6mo feeding to sleep, any advice on self settling?

[BalloonDinosaur]

Hi all,

DS is 6mo and has always fed to sleep, (I didn't really appreciate that this was an issue, or at least a habit I needed to break early on )

I'm going back to work and the end of July and work a mixture of day and night shifts. DP has looked after DS for the odd evening where I've gone out, but normally has to deal with screaming fits and resorts to taking him out in the car to get him to sleep.

Is he too young to be receptive to sleep training? He will take a dummy but normally spits it out after a few mins.

I've tried putting him down sleepy but awake and he gets very distressed (and I think it is distress, rather than just being pissed off) and patting/shushing doesn't seem to have any effect.

Would really appreciate any advice, thanks.

Will he take a bottle?

You could perhaps offer a bottle instead of breastfeed. I would also keep going with the dummy. I have no doubt baby will be unimpressed with the dummy and want a nipple, but when a nipple isn't available it might at least be the best of unpleasant options for baby.

Then I'd suggest you just start in-cot settling. Stay with baby, do the settling in the cot with dummy and shush and part through the screaming.

Google a mumsnet thread called 'what worked for us' for a great walk-through of a gentle method for this.

Thanks Fate, he will take a bottle and that's a good plan. Have just come across the thread you mentioned, I think. Will check it out and try again tomorrow.
Thanks again.