Using Wake To Sleep and Pick Up/Put Down for Great Baby Sleep

Learn two proven Baby Whisperer methods to help your baby sleep through naps: wake to sleep and pick up/put down. Step-by-step guide for parents dealing with 45-minute naps. How Wake To Sleep and Pick Up/Put Down can help your baby to take long naps or sleep through the night. What they are and how to use them.

Perhaps the number one concern parents have with their babies is poor sleep. There are many reasons for poor sleep and, therefore, many solutions.

Tracy Hogg, author of The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, has two different methods for teaching your baby to sleep through the nap rather than habitually waking at the 45-minute mark.

WHEN BABY WAKES EARLY

Before we discuss this, however, I want to point a few things out.

1. GROWTH SPURTS: I want to point out that if your baby has been sleeping well and is suddenly waking early, there is an excellent chance it is a growth spurt. Growth spurts happen every 3-4 weeks. Yes, I know they are tiring. Be sure to feed your baby during growth spurts as often as needed. If you don’t, the early waking will just continue on.
2. WAKING BUT HAPPY: Hogg says that if your baby wakes early every once in a while and is in bed happy, just leave her. I agree with this. For the random early waking and the happy baby, just leave her be and do your best to not stress. The random short nap is sure to happen.
3. WAKING BUT UPSET: If your baby wakes early and is upset/crying, then she didn’t get enough sleep. This is when you help her get back to sleep. Your approach to this will depend on you. Some moms do cry it out. Some will rock their baby back to sleep. Some will move to a swing our bouncy chair. Some pat the baby. Some will do a Baby Whisperer method (listed below). Whatever you do, please remember the growth spurt category (number one above). The baby can wake up upset if she is hungry, so keep that in mind. Read How to Put Baby Back to Sleep for ideas.

>>>Read: Tips To Get Baby Waking Up Happy From Naps

WAKE TO SLEEP

The first Baby Whisperer method to stop early waking is called “wake to sleep.”

Basically, what you do is wake your baby before she wakes on her own. For the 45 minute waking, you would go in and rouse her at thirty minutes.

You don’t want her to fully wake up.

You then pat her gently until she goes back to sleep, which might take 15-20 minutes. If she cries, you move on to pick up put down method (discussed below).

This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

If it sounds like something you want to try, you will probably want to read it for yourself in the book The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems (page 251). The idea of this is to get her used to sleeping through the cycle rather than continuing to habitually wake up at the 40-45 minute mark.

I accidentally did this one time with McKenna. She had a certain time she was waking at night consistently. I had friends over one night and ended up doing her dreamfeed much later than I typically had been, and it was close to the time she had been habitually waking in the night.

She skipped the habitual wake that night and every night after that. 

Wake to sleep is quite easy to try and worth a shot if you have baby consistently waking early or waking in the night anyway.

>>>Read: Baby Sleeping Through the Night: Top Tips to Make It Happen

PICK UP/PUT DOWN

The pick up/put down method can be used to help baby fall asleep initially or after she wakes early.

Hogg says that when you first start this, you might be doing it for an entire nap period. She says it is important to stick to feeding times, so if/when mealtime comes, stop the pick up/put down sequence and do the feeding.

The information on this method covers pages 251-263, so there is a lot more than I will put. Here is the info for you so you can see if you are interested.

Basically, you pick the baby up and hold him until she stops crying. Then you lay him down. If he starts to cry, you pick up, hold, wait for him to stop crying, then put him back down. You do this until he falls asleep or until it is feeding time.

This can be done for naps or for night wakings. 

Hogg says to not do this until baby is 4-5 months old because it is too stimulating before that age. She also says you can do this 100 times or more before the baby will fall asleep.

>>>Read: How To Finally Stop the 45 Minute Intruder

TROUBLESHOOTING EARLY WAKING

Let’s discuss specific solutions for common scenarios. Even with the best intentions and techniques, helping your baby sleep through naps doesn’t always go smoothly. Understanding how to adjust your approach based on specific situations can make the difference between frustration and success. Here’s how to troubleshoot the most common early waking scenarios.

When Baby Wakes at Different Time Intervals

You will have a different response to early waking depending on how early the waking was.

The 20-Minute Wake-Up

If your baby consistently wakes around the 20-minute mark, this is typically different from the classic 45-minute intruder. The 20-minute wake usually indicates one of these issues:

Overtiredness: Your baby may have been awake too long before the nap. At this early wake point, your baby hasn’t even completed one full sleep cycle yet. Check your wake windows and consider shortening them by 10-15 minutes for the next few days.

