Should I stop cuddling to (nearly) sleep?

[mistressploppy]

DS is 6.5mo and a Very Good Boy all round. For naps and bedtime I cuddle him until he stops twitching (and sometimes shouting) and closes his eyes. Then I pop him in his cot whereupon he puts his thumb in his mouth and drifts off almost immediately.

I'm worried that I am holding him until he's nearly asleep and that this is bad - should I just be plonking him down properly awake? He does sort of wake up when I put him down anyway.

Have been scared by scary book saying that he won't be able to self-settle if I cuddle him to sleep all the time, doom doom etc

it only matters if you mind doing it.. he seems ok anyway if he wakes up a little bit and he realises you are putting him down but still goes to sleep.. wouldn't worry if i were you

on the other hand, if you do mind doing it and don't want to have to do it everytime then try putting him down sooner and sooner

If he sleeps through the night afterwards then why not?!

i still cuddle ds to sleep and he is 2.3yo.

it makes my life easier and he asleep in 10-20 mins every time and i enjoy the quiet snuggling time.

not sure what will happen in a few weeks when new baby arrives though!!

if you don't have a problem doing it then chuck away the books and follow your insticts.

anyhoo tis natural to cuddle to sleep, animals do it!

Yeah, I think it is natural and makes for happy babies.

DD (2.3) gets cuddled off to sleep every night and I don't have a lot of time for the rod-for-your-own-back posse. She is superbly behaved (never had a tantrum, happy, outgoing and obedient - nursery staff couldn't believe she was for real) and I actually wonder if it's connected.

I have a lot of Southeast Asian friends and it seems to be the norm there. Worked for them and it works for us.

yes, ds is a very happy and out going boy too, can't say he superbly behaved though
i tried sleep training when he was smaller (9mo ish) and i couldn't bear the crying and all the picking up out of a cot was killing my back so went back to cuddling and co-sleeping, he slept so much better and so did we.

I cuddled my DD to sleep until about 9 months when she got too heavy for me to carry for more than 10mins at a time!

ninedragon, be careful very careful - my eldest was like that and is now a teenager and how it has all changed! Plus my younger children all had tantrums and one in particular has a complete aversion to being compliant since she learnt to walk!