Hypnos

So, after my last desperate post on whether or not to sleep train, I read about the most important thing to do in order to help the process.. Put the baby to sleep in the crib while awake (but preferably drowsy). Before three months it doesn't matter apparently and you can rock and bounce the baby asleep to your hearts content, but after three months it becomes important....
Except, easier said than done.
Still, I resolved that in order to do what I think is best for little Pi, I decided to put things in place to help him sleep which I like to think as gradually sleep train. So what I tried to start doing (not all the time) is putting him to sleep in his bouncer without bouncing him. I bounce him until he is sleepy and then stop before he drifts off, so he can kind of do the last thing on his own. It works a lot of the time providing he has my full attention.
I also started to put him in his crib after I feed him (usually I would let him fall asleep while nursing and transfer him over- which NEVER worked). He would cry, so I would get in his crib with him (as much of my body weight as I feel the crib will allow- it's a bedside crib so most of my weight is still on our bed) and shush and cuddle him, sticking my thumb in his mouth to soothe him (he won't take a pacifier). The strange thing is- so far it's been working (sometimes better than others). I think he just loves the cuddles.
We have had a strong bedtime routine since 8 weeks: I put on lullabye music, he has a bath and then a cuddle or massage, and then feed and then bed. Though now (because it sometimes takes an hour to put him down) he has a really early bed time; I start the routine at 5:30, or 5:45, and he is in his crib by 6 (how long it takes to go to sleep will vary though).
Unfortunately he has a habit of waking up about 15minutes later (though sometimes a quick cuddle is all he needs) and sometimes again about 15 minutes after that (and sometimes again!), but it is still a HUGE improvement. It also means my husband and I have about and hour or two (we go to bed about 9) to spend together. It's sooo lovely and hope it only gets better.
I have also stopped waking him at 9 to "dreamfeed" him- thinking he would go longer if I did. That plan didn't work, but now that I haven't been waking him up he sleeps until 11pm (so that is almost 5 hours in a row!).
I really hope that I won't jinx myself by writing this and instead let's hope he gradually sleeps longer and longer. I did read that by about 8kgs, or 6 months babies do sleep longer anyway. I hope if I can just "gaman shimasu" (endure) a bit longer then this whole sleeping thing will sort itself out.