Thanks luua - nice to know that the kind of approach I have in mind (slowly easing off on the bouncing and music etc) has actually worked for someone else.

Dach - yup, I read the Tizzie threads closely. On first flick through I wasn't keen on her approach so her book is sitting pristinely on the shelf. She did have a couple of points that I thought were worth consideration however eg making sure the baby is warm enough. My DS is a "hot" baby so I'm never quite sure when to increase his layers now that it's getting chillier down here in Melbourne.

When we bounce him he often kicks up a bit of a fuss - but we know that's just an "I don't wanna go to bed" whinge so I don't have a problem with that kind of protesting cry - it usually only takes 5 minutes to bounce him off to sleep (I know this because I can see the readout on the CD player LOL).

When I first had my DS I read quite a few books - I've never had much to do with babies and both mine and DH's family aren't in Melbourne so I was very much on my own. As time goes on I'm so much more comfortable with going with my instinct and those of you who said that I'm the only one who knows my baby are so right. He's my little individual, adorable scrap of humanity and mummy knows best!

I'm not sure leaving him in his cot to protest will actually work. He has a musical mobile and he knows how to turn it on. I can't bring myself to get rid of it because he loves it so much. I never know whether to laugh or not when I hear the mobile go on at 3.00am - it's like his room service bell!