Getting second child to self settle / stop feeding to sleep / improve naps

[forevercurious]

I have DS who is almost 3 and DD who is almost 6 months.

currently DD is breastfed to sleep for naps & bedtime but I am wanting to change this. I’m not willing (or ready) for controlled crying but would like to replace feeding with patting, shushing etc instead but I’m finding it quite an overwhelming change to make. Do you just choose a day and go for it?

I cannot leave DS unsupervised for very long whilst I’m trying to get DD to sleep so I just don’t see how I can get it to work. She has a loose routine of awake windows (no set nap times) but this has all gone to pot the last few days and it’s getting me down - her naps have routinely been only 40 mins longer and now they’re getting even shorter.

She will nap in the car, pram or sling if tired enough but again with having toddler DS this isn’t always possible, especially as she wakes if I stop walking / driving!

any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

The shush and patting technique is great and then reduce overtime however it does take time.

We just picked a day in a few days time so we could mentally prepare ourselves (we did CC though so slightly different in some ways)

Maybe lo is getting overtired if naps are short?

I would do it as a gradual change.

Start off patting babys bum throughout feed. Then start unlatching but keeping the patting going. Then unlatch earlier until just patting to sleep. Then start putting down while patting, then putting down earlier, and so on