Transitioning buggy to cot at night

[Bex107]

Hi all,
We have always put my DS down in his buggy in the kitchen or lounge to nap during the day, and also in the evenings, before carrying him up to bed (in his cot in our room) when we go up at around 10ish (if we make it that late!). We did this so that he was in the room with us at all times, however he is now 6 months and we are noticing noises are waking him, so finding ourselves tiptoeing around in the evenings which is not ideal!

Any tips therefore for transitioning him to his cot in the evenings and helping him to settle? He usually sleeps fine when we carry him up (as long as he is already asleep), but I'm apprehensive about putting him down in his cot to go to sleep initially. He is very trumpy (!) and this often makes him uncomfortable and he struggles to get to sleep and wakes regularly (both during naps and at night). We have found lately that when he wakes in the night he is not really hungry enough to feed properly (he is BF) so that doesn't settle him like it used to, and he is often then wide awake, which results in one of us bringing him down to resettle him in his buggy and then carrying him back upstairs when he's asleep. We did get into the habit of rocking him to sleep in his buggy but are reducing this so he doesn't need it all the time. Any ideas greatly appreciated!
Thanks x

I would start settling him to sleep in the cot. Naptime and bedtime. That's not going to be easy, but longer term it will be much better for healthy sleeping.

I would stay with him, dummy to help in suck to sleep, firm hand in his chest to keep him still. Then lots of reassurance, eye contact, comfort, patting, stroking, tickling, cuddling, caring. He'll cry, but just reinsert dummy as needed and keep reassuring. He'll find it easier to go to sleep in the cot over time, if you do this consistently.

Thanks FATEdestiny, I guess we just need to bite the bullet and get on with it! This is our first baby, and I found it difficult to know what to do for the best, especially when the SIDS guidelines recommend they're in the same room as you at all times til 6 months - that's easy at night, but harder in the day/evening! Appreciate the advice x

What FATE said. You can try dimming the lights too which in time is a good thing. Both of mine were fairly useless sleepers generally but transitioned ok to the cot (more room to wiggle!) at about 5 months.
You will want some kind of monitor-
A movement sensor one was essential for my sanity! I think most people must start putting babies upstairs from about that age when they get too big for pram or carrycot

Exactly what FATE said!!!!

If he's used to motion to get to sleep (perfectly natural for babies to like that) and you don't like the idea of him crying while adjusting to settling in cot, you could try rocking him in a sling and then laying him in the cot? Won't work with mine as his eyes snap open at the slightest movement but sounds like yours is good with the transfer.

Thanks all for your help; we have started putting him down in his cot at night and it seems to be going ok (taking advantage of a growth spurt I think, he's knackered at the minute!). Decided to keep using the buggy for daytime naps though, as think this will be easier if we're out and about etc, and he sleeps really well in his buggy in the day.