How do you 'encourage' a baby to fall asleep?!

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

Everywhere I read about encouraging your baby to fall asleep without bf, rocking etc.
DS is 10 weeks old and has always fallen asleep at the breast. Sometimes he'll sleep in the pram or car but recently he just won't sleep (or falls asleep but wakes within minutes)
Please does anyone have any advice??
Please?!

[Mumof3xx]

I always tried to put mine down awake when little. However I didn't bf so I don't know if this would affect this with cluster feeding and the likes

[worldgonecrazy]

My DD loved copying, so I used to lay down beside her and shut my eyes.

[Only1scoop]

I always looked for the little signs and put her down awake for her naps in the first couple of months before routine was established.

[gingercat2]

I have bf two kids and am happy with feeding to sleep. But I also find putting them in a wrap (baby wearing) puts bub to sleep, and also holding her on my lap when I'm sitting on the swing in the garden.

[bishboschone]

Music !! Mine both were out down awake and had music to help them sleep. My son has a scout bear which he loves .. He is asleep in minutes

[Jeggie]

Bf to sleep. Or of I'm out dh cuddles her to sleep. She's 2. It's nice, not the chore it is portrayed!

My top tip is wait til they are tired. Spent many a frustrated hour bfing at bed time waiting and I later realised better to just wait til she was really tired as then it's easy. Not all children are ready to sleep at 7pm!

[Jeggie]

Just realised you are talking about a 10w old - misread as 10m. In that case, do whatever works but I would add.... Your baby is very young and things will change so much and so many times.. And they are all different. Try not to worry about "bad" habits - they either grow out of them or you can break them if need be at a later point, no need to make your life harder at this point. I personally much prefer bf to sleep to driving around or pushing a buggy about. So much easier. Slings are nice too if you struggle to put down without lo waking up.

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

He sleeps well in the sling, but I want to be able to put him down so I can play with dd who is getting left out
If I put him down sleepy he just cries and wakes up. Tried white noise aps. Rocking in pram. Cuddles.
Usually fine at night, bf to sleep around 8 ish, waking for 2-3 feeds during night but going straight back to sleep in cot after
Yesterday he slept for about 1/2 hour in total then awake every hour from 9 pm til 3.30 and pretty much awake since then! Came downstairs at 6 am full of smiles and cooing at me. Just feeding now as he started getting cranky and he's just about asleep: what now?!

[Sid77]

Feed! Mine is 5 months and will fall asleep I n the car or while feeding. Putting him down when tired doesn't work as he just cries, and cries, and cries - and cries. Just do what works for you and your baby

[Sid77]

Just read your other post and yours does sound like mine - I've got a 3 yr old too and it's hard when they want to play. Baby has a feed sleep while we are watching tv or reading or doing something sedentary - I'm hopeful that he will eventually learn to sleep in the cot and I will be free! Until then, we bf to sleep

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I have a 9 week old who's a very good sleeper - aware this could all change!

Her 15 month old big brother is also a very good sleeper - I am sure what works is putting them down from day 1 in the Moses basket or crib while awake - they then drift off. With DD that's been a necessity as had to deal with DS. In fact, I feel a bit bad about it!

So, they've never really had us rocking or shushing to sleep etc.

Obviously I wouldn't leave your DS to cry and I don't leave DD. But I feed her whilst DS has his breakfast and then change her again. We then all go into the living room and I put Dd in her basket and play with DS. She then nods off and so on during the day.

My current worry though is that I'm not cuddling her enough and spending enough time with her as I'm so busy with DS! Sigh. You can't win!

[Foodylicious]

heard of the fourth trimester?

www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2010/5/4/what-you-need-to-know-about-newborns.html

might not help you but I really enjoyed reading this

[Estrellita]

My DD needed help getting to sleep until the age of 2. I would bf, rock cuddle, co-sleep, do whatever it takes. You can try what you like, of course. But withdrawing comfort at bed / nap / middle of the night time only resulted in a distressed, hysterical baby for me, who took ages to settle, resulting in less sleep for everyone.

At around 22 months my DD started shortening her feeds at night and asking to get in her cot. She is happy settling herself now, likes her lullaby music one and for someone to sit beside her and hold her hand. Takes about 15 minutes usually, and she then does 12 solid hours. Pretty surprising (or not) as I broke every sleep rule in the baby books!

[littleowl14]

they are all different. some more laid back than others. Some need to feel safe when going to sleep which can mean boob. it's perfectly ok to fall asleep on the boob and by rocking and in the pram. Actually, when bf the fluttery sucking they do when they fall asleep triggers sleepy hormones in them (as well as you) which is good.

totally contradicting myself, I have found it handy to do the pantley pull off at times (prob over 3 months) so they do get used to coming off but in practice its waxed and waned for us. lo is 15 months and actually I am now really glad of bf to sleep (over excited / poorly / teething toddler sleepy dust) and we get guaranteed 2 hour naps in the pram! ('out n about')

I decided to proactively cosleep at 5 months (after trying to deal with sleep in other ways) and am very glad I did. my friends with babies of the same age currently have crazy nights (after phases of sleeping through). it's not always easy but now I wouldn't do it any other way however I do rely on bf in the night though actually ds is happy to snuggle and sometimes can't be arsed himself to feed to sleep!

[littleowl14]

btw rods are only for fishing with.

[Leonas]

I know some people are against them, but I've found that a dummy is perfect for getting my lo to sleep. When she is sleepy the dummy soothes her to sleep without me being used as one. Just a thought, might be worth a try?

[jaggythistle]

A babies use the dummy as a replacement you really Leonas

Estrellita we are almost at that stage with my 23 month old. He will settle by himself in bed after nursing, as long as he's not horribly overtired.

I really think a lot of it is them being old enough to understand what's happening!

They are definitely all different though, as my oldest was happy to go to sleep at a much younger age and also stopped waking every night much younger.

Both were feed to sleep and at night as much ad they wanted

[neontetra]

I fed DD to sleep until she was about 20 months, until - genuinely as if by magic! - she suddenly developed the ability to fall asleep by herself in her cot at 7 every night. I think she just needed to be ready. Many babies are, of course, ready to self soothe a lot earlier than this!

[Estrellita]

Yes to dummy BTW... Raises hand, I now have a 2 year old dummy addict but I'm not bothered. She mostly just has it for bedtime anyway. The sleep is worth it. I think I had mine well into toddlerhood when I was offered the chance to leave it out for the binky fairy in exchange for a doll I wanted. Few upset days and that was that.

Other helpful things, gentle music...always the same cd. Will drive you nuts but makes for a good sleep association. And a glider chair. Would have been list without it...

[Estrellita]

Lost, not list!

[Estrellita]

Oh, and if you happen to have babies that magically drift off when put down, without needing any settling, then you are very very lucky. Mine cried. And cried. And cried. Rocked the basket, cried. Did shush pat, cried. Played lullabies, cried. Endless pick up, put down, cried. Swaddled, cried. Warmed the basket, cried. So options boiled down to settling the baby or letting them cry. Personally I can't listen to a child cry at length so we did what worked!

[littleowl14]

sarahockwell-smith.com/2013/09/30/the-great-sleep-obsession-the-problem-of-modern-day-life-versus-the-primitive-infant/

kinda sums up why so many books decide babies should go off to sleep by themselves.... there's a very lucrative sleep industry making a lot of money out of us.

can't believe jojo maman babe actually has 4 pages devoted to 'sleep training' products..... two free boobs works here.

Tried a ewan, did bugger all, I think white noise needs to be loud. music works well for us though, esp loud classical stuff.