Self settling in cot

[Babydreaming]

Hello,

I've been on this board a few times as my boy has been an awful sleeper and napper! He seems to finally have cracked it and is sleeping through more often than not (7 months old)

The one thing that I want to achieve now is him falling asleep independently. At the moment I hold him on my bed with white noise and darkness and he usually falls asleep happily in 10 mins. the problem is whilst he's falling asleep he wriggles so much and kicks my tummy. Normally I don't mind as it's not painful but I've just discovered I'm pregnant again so this isn't ideal.

I'd like to be able to just put him in the cot and him to put himself to sleep. Is this achievable? I don't feed to sleep - just dummy.

A tightly tucked in blanket or sheet may help in the cot, so calm his movements.

I'd also try holding him whilst in the cot. A firm hand on just A chest for example, so even when his eyes close and he relaxes, he can still feel your hand there.

If he flaps around a lot, hold both of his hands on yours across his chest to stop them bashing around. Likewise the other hand across his legs to calm the kicking around.

It basically just involves biting the bullet and cracking on with in-cot settling. Still invest your time and physical attention, so he can feel you are there as he goes to sleep, but in the cot rather than on your bed.

"A firm hand on just A his chest for example"

How long would you persist? I think if I do this I'm just going to have hours of crying and a very grumpy baby!

I would just keep going, if it was me.

Unless you are happy to cosleep, learning to go to sleep in the cot is necessary and inevitable. If you don't sort it before baby learns to pull to standing it will become infinitely more difficult.

Search for a mumsnet thread called 'what worked for us'. The OP gives a great explanation

Our three were settling themselves to sleep from several weeks old and seem none the worse for it. I used to put them down, stroke their head and say goodnight before they dropped off. If they cried I would give it a few minutes then go back and do it again. I was lucky that they quickly got the idea that when you are in your cot, you are on your own and it's time to sleep. But it was from the start and they had never got used to anything else. I do not say this to gloat, but just to sow the seed of the idea that you might try this with your second. And of course there were times when they were teething or unwell and it all went to pot for a bit.

They had lots and lots of cuddles and close time during the day - but nights were for sleeping.

Thanks blossom. I will try with my 2nd but I really don't think it would have worked with my 1st. He was a newborn that never slept!! Not in the pram, not in the cot, not in the car...he had some bad reflux and other health issues and always seemed uncomfortable. I was always amazed when I saw other women's babies just happily sleeping in cafes in the pram...my baby just wasn't like that! He's now had a kidney removed, is on reflux meds and has a feeding tube. It's only since we've sorted out his health problems that he's started to go to sleep for longer periods.