If you always hold your child until they fall asleep, they will connect sleeping to being held, and it may be difficult for learn to sleep without being held. You should also pay attention to your baby’s cues. Try putting your baby down and patting or rubbing their back to soothe them to help them get to sleep rather than holding them. When my son was about five months old, I realized that he was crying at bedtime because he wanted to be put down. Holding and rocking him was too stimulating for him and kept him from getting to sleep.