Bub go to sleep... please!!!

[bubysmum]

I have question for any one who has been there before me: my
baby is now 4 months old & will not go to sleep by herself, any suggestions on how i
can help her to do this.

I am a first time mum but have worked in child care for a few years so I've tried a few different ways.

At the moment I am nursing her to sleep bouncing on a gym ball. It's the only thing that works.

[kylza]

When ds was only a few weeks old I brought one of the music box things, it also projects a moving picture on the roof. He loved it and would lie there watching the light picture go round and round and would eventually nod off.
He still uses it now at 10months old, I just use it at night now as I didn't want him to get to attached to it.
However over the 10 months, I have also rocked him to sleep, fed him to sleep and walked him in his pram to sleep, Babies need comfort and to feel safe. I'm just lucky he self settles now with ease....it wasn't from control crying or sticking to a routine it was just going with the flow and doing what worked best at the time.
Goodluck, hope you find a way to get your bub to sleep.:flowerz:
Ps. My dh use to insist rocking ds to sleep, because it was their quality time together. Suited me fine:goodvibes:

[SuperGranny]

hi bubymum, Only 4 months is still quite young. Babies need to feel comfortable and secure. Have you tried to wrap bub in a light weight cotton muslin wrap. ?? some babies like to feel snuggled. some babies like background noise, music, vacum cleaner. Some like movement, in the pram, some like movement in the car. Each baby is different, mine all managed to put themselves to sleep with out much bother, most of the time. I would just do whatever works, if you have to be there until bub fallls asleep then just do that, nothing will last forever, next month something different could be needed. marie.

[AndyGee]

sounds like you are trying (or have tried) most of the different ways to make her comfortable; i do believe babies need to be taught how to settle themselves and that means teaching them from the start; if you are at the point where you want some help jump onto 'Tweddle' online; they are an amazing organisation who conduct settling and feeding courses (day courses or they come to you) - we did a day course with them and my cherub slept thru at 6 weeks and has continued to put in a solid 12hours + to current day - i really owe it all to that course and what it taught me...:yelclap:

[LibranTwin]

At that age my DD wasn't putting herself to sleep. She needed rocking, or bouncing, radio static etc. I thought she would never learn to put herself to sleep. I just took it slow (but stressed about it all the time) and progressed to putting her down in the cot on her side and patting her to sleep.

She would cry whatever I did. With time she got better and better. At about 5-6 months she got to the point where most of the time I could put her down with one nursery ryhme and walk out and she would fall asleep. I couldn't believe it :yelclap:She still is very easy and as long as she isn't sick or teething she is very easy.

Just remember to follow your gut. Controlled crying might be for you or it might not. Other methods may take longer but if you persist your bub will learn to put herself to sleep without crying!!