PU/PD is best used after every other method is exhausted. You AWAYS attempt other measures before moving to pu/pd.
PU/PD can be used to:
• Teach prop-dependent babies how to get to sleep on their own, during the day and at night.
• Establish a routine in older babies or re-establish one when parents have gone off course.
• Help a baby make a transition from a three-hour to a four-hour routine
• Extend too-short naps
• Encourage a baby to sleep longer in the morning when early waking is due to something the parents have done, not the baby’s natural bio-rhythms.
Pu/pd does not replace the 4S wind-down ritual, which you should continue to use. It should only be used if you’re unable to settle your baby in other ways, eg. shush/pat, as it is more a measure of last resort.
In order for pu/pd to be successful you must also look at your entire day. Your entire EASY needs to be set up for successful sleep. Is your child awake too long, not long enough? Does your child feed often enough or too often? Is your childs activity time too stimulating? Are you following the correct EASY for your child (3 versus 4 hour)? When your daytime sleep is not consistent or of good quality it can make a big impact on night time sleep. Starting during the day may be easier.
**For additional information, see The Babywhisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau, Chapter 6: Pick Up/Put Down, the section entitled, "What is P.U./P.D.?" (located near the beginning of the chapter).
