I don't know if this has been said before but it just occurred to me that small babies rely on their sense of smell to know their mother and of course their hearing.
So I was thinking that it might help if their cot smelled of their mother instead of smelling like new cot, new sheets etc. So I thought that it might be a good idea for people with babies who have trouble sleeping in their cots if the mum wraps the sheet around her body for a few hours if possible - I know that sounds a bit mental- so that it smells of her and anything else near the cot if possible.
Then I went on to think it might help if the mum records herself talking softly and soothingly or even singing and play that in the baby's room when it goes to bed.

I think thats really worth trying!

i used to put a soft toy under my top (next to me skin and near to my breasts) and give that to my babies so that baby would think they were snuggling into me

I slept with dd's teddy for weeks before she was born.
In a fit of desperation one night I put my (well worn) t-shirt over her instead of blanket and yes it worked a treat. (prob knocked the poor kid out with the smell!!!)

Ha! Ds was never fooled. He liked to sleep with his head in my armpit.

OR you could sleep with your baby
that way they get to smell you all the time and also hear your breathing and feel your presence
very calming and soothing for babies

Would have loved to Franny, but I have to sleep entombed in the duvet else I cannot sleep (not terribly safe for baby ) I also think my mega snoring would have kept the poor loves awake!!

I slept under a duvet, with ds beside me not under the duvet

I don't think snoring disturbs tiny ones - now dps are another matter

Oh well too late now anyway they're 2 and 3 yrs old. And not getting in bed with me (fidgety little blighters!!)

no, sleeping with a 2 year old is a fidgety business I agree

quite nice though

We all have a pile in on a Sunday morning Me, DH , the gruesome twosome . . . . cuddles for 5 mins then turns into bouncing, stealing stuff from bedside tables . . . . first 5 mins is lovely though.

I used to enjoy early morning cuddles with my 5 y o (well I enjoyed the cuddle part, not the being woken part) but now, since we have asked him to wait until a certain time before coming in, he is always wide awake and does the bouncing thing
ah well, will have another baby to wake me up cuddle soon

It is a good idea. I always used a sheet that had been on the cot for a couple of days when ever I used a travel cot so it smelled familiar.