What Is Controlled Crying Exactly?

[SweetSerenity]

Hey Girls,
I've read posts regarding controlled crying etc...i have honestly never heard of it. What is it exactly?? A bit curious!
Thanks girls!
Love Nat xx

[draught]

Hi Natalie
Controlled crying is a method of teaching your baby to sleep without any "props" like breastfeeding, dummy, patting, rocking, wrapping, etc. The principle behind it is that you leave baby for increasing periods of time before going in to comfort baby - so you put baby down and leave them for 2 1/2 minutes, then comfort them, then leave for 5 mintues, then comfort, then 7 1/2 mintues, then comfort, etc. The idea is that baby will cry (unless you are lucky and have a baby who puts themself to sleep without crying or props), but not for long periods of time without comfort, so they won't feel abandoned etc.

It is not recommended that you use it until they are over 6 months old. There are various critics of the method who make all sorts of claims against it, but there are also many parents who have happy sleeping children who are glad they knew about it when nothing else was working. There are a few books on it including a very useful one by Dr Richard Ferber which addresses various sleep problems for babies and toddlers (and when I remember the name I will post it!)

[SweetSerenity]

So when you say comfort, do you mean you can hold them and rock them, or whats the recommended thing to do??
I wouldl ike to try it as Peter STILL isn't sleeping through and we just seem to be gettign worse, and yet even when theres no teeth coming, he still sleeps shocking.
So i'm interested in trying it.
Love Nat

[draught]

There are lots of different pieces of advice out there on this one. Do you have access to a library? If so then I am pretty sure that the Ferber book is "Solving your child's sleep problems". Robin Barker's book "baby Love' has a good description of it too.

There are several keys to it being a success (and I should note here that I am not giving you a complete "how to" guide just some pointers - gee I do sound like the lawyer that I am don't I?). The first one is to plan how you are going to do it. Some of the books say that the comfort should just be a touch on the cheek to let your child know that you are there, while others suggest patting them until they are calm, Robin Barker explains that if you pick them up and comfort them that is what they will require in order to go to sleep. What we have always done is a short period of patting until the crying calms a bit, then leave again.

The second big tip is consistency - whatever you decide is going to be your putting to sleep routine/method whatever - be consistent so that baby knows what to expect.

And the third is to be calm. And if you can't handle hearing your baby cry or think they are getting too distressed and you decide that this method is not for you - don't beat yourself up! I would recommend reading a bit before you decide what to do so that you go in well prepared and know what to expect.

If you want to know more PM me and when I have time (probably tomorrow) I can put more info in a PM from Baby Love.

[rynosmum]

Hi Nat,

We used this with Ryan and it worked a treat. Within a week, he was putting himself to sleep easily and sleeping much longer periods because he finally knew how to put himself back to sleep without my holding him or rocking him.

He adapted very well to it although on the first night, we had about half an hour or so of crying (and then about another hour of me crying) so you have to be consistent with it.

Theresa has explained it well - the same as how we did it.

Katrina

[jarrahsmumma]

hey nat,
other nat here :) i personally didnt' like CC for Jarrah, but i also tried just putting him on his side and patting him bottom and signing to him. He would often cry for a little bit, but i felt better cause i was there with him. We have never had any major sleep problems with him. When he is not sick or teething he is a 7-6am boy.

after about 6 months Jarrah could roll himself over and didn't like this way of being put to sleep, now i just hold him and sing to him, or he falls asleep having his last feed. Still now we have no major problems. He has two sleeps a day or about 2 hrs and sleeps through most nights.

i would suggest reading up on all methods before you choose..check out http://forums.naturalparenting.com.au/ for some alternative sleep/settling ideas

ultimatley you do what is right for you, bugger what other people say, do what you feel is best for Peter and best for you too:)