What is the chair method and how do you do it?

Last updated: October 25, 2026

Written by the Watch My Baby team. Each method's duration and steps come from its own author's book or website, and so do the age limits, except the 4-month floor for cry it out, which is ours because its author favors starting earlier. This page has not been reviewed by a physician; it is for information only and its sources are listed at the end.

The chair method is the “Sleep Lady Shuffle” created by sleep consultant Kim West. You put a chair beside your baby's crib and sit there until they fall asleep, soothing with your voice, touch or a brief pick-up when needed. Every three nights you move the chair toward the door, until you leave the room. According to its author, most families see progress within 5 to 10 nights; the program takes 2 to 3 weeks.

Age: 6 months and up (4 at the earliest)
Duration: 14–21 days
Crying: Mild
Parent: In the room, moving away

Step by step

Finish the routine. Do the bedtime routine in the same order every night and put your baby down drowsy but awake.
Sit beside the crib. For the first three nights, put the chair right next to the crib and stay until your baby is asleep. Shushing, touch and humming are all fine; if your baby gets very upset you can pick them up to calm them and put them back down, but don't hold them until they sleep.
Go back to the chair at night. If your baby wakes in the night, go back to that night's chair position and sit the same way. Use the same positions for naps.
Move away every three nights. Every three nights move the chair toward the door: to the middle of the room, then to the doorway, then to the hallway. At a new spot, don't keep getting up to go to the crib; that undoes the point of moving away.
Leave the room. Once the chair in the hallway is out of your baby's sight, keep letting them hear you; the last step is leaving altogether.
Review if nothing changes. If you see no change after two weeks, review bedtime, naps and the room setup (West 2010).

Where does the chair go?

Nights	Chair position
1–3	Right beside the crib
4–6	Middle of the room, toward the door
7–9	By the door, inside the room
10–12	Hallway, where your baby can see you
13 and after	Hallway, out of sight

The schedule follows Kim West's Sleep Lady Shuffle (West 2010). If your baby gets sick or you have to pause, you can go back a few nights and repeat the same positions.

Pros

Your baby can see you and is comforted when needed; crying is usually less than with other methods.
A gentler transition for babies with separation anxiety.
A middle way for families who want a gentler path that still gets results.

Cons

Takes longer than Ferber or cry it out; expect 2 to 3 weeks.
Some babies wake up more and want to play when they see their parent.
Sitting quietly for a long time every night can be tiring.

What does the research say?

In an Australian community study of 328 families, parents chose between controlled comforting and the chair method (camping out). Babies in the program had fewer sleep problems at 10 and 12 months, and their mothers had fewer symptoms of depression (Hiscock 2007). The difference in mothers lasted until the children turned 2 (Hiscock 2008).

When the same children were assessed again at age 6, there was no harm and no lasting benefit in emotional health, behavior or their relationship with their parents (Price 2012).

Frequently asked questions

How long does the chair method take to work?

According to Kim West, most families who stay consistent see progress within 5 to 10 nights; the program takes 2 to 3 weeks. If nothing has changed after two weeks, review the plan.

Can I touch or pick up my baby while sitting in the chair?

Yes. The method's author explicitly recommends shushing, patting, humming and picking up to calm. The one rule is not to hold your baby until they sleep: once calm, they go back in the crib.

At what age can you use the chair method?

Kim West says you can start at 4 months at the earliest and suggests waiting until around 6 months for the best results. Before 4 months she recommends a regular routine and sleep environment instead of structured training.

What if my baby climbs out of bed to come to me?

Calmly lay them back down without much talk and without making it a game. Responding the same way every time teaches them that the bed is for sleeping. If your baby can climb out of the crib, there is a risk of falling: lower the mattress to its lowest setting and talk to your pediatrician about moving to a floor bed if needed.

Other methods

Cry it out (3–4 nights)
Ferber method (3–7 days)
No tears (no-cry) (21+ days)
Pick up, put down (At least 3 days)

Compare all five methods

Follow the program night by night.

The sleep coach suggests a method and a backup for your baby in seven questions. Every night of the program you choose, with its wait times and a timer, is in the app.