How did you do it?

[Dunnowhatalltheacronymsmean]

Our 10 week old needs to be rocked to sleep, or bounced in her bouncer to fall asleep. She'll also fall asleep in her sling. At night we can usually transfer her into her cot and she'll carry on sleeping. In the day she tends to wake up immediately if we transfer her into her cot for her naps so we either let her sleep on us or leave her to sleep in her bouncer.

Should we start teaching her to fall asleep on her own? And how to we go about doing this? Have read to put down when 'drowsy but still awake' but haven't had any luck with this yet so would appreciate tips from more experienced parents.

Maybe she's just too young?!

Our baby was rocked and then around 12 weeks we figured out if she woke we could put a hand on her chest and shush her back to sleep. So I decided to try getting her to go to sleep like that in the first place. She protested a bit at first but she went to sleep as quickly and with no more fuss than being rocked so I stuck at it and eventually it got quicker and we could just put her down and sit by her cot. We had a dummy and a swaddle at that age too, and layered lots of sleep associations like white noise and a comforter (we would move that away after she fell asleep to keep a clear cot in line with SIDS guidance). But if what you are doing is working for you now, don’t stress it! You can make changes if and when it does become a problem x

My baby is 11 weeks and if he's fed and sleepy he will sometimes go to sleep in his cot, but not always.

I use a white noise Teddy most of the time which also helps mask other noises that might wake him.

Thanks both, that's really helpful. Some good ideas to try!

@Dunnowhatalltheacronymsmean I found the Lucy Wolfe sleep book really helpful and sensible too. Her method doesn’t apply til 6 months plus but she has some good advice for babies younger than that too x

The put down drowsy never worked for us. However i have a near 16 week old but at the start we literally had to rock every time but as shes grew we've had to rock her less and less and she has started to self settle all done naturally by herself!

Thanks @EmmaInParis always looking for good book recommendations!

@PFin self-taught self settling! Amazing!

A child you can put down drowsy but awake is very rare. People talk as if it’s commonplace but it’s not. It’s natural for children to cling to their mother - for evolutionary reasons, a child who didn’t cling wouldn’t survive. Unfortunately you have to wait until your child is ready to let you go. My DS was 3.5yo before I was able to accomplish putting him to bed drowsy but awake.

At 10 weeks old it's totally normal for them to want to be with you, try to enjoy all the cuddles!
Have a read on the 4th trimester, helped me get a lot more context and understanding so might help you too x

@Dunnowhatalltheacronymsmean yeah we've been lucky, still have our challenges tho we cant get her out of her bassinette to crib without a meltdown but thats a fight for another day (when she cant fit in it anymore lol)

Moses basket, not cot. Cot is just too big

Too young still. But you can get a Rockit device (Amazon) that basically rocks anything for you. Strap it to pram, cot, bouncer.

I co-slept until 9 months and didn’t use the cot at all until then.
Babies are meant to be held, it’s not something to discourage when they are tiny.

Both of us roll over so much in our sleep we're too scared to co-sleep as not sure we could do it safely even following the guidelines. She's in a small crib, not full sized, right next to me in our bed and in a sleepyhead within it. She's always happy and smiling when she wakes up so hope she doesn't mind. We bought a Rockit but she hates her pram so it's not had much use! Far happier in the sling, but I was worried using it out when the weather was hot so did unsuccessfully attempt the pram then..

We noticed nursery were settling dd2 by stroking her cheek and not with her comforter, so we started doing the same! Tried to go to them for a cry but not for a murmur or a grumble (remember they don't know what their body sensations mean but will get used to them and understand them through how you respond - mum feeds me i feel better I was hungry, mum puts me down for a sleep I feel better I was tired (but obviously without the actual thinking bit!!)

At that age I just did everything to get them to sleep, I did the whole get them to sleep in arms, transfer to my bed with me sitting next to her, then when in next sleep cycle I was a ninja and placed in cot etc. My LO was 9lb at birth and 1 stone 5 by 3 months. Grew out of moses basket by 3 weeks old and side crib by 4 months 🤣 I have a long baby.

Though I used to make sure I was sitting when rocking, none of this walking or standing. My back can't take that. I think around 4 months I followed tips given to me on MN. Pop in cot awake (not drowsy) , hand firmly on chest, tapping dummy and breathing right next to her so she feels the comfort. It's a slow gradual way but it's nicest when there young x

Now I generally (as there is always bad phases) just place her in cot and go away. She coos and plays 10 mins. Shouts as lost dummy and I go back pop in and that's it x

@GoWalkabout gonna have to try this cheek stroking!

@CourtneyCox2021 totally agree about doing it gradually. Dd will not tolerate us sitting down rocking her when she's tired, so lots and lots of pacing up or down or else in her bouncer with one of us holding her hand!