How to get baby to sleep without rocking

[Ellebel]

I have a nearly 14 week old baby who is completely dependent on being rocked to sleep. At night it can take an hour of rocking (and still may wake up as I put him down, and so the process starts again) and in the day he will only nap in his pram whilst it’s moving or in the carrier if I’m moving/ swaying. My back is in bits and I can’t do this much longer.

If I try putting him down drowsy but awake he instantly starts screaming. I’ve tried shhhing and patting him in the cot. He screams.

I am very aware that I am a couple of weeks away from the dreaded 4 month regression, so would this be a stupid time to start sleep training? I don’t know what else to do except try a gentle version of Ferber (shorter time between visits as he’s so young).

Any advice/ suggestions much appreciated

I should add- despite endless trying and lactation consultants etc I’ve never succeeded at breast feeding so he is bottle fed. Which means I’ve never experienced him falling asleep while feeding just doesn’t seem to happen with the bottle

What happens if you lie next to him in bed, with a shush pat if he fusses?

I started by rocking in the cot. One hand on bum and one on chest and swaying gently side to side.

Don’t wait for them to be drowsy. Look at wake windows. Put baby down before they are due a sleep, making sure they have had a feed and are cosy.

This is why rocking chairs were invented! I would find a way to sit and rock rather than stand. They are very young still and what they want is the comfort of their parent.

If you're rocking for an hour he might not be tired! Is he crying whilst you're rocking or just not falling asleep? Perhaps try extending his wake window a little?

Also it's so normal for babies not to sleep independently at this age.

My 12 week old will only do her first nap in the crib. Every other nap is either in the sling or pram. Night time sleep is in my bed. Once she's asleep for the night I just hold her until I go to bed myself.

Sod the housework and anything else that needs doing. If you have a partner around, ask them for help in the evenings. Let them do the rocking whilst you relax. It'll take some getting used to if they haven't done it before, but they get there eventually.