What is the pick up, put down method?
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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.
Pick up, put down is the method from Tracy Hogg's Baby Whisperer books. You pick your baby up when they cry, put them back in the crib once they are calm but before they fall asleep, and repeat until they sleep. Hogg doesn't recommend it before 4 months, because it is too stimulating for younger babies, and adapts it by age up to 1 year. Give it at least 3 days.
- Age
- 4–12 months
- Duration
- At least 3 days
- Crying
- Light
- Parent
- Beside the baby, holding
Step by step
- Watch the wake window. Put your baby down at the end of an age-appropriate wake window, before they get overtired.
- Soothe without picking up first. Put your baby down drowsy but awake. If they cry, first try to settle them with shushing and light pats.
- Pick up if the crying continues. If the crying goes on, pick your baby up and hold them until they calm down.
- Put down before sleep. The moment the crying stops, put your baby back in the crib while they are still awake. If they cry as you put them down, pick them up again.
- Repeat the cycle. Pick up and put down until your baby falls asleep. According to Hogg, on the first nights the cycle can repeat dozens of times, and over a hundred with older babies; it takes longer as babies get older.
- Hold less as they grow. Babies older than 8 months may think being picked up is a game; at that age, soothing them in the crib with shushing and touch works better. If a feed is due, stop the cycle and feed.
Pros
- Physical contact is never broken; a gentle approach.
- Crying is light.
- Works especially well with babies aged 4 to 6 months (Hogg 2005).
Cons
- Your baby may get used to settling in your arms; putting them down before sleep takes discipline.
- With mobile babies older than 8 months it can turn into a game.
- Physically tiring for parents, and not tested in a controlled study.
What does the research say?
We found no controlled study that tests this method directly; its source is the method author's books (Hogg 2001, Hogg 2005).
Frequently asked questions
At what age can you use pick up, put down?
Hogg doesn't recommend it before 4 months; picking up and putting down is too stimulating for younger babies, and she suggests shush-pat instead. It works best at 4 to 6 months and is adapted up to 1 year.
How long should I hold my baby?
Only until they are calm; put them down the moment the crying stops. The goal is not to get them to sleep in your arms but to help them settle.
How long does it take to work?
Hogg recommends sticking with it for at least 3 days and nights; sometimes it works on the first day. It takes longer as babies get older.
Can it be used for naps?
Yes. The method is used for night sleep, naps and early wakings. If a feed is due, stop the cycle and feed.
Other methods
- Chair method (14–21 days)
- Cry it out (3–4 nights)
- Ferber method (3–7 days)
- No tears (no-cry) (21+ days)
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.
Sources
- Hogg T., Blau M. (2001). Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. (Method's author)
- Hogg T., Blau M. (2005). The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems. (Method's author)