Oh honey!

I have been there. OH BOY have I been there. And I had the rodders (including my mum!) telling me I'd be rocking her to sleep when she was 16

But I couldn't (still can't) bear to hear her cry in her cot, knowing she is crying out for me, wanting me to help her, cuddle her, and just be close.

Fighting your instincts just causes more distress for you AND bub in my experience. For a few days I tried the crying thing, and in the end I was so hysterical seriously just listening to her cry increased my stress levels 100-fold. And everyone said this would be EASIER?!?!?!?!? It wasn't for us. Jazz would cry and cry and cry and I would cry and cry and cry...

Cuddles and rocking just worked so much better, and you know, she's not going to be this little forever. One day she'll be too big to be rocked to sleep. To big to fit inside our arms. Enjoy it, they're only this little once, and know that you are following your HEART and your INSTINCTS. There came a time where all of a sudden she was ok to be asleep on the bed. She did have a little whinge when I put her down but I turn on the mobile music, let her know I'm not going far, and she is used to the bed...

BTW, even though nights are an issue for us, getting her to sleep during the day is generally not an issue at all. Most of the time I do feed to sleep, BUT she has learnt that bed = sleep, and I say to her "good night Jazz, I love you, have a good sleep and I'll see you when you wake up" and she has a little whinge/protest, a little coo at her bed teddy and then its snoozy time. So you WONT be rocking forever, or holding her forever, I can promise you that!

Its hard when you feel so tied to a baby, like you don't have any space of your own, but I promise most of us have had MANY MANY MANY days like that, with a velcro child who refuses to be anywhere else but attached to you!

You are doing a FANTASTIC job. Your daughter knows she is loved, cherished and above everything else SAFE. She loves you so much and feels so safe and secure in your arms that its the only place she wants to be. Its an honour! (Sometimes it doesn't feel like that but it is an honour ).