>>>Read: Optimal Waketime Length: Finding Baby Wake Windows

Environmental disruption: Something in the sleep environment may be disturbing your baby right as they transition into deeper sleep. Common culprits include sudden noises, temperature changes, or uncomfortable clothing.

Solution for 20-minute waking: Don’t use wake to sleep for this pattern, as your baby isn’t even reaching the typical sleep cycle transition. Instead:

• Review and tighten your pre-nap routine
• Ensure the sleep environment is optimal (dark, appropriate temperature, white noise)
• Shorten wake windows by 15 minutes
• When baby wakes, give them 5-10 minutes to see if they’ll resettle on their own before intervening
• If intervention is needed, try gentle patting or shushing in the crib first before picking up

The 30-35 Minute Wake-Up

This wake time sits between the early startle wake and the classic 45-minute intruder. It often signals that your baby is transitioning between sleep cycles but struggling with the shift.

Solution for 30-35 minute waking:

• Use wake to sleep, but adjust the timing to around 20-25 minutes into the nap
• This earlier intervention can help bridge your baby through the transition before they fully wake
• Be especially gentle with your rousing touch to avoid fully waking them

The Classic 45-Minute Wake-Up

This is the textbook sleep cycle transition wake. Your baby has completed one full sleep cycle and is struggling to initiate the next one.

Solution for 45-minute waking: This is the ideal scenario for both wake to sleep and pick up/put down methods as described above. Implement wake to sleep at the 30-35 minute mark, or be prepared with pick up/put down when your baby wakes.

>>>Read: How to Deal with the 45-Minute Intruder

Adjusting During Nap Transitions

Now let’s discuss how to respond when you are at a point when you need to drop different naps.

The 3-to-2 Nap Transition (Around 6-10 Months)

During this transition, early waking becomes more common because your baby’s sleep needs are shifting. Some days they need three naps, other days only two, creating inconsistency.

Signs you’re in this transition:

• Third nap becomes very short or baby refuses it
• First two naps seem shorter than usual
• Baby seems undertired or overtired at various points in the day

How to adjust your approach:

• Be more flexible with wake to sleep during this phase. Your baby’s sleep patterns are genuinely in flux, so what worked yesterday may not work today
• On two-nap days, expect the first nap to be shorter initially. Instead of treating every 45-minute wake as problematic, accept that the first nap may naturally be shorter (60-75 minutes) while the second nap lengthens
• Use pick up/put down selectively. If your baby has taken two solid naps and wakes early from a third nap, let them be done rather than pushing for more sleep they don’t need
• Consider capping naps if your baby is getting too much daytime sleep, which can cause early waking

Timeline expectations: This transition typically takes 2-4 weeks. Be patient with the process and avoid strictly applying wake to sleep during this time, as the early waking may be developmentally appropriate.

The 2-to-1 Nap Transition (Around 14-22 Months)

This is often the most challenging nap transition, and early waking becomes extremely common during this period.

What makes this transition tricky:

• The gap between two naps is too short, but one nap is too few
• Your toddler may seem exhausted by early afternoon but then the single nap happens too early and they wake too early
• Bedtime becomes complicated as you figure out the right amount of daytime sleep

How to adjust your approach:

• Temporarily abandon strict wake to sleep schedules. During this 4-6 week transition, flexibility is more important than consistency
• If your toddler wakes after 45 minutes from their single nap, this is truly problematic (unlike during the 3-to-2 transition where shorter naps were okay). Use pick up/put down or your preferred method to extend this nap
• Consider a “nap rescue” approach: if your toddler wakes at 45 minutes from their one nap, do whatever works to get them back to sleep (stroller walk, car ride, contact nap) just for this transition period
• Gradually push the single nap later by 15 minutes every few days until you reach the optimal time (usually between 12:00-1:00 PM)

Age-Specific Modifications

Here are some things to consider based on your baby’s current age.

For 3-Month-Olds

At three months, your baby is just beginning to develop more organized sleep patterns, but their sleep cycles are still maturing.

Key modifications:

• Wake to sleep: Use very gentle touches. Three-month-olds wake easily, so you need an extremely light hand
• Pick up/put down: This method is generally too stimulating for three-month-olds, as Tracy Hogg notes. If you choose to use it, expect to do more holding and less putting down. You might hold your baby until drowsy, then lay them down, rather than the strict pick-up-at-crying protocol
• Alternative approach: At this age, many parents find success with the “shush-pat” method instead. Pat your baby’s back or bottom rhythmically while shushing, keeping them in the crib rather than picking up. You can also choose a different sleep training method all together.
• Wake window precision: Three-month-olds have very narrow wake windows (usually 60-90 minutes). Being off by even 10 minutes can cause early waking, so timing is critical

Realistic expectations: At three months, one short nap per day is normal. Don’t expect all naps to be 90+ minutes.

