16 week old can't self settle

[nc060]

Please help! My 16 week old needs rocked to sleep for every nap and sleep otherwise screams. It is breaking my back and I worry it is setting bad habits. Any suggestions for teaching him to go to sleep himself?

[victoire1208]

Good luck with this. I think it boils down to whether you can tolerate a bit of whining and crying. I can't and am still nursing to sleep after 18 months

[nc060]

I just don't feel it's fair to let him go more than 5 or 6 minutes as how much does he really understand?

[thinkingaboutthis]

Get a baby swing!

[Tiptoeshoes]

Honestly i think he's too young. But then I've pushed my now two year old to sleep in the buggy for naps for as long as I can remember and fed her to sleep at night for a long time.

My sister weaned her baby off rocking very gradually. She claimed the trick is to rock to almost asleep then put your hand on tummy and jiggle. Over a few days/ weeks reduce time spent rocking jiggling till going into cot no rocking just hand on tummy for a minute or two as a cue. Also introduce a specific blanket or toy or music to help with sleep cues.

Never worked for mine but she swore by it. Good luck!

[Plateofcrumbs]

Watching with interest as mine is 23 weeks and will only fall asleep if rocked, in sling, buggy or car seat. Wouldn't mind so much but he is then rubbish at staying asleep as he can't resettle easily so naps are too short and we have lots of nighttime wake ups.

We bought a Mamaroo swing in hope it would rock him to sleep but no joy.

All I can say for the positive is my back and knees are getting stronger so I'm in less pain now than I was at your stage!