Pick Up Put Down Method

What Is Pick Up Put Down?

Popularized by Tracy Hogg in "The Baby Whisperer," Pick Up Put Down (PUPD) is a highly responsive method. When your baby cries, you pick them up and hold them until they stop crying and relax. As soon as they are calm (but still awake), you put them back down. If they cry again, you repeat. The goal is for your baby to learn that the crib is a safe place and that they can settle in it.

How to Do PUPD

• Complete your bedtime routine and place your baby in the crib awake.
• If your baby fusses but isn't crying, wait. Give them a chance to settle independently.
• If crying escalates, pick your baby up and hold them until they stop crying and their body relaxes.
• As soon as they are calm — before they fall asleep in your arms — put them back down.
• If they cry again upon being placed down, wait 30-60 seconds, then pick up again.
• Repeat as many times as needed until your baby falls asleep in the crib.

What Counts as "Calm Enough" to Put Down

Your baby doesn't need to be completely silent or drowsy. Look for: body relaxation (limbs go limp rather than rigid), crying stops or shifts to mild fussing, a brief pause or sigh. Put them down during that calm window. If they startle and cry on the way down, that's okay. Complete the put-down and wait before picking up again.

Best Age Range

PUPD works best for babies between 4 and 8 months. Younger babies may not have enough body control for the repeated transitions. Older babies (9+ months) often find the constant picking up and putting down stimulating rather than calming, and may resist or protest more. For older babies, consider the Chair method or Ferber instead.