Hi Cheryl - that is funny that you ask that...
No, I've never done controlled crying, at this point (and I know that things change the more desperate you become) I'm opposed to it, that is I'm not into the idea at all. I know that there are degrees of it, like some centres here advocate, 3 mins crying (you out the room), 3 minutes hands-on settling, and so on. But I would NEVER let him cry himself to sleep (that's just me, I know it suits some Mums). I've heard of some bubs crying for 30 minutes or so...alone, and that makes me sad to hear. But, better be careful here, don't want to offend anyone.
The reason it's funny you asked is because today he got up at 5.50am. I tried to leave him there for as long as I could be he got cranky so I got him up at 6am, fed him, then asked my husband to take him out so I could get an hour's kip. Anyway, they came back in at 7.30, Oscar was nodding off on Mark's shoulder, so he put him down and he closed his eyes and went to sleep (ha ha...yeah right!), anyway, Mark left and I stayed trying to get some more sleep. Sure enough, 5 or so minutes later, Oscar starts squirming and grunting and I know he's going to wake up. He does this for about 10 mins then does a big poo! I still pretend to be asleep (he hasn't seen me yet) and he wakes up, grizzles, then lies there for about 20 minutes, chatting and looking his fingers etc. He started to get bored, then whinge, then cry so I picked him up. He's still up now, happy and not very tired-looking.
So.........a long answer to your question! Sorry!
Another bad night....
Bed at 8.00pm (late because we had an evil afternoon session that went on for an hour or so)
Woke up at 9.00pm, back to sleep 9.30
I woke him up at 10.30pm for dream feed, back to sleep at 11.15pm (I don't know why these are called dream feeds for breast fed babies as he wakes as soon as I pick him up, then he needs a nappy change, then I need to burp him so the whole process takes ages!)
Then he woke at 2.30, I fed him (i always feed him once during the night)
Then he woke at 4.00am - and wanted to PLAY again - I had to do pu/pd for about about 20 minutes. Sleep at 4.40am
Awake at 6.00. Yay! What a lovely night....not!
Why do you ask about controlled crying? xx