For 5-6 Month-Olds

This is often the ideal age for implementing both wake to sleep and pick up/put down. Your baby’s sleep patterns are more established, but they’re still adaptable.

Key modifications:

• Wake to sleep: Use at the standard 30-minute mark. You can be slightly less gentle with your touch than with younger babies
• Pick up/put down: Follow the method as written. At this age, babies can typically handle the stimulation and will learn the skill of self-soothing more quickly
• Consistency is crucial: Five to six-month-olds thrive on consistency. Once you start wake to sleep, commit to doing it for at least 3-5 days before evaluating effectiveness
• Watch for rolling: If your baby has just learned to roll, early waking may spike temporarily as they practice this new skill during sleep transitions. You may need to give them extra time to work it out

Realistic expectations: At this age, you should see results from wake to sleep within 3-5 days if it’s going to work. With pick up/put down, expect the first few days to be exhausting, but improvement should come within a week.

For 8-Month-Olds

Eight-month-olds are more physically active and cognitively aware, which changes how these methods work.

Key modifications:

• Wake to sleep: Your eight-month-old may be more resistant to being roused. You might need a slightly firmer touch, or they may have developed the ability to transition through sleep cycles on their own, making wake to sleep unnecessary
• Pick up/put down becomes challenging: At this age, many babies get excited when picked up, thinking it’s playtime. Modifications include:
  • Pick up but keep your baby’s body positioned for sleep (don’t bring them to your shoulder in an alert position)
  • Keep the room very dark and boring
  • Avoid eye contact and don’t talk to your baby
  • Consider using the “pat and stay” method instead, where you pat them in the crib without picking up unless they’re very upset
• Separation awareness: Eight-month-olds are developing object permanence and may have separation anxiety. They know you’re leaving the room, which can contribute to wake-ups

Realistic expectations: At eight months, if early waking persists despite these methods, it may be time to evaluate whether schedule adjustments are needed rather than continuing to focus on sleep training techniques.

For 10-12 Month-Olds

Approaching the one-year mark, your baby’s sleep needs and patterns are changing significantly.

Key modifications:

• Wake to sleep: This method often loses effectiveness after 10 months. If you’ve been using it successfully, you may notice it stops working as your baby becomes better at either self-soothing or more resistant to your intervention
• Pick up/put down: At this age, this method can backfire. Your baby may cry harder when put down, seeing it as a game or becoming more frustrated. Consider these alternatives:
  • Stay in the room and offer verbal reassurance without picking up
  • Use a modified version where you sit next to the crib and gradually reduce your presence over several days
  • Implement a “check and console” method where you periodically check in but don’t pick up
• Schedule scrutiny: At this age, early waking is more often a schedule issue than a sleep skill issue. Before implementing any method, ensure wake windows are appropriate (usually 3-4 hours at this age)

Handling Multiple Wake-Ups in One Nap

When your baby wakes multiple times during a single nap period, it can feel particularly defeating. Here’s how to handle it:

First Wake-Up (Around 20-30 Minutes)

Action: Give your baby 3-5 minutes (or even 10!) to see if they’ll resettle independently. If not, use your chosen method (wake to sleep if you anticipated this, or gentle intervention like patting).

Why this matters: Some babies make noise during sleep transitions without fully waking. Rushing in too quickly can actually wake a baby who would have resettled on their own.

Second Wake-Up (Around 45 Minutes)

Action: This is your primary intervention point. Use pick up/put down or your preferred method more actively here.

Decision point: Ask yourself:

• Has your baby been asleep for at least 45 minutes total (even if it was broken)?
• Is your baby genuinely distressed or just fussing?
• How long until the next feeding?

If your baby has been asleep for 45 minutes cumulatively and the next feeding is in less than 30 minutes, it may be better to end the nap and adjust the schedule forward.

Third Wake-Up (Around 60-70 Minutes)

Action: If your baby wakes a third time after you’ve already intervened twice, this is usually a sign to end the nap attempt.

Why: At this point, you risk creating negative associations with the sleep space. Your baby has also been partially awake or in light sleep for much of this “nap” and won’t be well-rested anyway.

