Yael - sounds like you had a productive day-stay and it's great that you have been able to take from it the things that you want to incorporate into your daily routine and chuck out the bits that make you uncomfortable. I really think that's the way to go with any advice. He is your baby, YOU are his mother and you are the one that will be with him day in and day out.

I agree that I think what you are doing is gentle - for sure! Sometimes we can get into habits and stop listening to our baby - which may have been the case when you were picking him up too quickly. Grizzling is far different from full-on crying (which would occur with the rigid CC tequnique) when they need to be comforted. A little bit of inital grizzling won't hurt - it's probably just normal protesting as opposed to being really upset, iykwim?

As for wrapping... Gab was wrapped until 10 months (as you know) but she also didn't start rolling from back to front until then! So, as far as the SIDs risk goes, I knew Gab would be ok because she physically couldn't roll over (and, by that age, they are quite capable of turning their heads to the side to breathe.... but that's beside the point). It depends on the individual baby. I know for a fact that if I didn't keep wrapping, I would have major sleep issues with Gab. My POV was... if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Falling asleep while feeding is normal and natural and, like Shannon said, will not form "bad habits". It's not a bad habit to feel all warm and snuggly and secure in Mum's arms. Gabby did it for a while but grew out of it. Granted, she was bottle-fed at 6 months so it is a little different - but I'm pretty sure she would have grown out of it eventually.

As far as the dummy goes, if it works to get them to sleep, then what's the harm? I wouldn't stress about it. I personally think the dummy has been a God-send for me. Gabby loves it (perhaps a little too much), it's portable and conveinient. I understand if people don't want to use it from the beginning (each to their own) but I really don't think it's a big deal. After all, I've never seen a child at school with a dummy so they must go to heaven eventually! LOL

I don't like the no eye contact thing either. After all, our babies are little human beings!! Eye contact is one of the ways we communicate. I don't think that ignoring your child is a healthy thing to do... so good on you for listening to your instincts!

Urrgh @ the nurse telling you not to rely on the Peace Baby as a sleep aid. Honestly!! Are you allowed to do anything??? Sheesh! Gab has her music on during the day at home (and I have a copy of it at Mum's), but if she has to sleep somewhere else, she's fine! So it's a load of piffle that they come to rely on it. Gab doesn't have it at night. We recently went away for the night and she slept fine in the motel room with us - no music, no white noise etc. So I wouldn't stress too much about it. And, to be honest, most of his sleeps will be at home when you can play the music so I don't think it's a huge issue.

Just so glad to hear that you are going so well and that things are falling into place. That's wonderful!