An alternative pat/shh technique that worked miracles for me!

[j9mchn]

I just thought I'd share a technique that I've been using for almost a week which is working miracles!  This is from a New Zealand lady called Sharlene Poole- I hope I'm not out of place sharing this on this site.  Over the last few weeks I've posted a couple of questions whereby I felt like I was patt/shhing constantly and another where I didn't know how to move from this into independent sleep.  It must have been working as a few weeks ago my now 8 week old went down by himself for a couple of days - but then he reverted and I was out of my head with dissapointment.  Anyway I tried this technique and from the first time it worked - I couldn't believe it, but its kept on working so it wasn't a fluke.

Here it is:
Wind down your little one with the 4-S's then put them in the crib.  Give them a kiss and leave the room.   If they fuss/cry wait until it is a consistent cry (ie not a mantra/settling themselves in cry) go into the room with a confident Shhhhhhhh while in there crib put one hand on their shoulder and one on there bum.  Instead of patting on the back you sort of push on their bum (apparently this can also help get some excess wind up also) and Shh in time with the bum push - so Sh-sh-sh-sh.  Once they start to settle (for my little one within a minute!), slow down the pat and move to a more consistent shhh.  Quickly lower the volume of the shhhh and stop patting.  Slowly move your hands off them and walk out of the room!  So basically you're just settling - you're not sticking around until they're totally asleep.

For me anyway, I usually only need to enter the room 1-2 times and if I need more there is generally another problem eg wind.  Wind has been a big problem for us - so don't discount it.  Lucky he usually settles within minutes - a darn site better than the 20-40 minutes I was spending in the room before.

I hope this helps some people - would love to hear any feedback

[Mum of PA]

Hi there

I just wanted to say that I went to Sharlene Poole for advice about our then 5 week olds naps and she provided us with this settling technique as well.  We have had great success with it.  My now 8 week old DS goes down for his naps well and if he does wake after 45 minutes I use this technique to settle him.  Nine times out of 10 he will go back to sleep for at least another 45 minutes if not longer after 1 or 2 attemps at settling.  It has been my life saver!

 

[*Jo*]

thanks for sharing that ladies, i had seen about Sharlene Poole on 60 mins and thought her techniques were quite similar to Tracy's, Im glad that you have found something that works for your LO, we also did a varied form of shh/pat that we altered to adapt our little one, so as long as its in keeping with not leaving them to cry and is teaching them to self soothe then its all good

[j9mchn]

My lo is just turned 9 weeks - you've met Sharelene?  Lucky thing!

Oh I would never advocate letting them cry - even if the research regarding CIO is controvercial I think whats a few months of my life compared to there entire life!  But even with my second LO I found it hard to decipher the mantra cry - but waiting for a "consistent" cry seems to be a way for me to decipher the difference  

I've been an avid Tracey Hogg reader from the begginning with my now 2 1/2 year old and agree that Sharlene's methods are pretty similar - in fact when I first saw her I thought she must have got her info from Tracey   But this settling method definitely an alternative that works for my lo anyway.

[Brooklyn_Mommy]

Wind down your little one with the 4-S's then put them in the crib.  Give them a kiss and leave the room.   If they fuss/cry wait until it is a consistent cry (ie not a mantra/settling themselves in cry) go into the room with a confident Shhhhhhhh while in there crib put one hand on their shoulder and one on there bum.  Instead of patting on the back you sort of push on their bum (apparently this can also help get some excess wind up also) and Shh in time with the bum push - so Sh-sh-sh-sh.  Once they start to settle (for my little one within a minute!), slow down the pat and move to a more consistent shhh.  Quickly lower the volume of the shhhh and stop patting.  Slowly move your hands off them and walk out of the room!  So basically you're just settling - you're not sticking around until they're totally asleep.

This may be a stupid question but what position is your LO in when you do this? Lying on his/her side? Back? Tummy? It seems to make the most sense with the baby on his/her tummy but I know no one really does that anymore.

Anyone know of a video that we can see outside NZ? Anyone care to put one on YouTube??

[j9mchn]

My little one lies on his tummy but it is demonstrated on NZ video on their sides.  Don't think it would work on their back.
Perhaps I should get my husband to video me settling and put it on YouTube!

[caseyg]

Lo sleeps on her back so when we shush pat her we put one hand on her shoulder/chest and patted on the side of her thigh up near her bum...seemed to work a treat.

[meit]

Hello, my 13 week old was doing quite well with the shh-pat initially. He's been a terror at sleep time since he was born but at 8 or 9 weeks (I only started BW at 6 weeks and even then it's a very, very flexible schedule), we had a breakthrough and he was able to settle himself to sleep with a bit of mantra crying for most naps and for his bedtime too. But a couple of weeks ago, everything regressed (might be because I started introducing dummy to extend his nap and he got a bit hooked). So I decided to go back to step 1 of shh-patting until he fell asleep.. I had to use a bit of pu/pd as well. He's now able to settle himself most times now except for the evening (still not sure what the problem is with that). Anyhooow, he couldn't quite settle this morning so I gave Sharleen's technique a try and he settled within the minute!! I was amazed!! Most times once he gets worked up, it can take up to an hour to finally settle him. Will definitely be trying this in the evening as that's his most unsettled time and will see if this works..

I actually live in Auckland and have contemplated renting Sharleen's DVD to see her settling technique. I might just do that now just to get a better idea of what she does here. Thanks for posting this.. fingers crossed that it does work well tonight...

[lynners]

Just posting my spot in case someone finds a video of this.  Would love to see it in action.

[j9mchn]

Thanks for posting your success.  I was astounded when I used it the first time too - even though its only a slight variation on the other patt/shh!  Good luck with tonight.

I did actually video me doing it yesterday but it was too dark.  Will try and get one done with curtains open today!

[jordiwes]

Would love to see the video too. Can't picture the bum pushing.

[pixelbox]

Bump!
does anyone have videos or pictures showing Poole's sleep settling technique?

[scucci1979]

I too would love to see a video.

[baba-gaga]

How do you bat the LO's bottom when they are laying on their back in thier crib?

[fc12]

Is it possible to get a better description of the 'bum pat/push'? Is it a push/pat combination?