Getting baby to sleep

[kal]

MY DD is 13 weeks and so far were having some issues with getting EASY in place but were working on it, she is a touchy baby

She sleeps and naps in her crib for the last month and I've really made a good effort to put her in her crib drowsy for both. She is semi swaddled for naps and goes down pretty easy.
I've been recently having some issues with bedtime, I normally rock her with a bottle and put her down drowsy with her paci, if she's drowsy enough she'll go right to sleep but if not then her eyes pop open and she starts moving around and semi fussing. I normally stay with her and try to sooth her in the crib by patting her, this sometimes takes awhile but normally works

My question is should I just be putting her in the crib and leaving her till she cries and then try to sooth? I'm always afraid it will take so long to get herself to sleep she'll be overtired or she'll start to cry and work herself up so much it will take twice as long to get her calm and to sleep
She does still seem to have an issue with getting herself back to sleep when she wakes also
Any advice?
Thanks

[Purplecattypants]

Hi there 

So is your issue bedtime in the evening or all sleep times/naps too? Can you post your routine for us?

I'd say put LO in the cot and only intervene if she starts crying. Not a mantra cry, a proper cry. Otherwise she won't be learning to sleep independently.

 

[tammyRVP]

Hi.  I've got three kids (5 & 3) and my little one is only 8 weeks old.  I would advise (i've done this with all three and they sleep very well) is to put her in the crib, kiss and then just leave the room.  Let her fuss a little, wind down crying is fine (its sounds like an eh, eh sound). At the beginning I leave the door open so I can watch through the crack in the doorway so I can get to learn how they settle themselves and recognise a settling cry and a overtired cry etc.... If you think the cry is progressing go back in the room and try to settle (i just gently stroke their head or between the eyes works well).  They do sometimes work themselves up into a frenzy but this all part of learning process both for them and you. I've always found that having radio as background noise helps them to sleep.  Hope this helps a little

[kal]

Thanks for the advice, normally I can rocks her alittle till she closes her eyes but I know she's not fully asleep yet and then lay her down she will still keep her eyes closed alot of the time but fusses around alittle and then goes to sleep, I normally stay and watch to see what she does. So does this really qualify as her putting herself to sleep or should she be eyes open when I lay her down?

[Purplecattypants]

As long as she's aware she's in her crib and not in your arms when she falls asleep, then it shouldn't become a prop. If she wakes up in the night and can put herself back to sleep on her own then it shouldn't be an issue.

Have you got a routine you can post in terms of E, A & S for us?

[tammyRVP]

yes, I agree, having a cuddle and settling baby down is fine.  It's when baby falls asleep in your arms all the time it becomes a problem.