Checking Routine (otherwise known a controlled crying, or the check and leave method)

This method, advocated by numerous child psychologists for babies 6 months and over, has worked for many parents. 

Ensure that both parents and baby are well. Give yourself 2 clear weeks when you are not going out in the evening or going away.

·         Babies and children benefit from a routine, especially at bedtime. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Make sure there is a good ‘winding down’ period: quiet games, stories and a relaxing bath.

·         Put baby to bed awake, tuck him/her in, say ‘goodnight’ and leave the room. Make sure baby has its usual comfort objects with him/her before you go.

·         When baby cries, leave him/her for a set time, (5-10 mins perhaps), then go back, ‘check’, tuck baby back in, make some shhing noises and a key phrase like ‘go back to sleep now’. Do not pick baby up. Do this until baby goes to sleep; some parents leave the period of time between checking a little longer each time.

·         If your baby gets up, return him/her gently but firmly to bed. Ensure baby knows you mean business and that you are not going to give in. It may help to use the same repetitive phrase and tone of voice every time you go in to ‘check’ your child.

·         Do not give drinks (unless the weather is exceptionally hot), cuddles or stories as this can be interpreted as a ‘reward’ for not going to sleep.

·         Be determined. If you give in now baby will try much harder the next time; as he/she has learnt that you give in eventually.

·         If baby wakes in the night, do exactly the same as before. Go back as many times as is necessary to ‘check’. In this way, you and baby know that everything is OK.

·         Be consistent. If you have the support of a partner, make sure you work together.

·         Be prepared for a battle of wills, your baby will resist but you should get results within a few days.  Remember no-one likes a change to their sleeping arrangements and it is natural for the baby to protest.. Tell your neighbours what you are going to do if you think the crying may alarm them, and discuss it with the health visitor. (adapted from advice from Crysis).

Notes on this method A couple of health warnings with this method. It is not for the faint-hearted. It does generally work (often sooner than you think) but both parents must be completely committed. What you hope to achieve with consistency and determination is that  your baby quickly gets the message and gives up and sleeps. The worst case scenario is to do the leave and check routine for 40 minutes then pick the baby up or feed them, this give the baby the message that as long as they cry for long enough and hard enough they will get what they want. Next time will be a lot harder….

Also, although for many babies one dose of sleep training is enough, some babies stick to the sleep rules until there’s an upset, a cold, or a move and then you have to repeat the process.

For more information

www.sleepsense.net/blog/category/feeding - good video blog from sleep sense trainer Dana Obleman

www.babysleepanswers.co.uk/Forum/Topic.aspx?topic=2342 to see an example of sleep coach helping a mother with this technique.

The complete sleep guide by Gina Ford, explains how baby’s sleep and how the method works in detail.