How can I get my 3.5 month old to fall asleep outside of his swing?

whiskey on the gums.

a bath, walk around with them. my baby is also 3.5 months old also she loves sleeping.

Do you have a bedtime routine? For all of my kids that was huge. Bath, book, feeding, song, whatever routine works for you. Then hold the baby or put the baby in the swing until he/she is drowsy but not quite asleep. Then put the baby in bed. This is of course assuming that your baby doesn’t have reflux or another issue that would make the swing the most comfortable place to sleep.

Put him in his carseat then set him on the dryer but be sure youre around!
Drive around in the car for a while.
Sit and rock him because he will recognize your heartbeat.

What’s wrong with sleeping in the swing. Whatever works. Make sure he doesn’t have a swing at daycare/grandma’s. He’ll learn.
The swing is a wonderful thing. Count your blessings:)

@SuperMouse – I’m with you on this one. Unless a baby has a health concern, in my opinion, it’s best to establish a routine and stick with it.

SuperMouse mentioned something my pediatrician mentioned to me, put them down when they are drowsy, not asleep and it helps them establish the pattern of going to bed. After my son was past some of his issues, we did this and after a week or so, things got pretty easy on the bedtime routine.

Even at this age, consistency is key. A swing is not a bad thing, but it is good to find another way to help babies get to sleep without relying on swings or other things. Also, this will build that trust (yep…even at this age) that you will respond, when your baby needs you.

We did the bottle, bath, song/book (while rocking), crib routine. Some nights, it worked like a charm, other nights – well, we had to add an extra song or book, but then down.

Good luck! :)

Getting babies to sleep the way and when you want is often one of the more frustrating issues for parents. I agree that consistency is great, and it is not too young for picture books, for songs, for low lights and soft voices, for familiar stuffed toys. If he really doesn’t like being put in his crib, try gently rubbing his back while you wait for him to sleep. I definitely don’t like the “cry to sleep” method—especially at this age—at this time, they are still very dependent on you and need your warmth and pretty continual loving care. If nothing else works, and the swing does, I wouldn’t keep him from it—you can move him or let him just be there. Not for the whole night, but certainly for daytime naps.

There’s always Ferberization. Although, that’s pretty draconian. Still, children survive it, and parents, after they get over their fear of hurting the child, get what they want: rest.

why would you want him outside his swing, and where would you prefer him to sleep? I always used to take my daughter in my arms, sit in a rocking chair and sing to her. The only problem with that is that it was such a great chair (and I got so little sleep for the first year of her life), that I ended up falling asleep before her most of the time!

there are various techniques that have worked for my daughter over the past 4 years, but I assume each child is different and it depends mainly on what you’re aiming at. Do you want him to sleep alone in his bed? Do you want to lullaby him and then tuck him in? Would you rather tell him a story (yes, I know he’s too young to understand, but he listens to your voice)? My nephew is 5m old and my sister just puts him in a basket next to the TV and he falls asleep listening to the voices on TV.

My daughter keeps a white noise machine in her kids rooms, every since they were babies. They go to bed better than any kids I know. Much better than my kids ever did!