it is sometimes easier to go in and out of the room (see the Return and Check Sleep Training Method), because this at least gives them time to calm down and get a drink or biscuit in between checks on the baby.
3 – It shouldn’t be used on a baby under 4 months. It can be way too overstimulating for a baby this age and end up causing distress. It works best on babies aged 5 months or over.
4 – Before doing any form of sleep training, including PUPD, make sure your baby is getting the right amount of sleep in the day, is well, has a good bedtime routine to wind her down for sleep.
5 – Make sure you will be able to see it through. It can sometimes take up to 2 weeks for PUPD to work so if you’re going on holiday, your baby has immunisations arranged or is starting nursery in the next two weeks, now is not the time to start. Wait until you have a clear stretch of 2 weeks ahead of you and it will be even better if you have some support from a partner, family member or friend. If you’re planning on giving this baby sleep training method a try, please let us know how it goes!
For more advice take a read of the following articles:
Baby Sleep Training - Seven Tips for Success
Baby Sleep Training - Gradual Withdrawal
Baby Sleep Training - Return and Check
The Baby Whisperer - Pick Up, Put Down (PUPD) - Frequently Asked Questions
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