Not sure how or if I should change anything - 6mo will only fall asleep on me or DH

[lornathewizzard]

Ok, so I'm getting myself in a bit of a tizz about nearly 6mo DD.
Currently she will nap after about 1-2hrs (ish) after every (FF) bottle, which are currently around 8, 12, 4 and 8 (ish!). Naps for around 45mins. Once in her cot asleep about 9.30, sleeps until DH will do a dream feed around 1am then that is her until approx 7.30-8am. All good.

My problem is that to get her to sleep during the day and to go down to sleep in her cot she falls asleep on me or DH and then we can put her down when asleep. I realise this is not disastrous, but she is getting big and my back is already getting sore.

If I leave her during the day in her chair, she either cries when she is tired or once or twice has just skipped a nap! If we put her in the cot and leave her she just cries. Haven't had the heart to push this.

So now she is nearly 6 months and I want to be putting her to nap in the bedroom in her cot (rather than in the living room on her chair), I thought this would be a good time to try and get her to go to sleep on her own. But I have no idea where to start - not keen on controlled crying. Had a quick read at the synopsis of the no cry method but it seems to be concentrating on just night time, and getting baby to sleep longer, which tbf isn't really too much on an issue.

I should say that she sucks her thumb, which helps her settle to sleep both when on my shoulder and during the night. I am not keen to introduce a dummy (because I don't like them particularly) and she knows fine how to find her thumb. Also, when put back in her cot after 1am she will go back to sleep on her own, even if dream feed has turned into an awake feed! She also used to fall asleep in the morning in front of baby tv whilst I ate breakfast, but doesn't seem to so much any more.

I guess I just don't know where to start, and what I should be doing, if anything. I realise there are many people with worse issues, but my back was that sore the other day it was a struggle to lift her at all. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

I assume her cot is next to your bed?

What would happen if you just put her in the cot, make sure she has her thumb to suck for comfort and lie next to her (maybe doing some shushing and patting)?

I could try that during the day for sure. At night the cot is in the living room so my husband can do her last feed before he comes to bed (then we bring cot back through). This let's me get some uninterrupted sleep too (I'm a super light sleeper). Maybe cracking the daytime naps first would work though.

I'd love to hear advice from people too. My 6.5 month old ds will only generally fall asleep after bf or in someone's arms. Usually transferring to his chair or cot wakes him so naps only ever last as long as u can be bothered to sit there!
At least u are getting good night sleeps tho lornathewizard! (My ds is still fighting sleep now and generally will be awake every hour and a half thro the night - woo hoo!:-)

Lorna - are we talking a smaller sized carrycot or moses basket, or a big full sized cot?

I assume if you are carrying the cot from one room to another I assume you mean a smaller sized carrycot type thing?

At 6 months old, your baby probably would benefit from the extra space of a big, full sized cot. You could also establish a proper 7.30pm 'bed time' for the baby when she goes upstairs to sleep.

Also work on her having a thumb to suck, since that it your preference over a dummy (I think 6 months is too old to first introduce a dummy anyway). Or get her a comforter teddy to suck (not terribly hygienic to suck fabric though). The sucking motion is very, very calming and soothing to a baby. You could try to establish a patting or stroking movement to feel soothing to the baby.

I've always had DS in his pram for his daytime naps, I take him out for a walk, get him asleep then I can move the pram around the house as I go. He's 14 months now and is down to one nap a day but he sleeps for 2-3hrs for that nap.

It works for us but then DS has never slept in his cot so maybe if I'd managed to get him to sleep in a cot during the day he would sleep in it at night!

Thanks folks.
FATE - it is a cot, it isn't massive but it does take the 2 of us to lift it with her in it. We've got a bigger one but it's massive and we don't have the room to put it up at the moment whilst we've got her in our room (no spare bedroom til we move house unfortunately). I think it is the kind that transforms into a toddler bed.
A comforter teddy or suchlike sounds like a nice idea, I like the thought of her having something to hold.
She will fall asleep in either her pram or car seat so if we're out and about she's fine. We'll be out for her afternoon nap today but will try lying or sitting with her later on.
Monkey - I hope your DS sleep improves soon! We have been pretty lucky so far with DD.

Well, with a combination of her mobile, her toy elephant, me rubbing her tummy and me singing twinkle twinkle little star, she fell asleep in her cot last night. Took half hour, but we got there!