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I've been there and was asking the same thing a few weeks ago. My LO is now just short of 3.5 months, and I can put her down drowsy!! I sleep trained when she was 9 weeks, held her for naps before then. I know it sucks so much, but it will get better. I can't believe I'm the one saying that because I thought it would never get better.

LO was fine to be put down from birth until around 6 weeks old...then she had to be held or worn (unless we were in the car) for most naps until we sleep trained at 3.5 months. I had a little success with holding her until she was asleep and then transferring to the cot, but then she would only sleep for the first sleep cycle (30 mins).

I definitely can commiserate about not being able to get much done! Can you wear her at all? That helped for me. Do you have a swing? It didn't work for us, but others swear by it.

LO only napped reliably in my arms up till 9 months when I had to sleep train. I was ok with it till then though, so I didn't make too much of an effort

Can you try a right swaddle and then the swing or rock n play? Or a bouncy chair and slowly bounce it with your foot? We did the RnP or chair for naps. Put down drowsy and then we bounced the chair or rocked the rnp. Eventually we stopped the bouncing and rocking and he could fall asleep on his own.

Good luck!

I pretty much spent the first few months sleeping on the couch through naps and nights.

I did try baby wearing, swing, crib, etc. I would definitely try a swing or something. I have no great advice since she's so young but I can completely commiserate!

@snowjewelz: I've been dealing with some of this, and here are a few things that have helped. I do commiserate...about 3-4 weeks ago I was almost in tears whenever I had to put him down during the day because it was SUCH A STRUGGLE (it once took 6 hours to get a nap! 6!), and it somehow seems to be getting easier. I bet I just jinxed it by saying it, but.....it should get easier!

1) Our pediatrician said it takes them about 20 minutes of REM sleep to get into deep sleep. Once in deep sleep you should definitely be able to put her down without her waking up. You then might have to pick her back up once her sleep cycle turns over (I believe the entire cycle is 50 minutes max if it's uninterrupted?), but that should give you at least 30 minutes of a break?
2)I let my son fall asleep on me, and then will move him right next to me on the couch. I keep hand on him (this is key!), as I think the pressure/human contact is a comfort to him. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it often will bridge the gap and I can eventually move my hand once he's settled
3)My son easily gets overstimulated, so I have blackout shades in his nursery so it looks like nighttime in there all the time. If we're in the living room and it isn't dark enough, I'll even use my hand to shade his eyes. If K needs darkness, too, it couldn't hurt to try!

I held my son for all of his naps but it somehow took care of itself. His dad and grandparents just put him down and he slept. He probably sensed that I wanted to cuddle as much as he did! I say enjoy it for now.

@Pumpkin Pie: ooh, I just posted a question yesterday if you could sleep train a swaddled baby! Would you mind elaborating on that?

What was your biggest sleep problem(s) that you were trying to overcome? Which method did you use (check & console? extinction? Gradual extinction?) How did your LO self sooth if swaddled and couldn't use their hands? How many nights did it take? How is her sleep now?

Sorry for all the Qs, I'm obsessed with sleep/sleep training right now!!

Also forgot to mention, I used rapid extinction method. No checks. I would just peek in every so often to make sure nothing was wrong.

@Pumpkin Pie: thank you for elaborating on what you did! So glad to hear it worked well for you!

With LO1 she had to be held for all of her naps! If I wasn't holding her, she was in the carrier or in the stroller. But at the 8-10 week mark I hunkered down for 1 week and nap trained her (had to wait for my in laws to leave since they were the biggest enablers!) No CIO but consistently putting her in the bassinet for naps and loosely going with the EASY schedule. A no worries about holding her now!

Right now A naps in a rocker/bouncer. With LO 1, I would swaddle her and have her nap in the swing...she could nap for 2 hours in that thing!

@snowjewelz: yep, I was able to leave her in swaddled without issues. But after "training" her to sleep in the crib, I didn't use the swing very often (except during regressions).