Shush/pat isn't so much a method that "puts baby to sleep" it is a method of soothing so that she feels your presence and support and does not feel alone. if she can fall to sleep alone then let her, this is the aim.
Shush/pat also involves picking LO up if she is crying to sooth in arms then put back down when totally calm and continue to shush/pat in the cot. AT this age LO shouldn't be distressed in the cot crying and being patted, but rather patted in arms. I'm afraid it involve even more bending over, standing up, bending over again. Tracy didn't say EASY was easy. But it does work. LOs this age can learn to sleep independently if you have the time and energy to put into the gradual gentle sleep training.
But reluctant to put her there for all naps since it's advised baby should be sleeping in same room as me for 6months so feel a little scared.
Yes I understand. I was also my plan to have my DS sleep in the same room as me for the first 6 months. I set up a travel cot/play pen in our family room for naps and the first part of his night sleep so I could make sure this happened...but like I said he had different ideas. I was always cautious about the temperature of the room and things like that, I listened to the monitor. Of course only you can decide.
I managed to get her to sleep and down yesterday for 30mins but then had to lift her for her to go back to sleep then seemed not to go into deep sleep again.
This happens when LOs are not yet going to sleep independently or are moved from one place to another during sleep. When they stir in the light phase they realise they are not waking in the same place they fell to sleep and this raises their alertness and brings them out of sleep to call out for you so they can check everything is still okay. LOs who learn to self settle at the beginning of sleep will become more successful at transitioning between sleep cycles on their own too.
When I put her in her cot awake she starts smiling and chatting away its like she thinks it's fun time for some reason.
If it is nap time you can actually just leave her to it. Get on with whatever else you are doing until she calls or cries for you. By stepping in when she is happy you might be interrupting her learning of self soothing. Sometimes LOs who are happy like this feel confident and calm and will gaze around for ages and eventually just nod off - which is exactly what you want to happen.
Mine did this and also would wake mid nap and stare around for ages - I could see his eyes open looking around, listening, turning his head a little towards movement or sounds, and because it was nap time and he was not crying or calling out I just left him. He might stay awake like that an hour and eventually just nod off. The more this happens the more LO learns to sleep independently.
You can't force LO to sleep, you can only offer the right environment for sleep (ie putting her down for a nap rather than having her up playing) and be there to reassure her if/when she needs you. If she is happy leave her to it.