the crib is close to the door, you should skip to the next chair position and sit by the door in her room .) Continue the soothing sounds, but stay in the chair as much as you can. Get up to pat or stroke your baby a little if necessary, or make the same soothing sounds as you have the past three nights. Try not to pick her up unless she’s hysterical. Stay in the chair halfway to the door until she falls asleep.
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair position you were in at bedtime that night and sooth her. You can go over to her cribside initially and quickly calm, caress, and encourage her to lie down (if she’s standing or sitting) before you return to your chair by the door. Continue the soothing sounds but stay in the chair as much as you can. Get up to pat or stroke her a little if necessary. Try not to pick her up unless she’s hysterical, and if you do pick her up, follow the technique I described for the first three nights. Stay in your chair by the door until she’s asleep again.
NIGHTS FOUR THROUGH SIX REMINDERS
• There are still night awakenings, but you will have to move your chair halfway to the door on the fourth night.
• Keep a sleep log.
• Put your child into the crib drowsy but awake.
• You may get out of your chair and go to the crib to comfort your child if she becomes hysterical.
• Be careful about an older child’s efforts to get you to come to her—like throwing things out of her crib. Set a limit, such as “Lie down, sweetie, and Mommy will get you your binky. But you must lie down.” You may also have to limit how many times you will return it. Follow through on whatever you say.
• It’s common to see a regression the first night you move your chair farther away.
• Children get ritualized easily. Make changes every three days. Dragging it out makes it harder, not easier, for your baby. Give it more than three days and she’ll expect you to stay exactly where you are—and get mad or upset when you try to double that distance.
Night four may be the hardest of these three nights. Stay the course!
Nights Seven through Nine
Move the chair to the doorway or the doorjamb inside her room . You should be dimly lit but still in her view. Continue the same soothing techniques from your chair, remembering to intervene as little as possible. Don’t worry if she cries a little bit; keep quietly reassuring her. She’ll know you’re there, and she’ll fall asleep.
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair position you were in at bedtime that night and sooth her. You can go over to the cribside initially and quickly calm and caress her, and then encourage her to lie down (if she’s standing or sitting) before you return to your chair by the door. Continue the soothing sounds but stay in the chair as much as you can. Get up to pat or stroke her a little, if necessary. Try not to pick her up unless she’s hysterical, and if you do pick her up, follow the technique I described for the first three nights. Stay in your chair by the door until she falls back to sleep.
NIGHTS SEVEN THROUGH NINE REMINDERS
• On night seven you will move your chair to the door inside the room.
• If you have decided to keep bumpers on your crib, it’s okay to fold back one side of the bumper so your child can see you.
• Use your voice to reassure her.
• Keep a sleep log.
• You may get out of your chair and go to the crib to comfort your child if she becomes hysterical.
• For all nighttime awakenings, you can go to the cribside initially, see what your baby needs, encourage her to lie down, reassure her, and then go back to your chair by the door.
Nights Ten through Twelve
Move the chair to the hallway, with the door open enough so your child can still see you from the crib . The hall should be dimly lit. Stay until she falls asleep.
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair position you were in at bedtime that night and sooth her. You can go over to her cribside initially and quickly calm, caress, and encourage her to lie down (if she’s standing or sitting) before you return to your chair by the door. Continue the soothing sounds but stay in the chair as much as you can. Get up to pat or stroke her a little if necessary. Try not to pick her up unless she’s hysterical, and if you do pick her up, follow the technique I described for the first three nights. Stay in your chair by the door until she’s asleep again.
NIGHTS FOUR THROUGH SIX REMINDERS
• There are still night awakenings, but you will have to move your chair halfway to the door on the fourth night.
• Keep a sleep log.
• Put your child into the crib drowsy but awake.
• You may get out of your chair and go to the crib to comfort your child if she becomes hysterical.
• Be careful about an older child’s efforts to get you to come to her—like throwing things out of her crib. Set a limit, such as “Lie down, sweetie, and Mommy will get you your binky. But you must lie down.” You may also have to limit how many times you will return it. Follow through on whatever you say.
• It’s common to see a regression the first night you move your chair farther away.
• Children get ritualized easily. Make changes every three days. Dragging it out makes it harder, not easier, for your baby. Give it more than three days and she’ll expect you to stay exactly where you are—and get mad or upset when you try to double that distance.
Night four may be the hardest of these three nights. Stay the course!
Nights Seven through Nine
Move the chair to the doorway or the doorjamb inside her room . You should be dimly lit but still in her view. Continue the same soothing techniques from your chair, remembering to intervene as little as possible. Don’t worry if she cries a little bit; keep quietly reassuring her. She’ll know you’re there, and she’ll fall asleep.
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair position you were in at bedtime that night and sooth her. You can go over to the cribside initially and quickly calm and caress her, and then encourage her to lie down (if she’s standing or sitting) before you return to your chair by the door. Continue the soothing sounds but stay in the chair as much as you can. Get up to pat or stroke her a little, if necessary. Try not to pick her up unless she’s hysterical, and if you do pick her up, follow the technique I described for the first three nights. Stay in your chair by the door until she falls back to sleep.
NIGHTS SEVEN THROUGH NINE REMINDERS
• On night seven you will move your chair to the door inside the room.
• If you have decided to keep bumpers on your crib, it’s okay to fold back one side of the bumper so your child can see you.
• Use your voice to reassure her.
• Keep a sleep log.
• You may get out of your chair and go to the crib to comfort your child if she becomes hysterical.
• For all nighttime awakenings, you can go to the cribside initially, see what your baby needs, encourage her to lie down, reassure her, and then go back to your chair by the door.
Nights Ten through Twelve
Move the chair to the hallway, with the door open enough so your child can still see you from the crib . The hall should be dimly lit. Stay until she falls asleep.
When your child wakes up during the night, return to the chair
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