16 week old will only go to sleep on us

[Minicooper]

This is managable at the moment - she's not a bad sleeper and goes to sleep pretty quickly if I swaddle her, then just hold her close. If I've got the timing right, she's asleep in 5 mins flat. HV says I should be putting her down awake, though, to teach her to settle herself. This is proving a bit of a nightmare - she can grizzle for hours without dropping off. Any suggestions? Having said that, have just had first MAJOR break through by putting her in cot, then leaving the room, going back and picking her up when she cried and putting her back down after she settled. I've done this for about half an hour and now she's asleep Yay! Though it has only been about 10 mins!!! Is this a good method? Can't imagine doing it in the middle of the night....Any other ideas?

She'll grow out of the chest thing - all 3 of mine did it and they are god sleepers now.

Lots of people do that method for sleeping and it seems to work for lots.

good

Octo - what did you do to break the habit? Or did they just grow out of it? Don't mind the cuddling - q nice really! and not onerous - but don't want to create a problem for later.

If the meothod you used worked, without her getting too upset then I'd stick with it. It will get quicker as she gets the hang of it.

I introduced a dummy at this age to help DS drop off on his own. It worked a treat, he only ever had it in the cot and he stopped using it on his own accord at 11 months.

Saved lots of crying and misery for us both.

Good luck!

DS1 and DS3 also sucked our little finger while lying on our chest. They just stopped doing it at about 4 months. We then just went for it in the cot and they settled fine - just seemed to be a phase. DS3 went on to suck his thumb in his cot but stopped that a few months ago (8 months). I think we always put them in the cot for bedtime in the evening anyway - it was daytime naps they went to sleep on the chest. They all slept happily during the day in their cots afterwards and in fact ds3 is there right now.

(((should be doing the ironing!)))