How to transfer a sleeping baby from arms to cot?

[Somersaults]

Without waking her up!

Please tell me how you do it!!!

When my three were babies, I had a theory that it was putting them down onto a cold mattress that woke them up, so I used to swaddle them gently in a blanket when I fed them/cuddled them at bedtime or the nighttime feed, so that the warm blanket insulated them from the cold sheet when I put them down. It seemed to work.

Slowly and gently also help - but I am guessing that you do that already.

It does get better - I promise.

Wait over 20mins after dropping off before even attempting (to ensure in deep sleep phase), "shhh" and gently rest a hand on his chest as he gets restless, keep quiet noise going, but a darkened room and then change to noisy "sleepy breathing".

It works ~75% of the time...

Some babies will do it and some are super-sensitive and won't (I have discovered after having 3 - thought I was just rubbish at it, but DD will transfer happily when her brothers wouldn't at the same age).

You probably don't want to hear this, but I never managed it. Co-sleeping quickly became the norm for us.

Having said that, while it didn't work for us, my midwife swore by warming the cot up with a hot water bottle first. Oh, and putting a worn item of your clothing in the cot so that your baby can still smell you.

I agree with the swaddling - I thought it was the change from a nice cosy cuddle to a cold sheet that woke dd. Swaddling did help. Also doing it slowly and leaning right over so they're still in contact with your body til the last minute. Then rubbing tummy and "shushing" until they're properly back off again.

I found the same as SDTG when dd was really little so we would warm the mattress with a hot waterbottle before we put her in the cot. Also you do need to hold onto them for a while so as to make sure they are in deep sleep before you attempt this tricky manouver.

Agree with the tactic of cuddling in a blanket, then transferring the warm blanket too.

Rather than placing my DS in the cot, I roll him slightly, as he likes to sleep on his side. Then stroke his head if he makes a noise.

But I can't always do it. He's sleeping in my arms now!

I just did it as soon as she slept with DD. DS on the other hand - had to wait 20 mins then transfer. Dd is my second though and I got her used to it but it was tricky at first. I just kept trying and by 5 months she was fine. Ds took until 7-9 months because I could hold him all day!

The only way it works for us is if DH picks her up (after 20 mins) and gentky plops her down with white noise and a firm hand on her till she settles.

If I try to do it, or even twitch while he's sleeping on me, she wakes up instantly. Which is exactky what she's just done while i type this. Drat! :)

imagine you have to put down a bomb - In slow motion stand and move to cot - slowlllllly move baby away from body placing in cot immediately lean over so your still near baby (baby still feels body heat) than gradually pull your arms from underneath - (vey important you dont do both arms at once)if not in blanket pull blanket over slowly straighten up and runnnn. if they mummur rub or pat their back until they settle

Thank you all. Sounds like you're all doing the same things I'm doing. The only thing we've not tried is DH picking her up and putting her in.

It seems this is not one of those things that the wisdom of Mumsnet has an immediate and perfect solution for (a la Veet for blocked shower drains etc)