Next steps:

• End the nap and consider it a short nap day
• Shorten the next wake window to prevent overtiredness
• Make sure your baby gets a really solid next nap (you can even let baby sleep longer than usualy to make up for the short nap earlier)
• Reflect on what might have caused the disrupted nap (overtiredness, undertiredness, environmental factors, developmental leap, illness)

The 45-Minute Rule for Multiple Interventions

If you find yourself intervening every 15-20 minutes throughout a nap, limit yourself to 45 minutes of total intervention time. For example:

• 0-30 minutes: Baby sleeps
• 30 minutes: Baby wakes, you intervene for 10 minutes, baby sleeps
• 50 minutes: Baby wakes again, you intervene for 15 minutes, baby sleeps
• 75 minutes: Baby wakes again
• Decision time: You’ve now spent 25 minutes intervening. If you spend another 20 minutes, you’ll hit your limit. Consider whether it’s worth continuing or better to end the nap.

This prevents the nap from becoming more stressful than helpful for both of you.

When Pick Up/Put Down Makes Baby More Upset

For some babies and parents, pick up/put down backfires spectacularly. Here’s what to do:

Signs Pick Up/Put Down Isn’t Working

• Your baby cries harder each time you put them down
• The crying escalates rather than decreases over time
• Your baby becomes increasingly alert and activated rather than calmer
• You’ve been doing it for 30+ minutes with no improvement
• Your baby seems angry or frustrated rather than just tired

Why does this happen?

Temperament mismatch: Some babies find the repeated picking up and putting down more frustrating than soothing. Spirited or high-intensity babies often fall into this category.

Parental stress transmission: If you’re feeling increasingly stressed or frustrated, your baby senses this, which can make them more upset.

Misinterpreted readiness: Your baby may not be showing the subtle signs of readiness to be put down. If you’re putting them down while they’re still truly upset (not just drowsy), they’ll resist.

Stimulation level: For sensitive babies, any intervention is stimulating. They need complete quiet and stillness, not repeated movement.

Alternative Approaches When Pick Up/Put Down Fails

1. The “Pick Up and Really Commit” Method Instead of the quick pick-up-until-quiet protocol, hold your baby until they’re fully calm and drowsy (even if this takes 10-15 minutes). Then put them down. This reduces the number of transitions.

2. The “Minimal Intervention” Approach Stay next to the crib and use:

• Rhythmic patting
• Shushing sounds
• Placing your hand firmly on baby’s chest or back
• Only pick up if baby is extremely distressed, then put down as soon as possible

3. The “Gradual Retreat” Method

• Day 1-2: Hold your baby until drowsy, put down
• Day 3-4: Hold your baby until calm but still awake, put down
• Day 5-6: Pick up briefly to calm, put down sooner
• Day 7+: Use only verbal and touch soothing

4. The “Complete Reset” Option If pick up/put down has created a negative association:

• Take your baby out of the sleep space entirely
• Do a calming activity for 10-15 minutes (read a book, look out the window, gentle rocking)
• Start the nap routine over from the beginning
• Try a different soothing method this time

5. Consider Your Baby’s Preference Some babies are “space babies” who need you to leave them alone to sleep, while others are “contact babies” who need your presence. If pick up/put down isn’t working, experiment:

• For space babies: Try giving them more time alone to work it out, with less intervention
• For contact babies: Try staying in the room without picking up, or holding them longer before putting down

4. A more traditional method for sleep training There are many ways to sleep train. Read about 7 great options here.

When to Stop Trying Pick Up/Put Down

Give pick up/put down a fair chance (3-4 days minimum), but recognize when to move on:

• If your baby is becoming more upset with each attempt
• If naptimes are becoming battles that stress both of you
• If you’re not seeing any improvement after a week
• If your intuition tells you this isn’t right for your baby

Remember: The goal is a well-rested baby and parent, not perfectly executed techniques. If a method isn’t working, it’s not a failure on your part. It’s simply information that helps you find what does work for your unique baby.

Creating Your Personalized Troubleshooting Plan

Use these questions to develop your own approach:

1. What time is my baby waking? (This tells you which intervention timing to use)
2. How old is my baby? (This determines which modifications to apply)
3. Are we in a nap transition? (This affects whether early waking is temporary and expected)
4. How does my baby respond to intervention? (This helps you choose between methods)
5. What’s my stress tolerance? (Be honest about what you can sustain)

By matching the right solution to your specific scenario, you’ll have much greater success in helping your baby develop healthy nap habits.

CONCLUSION

These are a couple more options for you when your baby wakes early. This is great to try if you do not want to do any sort of cry it out sleep training. See Gentle Sleep Training: The Four S’s for instructions on how to do this gentle sleep training method.

RELATED POSTS

• Sleep Training Methods: 7 different ways to train baby
• The Complete Guide to Troubleshooting Short Baby Naps
• Waketime When Baby Wakes Early
• How To Calculate Waketime Length  When Baby Wakes Early
• What To Do When Baby Wakes Early From Naps or Won’t Fall Asleep for Naps

This post first appeared on this blog in December 2009