Helping baby to sleep when you're out but stop moving?!

[sarah79mums]

Hi

Could anyone please offer any tips/ products/ tricks to help settle their wee ones off to sleep when out-and-about, when they're tired but just fighting it so much?

I finally got my husband to go out for a meal early last night but my 4 month old son wouldn't settle and my husband just fretted about him crying and upsetting other customers. It should have been relaxing but totally backfired!!

We had a similar episode recently during a friend's (daytime) wedding - and Sam had been soooo close to drifting off!

Does anyone know of a solution that really works, other than bobbing the pram until your arms go numb? I'd love for my husband and I to be able to have a weekend coffee at least...!

Thanks
Sarah x

My dd would fall asleep on our shoulder or being cradled in our arms whilst sucking a finger.

Also would fall asleep in a sling but harder to transfer to pram.

What I normally do when in a cafe/restaurant and DD wants to sleep is push the pram with one arm whilst sitting down until she falls asleep, at which point I hook a foot on the pram and use it to rock her. Obviously you'll need a bit of space!! Usually it works (but I've never taken her out at night as she was rubbish at going to sleep early until she was 6+ months; she's almost 11 months now).

Thanks for your replies. Cuddling/ cradling are good but he seems to have an inbuilt tilt-o-meter when I lie him in the pram! I've tried a blanket to darken things down but then I fall into the trap of peeking and he goes off when he sees me. I could maybe give him something more entertaining to keep him occupied for the time we're stopped - but then again I don't want to keep him awake when he's due a nap (which is the only reason we're sneaking out anyway).
Thanks again.
S