how to get ds to sleep

[seren]

My dh and I do not cosleep. I just don't sleep very well with a child in my bed. I'm trying to find a way to get ds to go to sleep in his bed. I have been holding him and then putting him in his bed after he's asleep. I would like for him to fall asleep in his bed by himself. I put him in it tonight and he played a bit and then started crying. I absolutely CAN NOT let him cry himself to sleep. Any suggestions?

Maybe I should have put this on nighttime board. If so, please move it.

[Chelly2003]

I too couldn't sleep with a child in my bed, I just never got any sleep.
I don't know how we did it, but from the begining we wouldn't wait till he was asleep to put him down, he seemed to be content to just fall asleep on his own, when he was around 5 or 6 months, I would put a little gym above him, and watch him play during the day, he would only last about 5 minutes and he'd be OUT like a light...... I didn't use that very often, I wanted him to get used to lying alone and going to sleep, and he seemed to do that pretty well.
perhaps hold him until he's just about asleep and then put him down, and keep a hand on him - I wouldn't rock him or pat or do anything but keep my hand weight on the little bum or back or somewhere.......
I've heard of people using items of clothing, for the mommy smell, that could work too (I didn't try that) perhaps put a little blanket or burp cloth in your shirt for a few hours, and put that next to him as a comfort item....
Good luck, it will work eventually but may take some time.

[StephanieK]

My babe is a week old and he was having trouble sleeping when it was time to go to bed and we were exhasted. I have a bedsise cosleeper, which attaches to the side of the bed, so he's close, but not close enough for him.I'm not comfortable with him sleeping in bed with me either.

The first coulple of nights, he slept well in his carseat, which we put into the basinet. This stopped working at night, so we had to find something else. This is working like a charm at the moment: the Maya Wrap. It's a baby sling. When I'm ready for sleep, I feed ds (I can feed him in the carrier too). I lay him down in it and walk around until he is asleep. I wear it for another 15 min. or so until his bresthing is really regular. Then I loosen the carrier gently slide it over my head and lay ds in the bassinet still wrapped in the carrier. I cover him with the free bits of the fabric and if it iswarm, its all he needs. I'm thinking this works because:

1. The wrap makes hime feel like he's inside me again, and he's soothed by my walking.

2. My babe loves to be swaddled, which is the effect they get lying in the carrier.

3. I don't take him out of it, so he smells me the whole time.

We have lots of gadgets, but this is the favorite. It is very versatile. You can nurse in public and no one will know, you can go for walks unencumbered by a stoller, eat, do housework, all the while giving your baby what he needs. I cannot say enough about it.

You do not have to have a Maya Wrap, but I think it needs to be a sling. There are tons of slings out there. I did a lot of searching, and the Maya seems to be the most versatile for what I want.

When I first got it, before the baby was born, my husband said, "You're not going to put my baby in that death trap". It looks a lot more flimsy than it is. now he suggests putting him in it and says " I like what works".