self settling without controlled crying - co-sleepers , any advice?

[DuelingFanjo]

my DS is six months and we co-sleep. I rock him to sleep and this works for us. However he will be going into a creche in a couple of months and I am worried that he doesn't self settle. Do I need to sort this out? Will the nursery leave him to cry (I am thinking not if there are other babies asleep) or will they wait until he falls asleep on the floor!

If I wanted to teach him to self settle without leaving him to cry what is the best way, or is there even any point if I am happy to carry on rocking him?

[welliesandpyjamas]

IME, six months is too early to try and make them self settle as I think they just don't get it yet. However what they can start to do is associate a place or even a blanket or otherprompt with going to sleep so you could over time reduce the rocking. How long are rocking him for?

[welliesandpyjamas]

To clarify, "six months is too early to try and make them self settle" without upsetting them unecessarily.

[antfroggirl]

Agree totally with lady - I was really worried about this with our ds but nursery patted him gently to sleep without letting him cry (and he was a nightmare sleeper at home despite cc!) AND they tell me he trots off happily to the sleep area by himself for a 2 hour nap after lunch. If they hadn't got photographic evidence I would have thought they were confusing him with another child!!! I only wish I had the parenting skills of a nursery employee

[threefeethighandrising]

I have no idea what magic the nursery / CM do but I still feed DS to sleep (he's 2.5) and wouldn't know where to start with getting him to self-settle, but his nursery and his CM (we have both, long story ) get him to sleep no problems!

If your DS likes rocking to sleep tell them, and I expect this is what they'll do.

[DuelingFanjo]

I'm back.

I can get him to sleep in less than five minutes by rocking and singing though sometimes it's longer.

Thank you for the replies, I feel better about it now :)