Getting my 6-mo to settle herself in cot at bedtime

[LuckyC]

Hi all

Does anyone have any ideas? Previously, I have rocked DD to sleep, and now think she is ready to start to learn to self-settle. She can do it - does it during the day, and has done it a few times at bedtime. We do bath, feed, story, bed - even if sleepy, as soon as she is put down in her cot she wakes up. She starts by being wriggly and smiley, moves rapidly to moany and ends up screamtastic. Will sleep brilliantly if rocked.

PU/PD just disturbs her and gets her really worked up. She hates dummies. I am trying to get her hooked on a comforter.

Any thoughts on what I can do to settle her without picking her up? Anything similar to PU/PD that has worked for you?

Thanks!

Mine generally did self-settle, but when DS1 went through a bad patch, we did pat/ shush/ lie beside the cot (suspect Baby whisperer style, but can't remember). Basically, I was in the room, but no eye contact, hand on baby tummy for comfort, gradually replaced with teddy bear. Used it occasionally for DD2 when she's been "off" about bedtime. I liked it because no screaming!

We had previously always rocked DS to sleep but decided to do CC when he was 5mo. It worked really well after the first two nights. Its not for the faint-hearted but it did work for us. We can now put him in the cot fully awake after his feed, zip him into his sleeping bag, give him a kiss and walk out. Hasn't worked for naps though but that's a different story ...

It might sound mad, but I've found that repeating the same words each bedtime in a monotous voice has worked well. I'll put my 7mo dd down repeating the mantra "night night, sleepy time, it's bedtime darling, night night etc etc" and walk out of the room saying it. If she starts crying properly, I'll go back in and give her a pat, repeating the mantra throughout. I leave as soon as she stops crying. And so on. After a while doing this, it now seems to work a treat. I do it at nap times too and, once a baby who had major traumas settling to naps, she now drops off the minute I leave the room.

wearymum that sounds like it's worth a bash and does the exploding bosoms method - the no screaming does appeal, and I would llike to avoid CC if I can. However mull many people have recommended to me, and I will use if necessary.

Exploding and weary how long did your no-cry methods take?

Thanks again, any more advice welcome.