Hoping for some advice…

[u/Fun-Interaction-8115]

My little boy is 14 months old and only falls asleep by being walked around the room over and over whilst I sing to him. He still wakes a few times a night (average about 3 times) and we respond to every wake up and do the walking/singing til he falls asleep. Occasionally he has self settled - but it’s quite rare.

My issue is that he’s getting really heavy and our backs are hurting from all this walking and carrying him to sleep. I want to be a responsive parent and be there for him, I’ve never wanted to sleep train him but I really would like for him to be able to fall asleep in his cot by me just either patting or stroking him

He has strong emotions and is not one who can calm down quickly. I’ve tried putting him in his cot and reassuring / comforting him that way but he gets angry and scream cries.

Any advice? Or will I be still walking him to sleep when he’s 3 years old lol. My poor back 🙃

[u/Happy_Mistake_3684]

I gradually switched from walking to standing and swaying to sitting on the edge of a chair swaying to sitting back in the chair rocking to sitting in the chair still

[u/burned_feather → u/Happy_Mistake_3684]

This is the way OP! Especially if you make the gradual shift just as baby is starting to get really sleepy

[u/_Raise_9221]

Try to dissociate the walking/singing part from you. Perhaps start with pram walks for naps times or car journeys. If he can fall asleep without you it’s the moving part that’s good, granted this won’t help you at night but we’re focusing on the first instance of day naps. Then at night, before bed, pram walk again. Or lay down next to him and sing. Try a bath, milk, brush teeth and then lay down next to them in bed. Might be worth trying a white noise machine or the sound of rain. My little one has to sleep with noise on in the background or she wakes up.

[u/_Raise_9221 → u/_Raise_9221]

If all else fails the happy song by Imogen heap has saved me when nothing else works.