Controlled crying

Decode your baby’s cry

Before you start, spend some time learning to differentiate between your baby’s cries. Once you are confident you can recognize when your baby is crying for comfort and attention, instead of tyring to tell you he's unwell, you can begin. If a baby is looking for comfort he will often cry and pause, like he's listening for you to come, and the crying may become more angry-sounding than distressed sobbing.

• When your baby wakes, listen to him cry to make sure he is not distressed. If you're confident it is a comfort cry, wait for two minutes, then go to him and soothe him with gentle noises and a smooth of the back. Keep the room dark and don’t make eye contact. Once he is calm but before he has fallen asleep again, leave the room.
• Repeat if your baby wakes again, this time waiting for four minutes before going to him, and doubling the period each subsequent time he wakes.

Listening to your baby cry can be harrowing and upsetting, so make sure you have the support of your partner or ask a friend to stay with you while you try this technique. You should begin to see some improvement in one week, but be prepared to keep this technique up for three weeks if necessary.

Did you try controlled crying with your baby? Did it work for you? Email us or share your story in our Forum.

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