My son is 21 weeks. We are finally getting mostly long naps and have a good routine going where he is falling asleep in his crib with shush pat and his paci. My issue is that I don't know how to wean the shush pat so that he is falling asleep independently.
He is spirited so after a short wind down I put him in his crib with his paci after he starts to protest me holding him. I've found if I keep him in my arms he just gets more upset. I lay him on his stomach but he usually kicks to be on his side or partially on his side. (We tummy/side sleep for naps because of his reflux...it's the only way we've gotten him to take long naps). At this point he fusses and squirms for several minutes. Because he's fussing, his pacifier falls out and I have to keep putting it back in. I've tried putting him down without the pacifier and he just cries and gets really worked up. He also will often roll over onto his back and he won't fall asleep this way so I have to flip him back. Once he falls asleep, I can leave right away and he'll keep sleeping.
I don't mind shush patting him to sleep since it usually is less than 5 minutes but I'm worried that it will become or is a prop. If he wakes, he can't seem to fall back asleep on his own even when he's still tired. I'd like him to become more of an independent sleeper by weaning shush pat but I'm not sure how to do this with him flipping to his back and especially with him losing his pacifier while he fusses.
Anyone experience something similar or have any ideas for me?
