DS won't lie down and go to sleep. Ideas?

[abadoo]

DS (9m.o.) has discovered the joys of pulling himself up. Unfortunately this means he is very keen to experiment with this whenever I put him in his cot for naps or night time, so getting him to sleep is a massive battle of him standing up, me putting him back down as calmly as possible and repeat... He also then wakes up every couple of hours stands up, then chats until he gets tired and needs our help to get down again (I think, or he just wants us to come and put him back down for some company, who knows). I just do the same thing, put him back down as calmly as possible and repeat.

I've been trying gradual removal from the room with Andrea Grace's book (which has worked wonders) but now whenever I leave the room, he just stands up again, so I'm back to stroking his back/singing etc until he's basically asleep.

How do I get DS to stop standing up/go (back to) sleep on his own? Ideas would be very, very welcome [hsmile]

[AndMiffyWentToSleep]

No idea - but watching hopefully. My DS has never fallen asleep on his own but now (at 9mo) feeding is losing its effectiveness...

[gingemum2b]

I'm watching too! We've had to resort to almost pinning her down and stroking her back! Help please!

[abadoo]

Oh dear, doesn't look like we're getting much help. Miffy, Andrea Grace suggests putting a book (same one, every night) before sleep and then into cot and sit with them until they fall asleep (which is why we're now at the standing up stage)! It did help him sleep longer to do this, rather than feed to sleep.

Gingemum2b, likewise but the gentle touch on the shoulder/backstroking does seem to help. I just want to leave the room!

[buggyRunner]

The one thing which worked like a miracle for dd2 was our holiday. She shared a room with dd1 for the first time (3 year old). We bathed together then story then bed- same as usual but they shared a room.

It was scarey as she just led down and slept EVERY night and each night since- even though she doesnt share a room at home.

However, napping is impossible so I have figured out it was dd2 thinking she was missing something.

PS if you do cc Id do it sooner ie by the time he's 1 as soon he will be able to climb out of his cot-/ be in a bed (and you dont want this problem then!)

[Iggly]

Firstly, 9 months is a classic time for sleep regressions I'm afraid. His brain is too busy telling him to stand stand stand and practise his new trick. Does he even know how to lie down from standing?

So I'd probably go back to cuddling until drowsy then patting until he sleeps. You won't be doing this forever and are fighting an uphill battle trying anything while his brain has gone doolally.

I wouldn't worry about CC/climbing out of a cot. My DS is a climber and he never scaled his cot. And he only got out of bed a few months after he went into one. CC isn't a magic cure, something else will unsettle his sleep anyway.

I have two by the way. I'm quite relaxed about sleep with my second and she is much better at naps and self settling than DS was who I stressed about. She's 11 months and when she went through the 9 month phase, I cuddled her until asleep then put her down. Now I feed her and if she doesn't fall asleep, I lie her down and stroke her back until she's calm or asleep.

TBH they change so much in the first 2 years. Any "cure" that might have worked before will stop working. So with DD I've taken the approach of giving her a chance to sort herself out and if she doesn't, then I help her.

[abadoo]

Thanks Iggy. I've heard about the sleep regression, so perhaps that is it. He certainly looks proud of himself every time he stands up but no, he has no idea how to get down again, bless him! I don't think I have the stamina to do CC anyway, so I shall try to cuddling thing. I've been laying him back down but progress is zero, so perhaps a cuddle in the cot until he gives up will work better.

[SoldierKatnissEverdeen]

Why not just leave the room whole he is still standing? Won't he eventually get weary and lie down/fall asleep.

Mine did, and the standing up phase didn't last long as there was no fun/reward in it. All good sleepers now. Possibly luck.

[SoldierKatnissEverdeen]

While, not whole. Obvs.

[abadoo]

that usually results in total meltdown Soldier and we don't want to do CC. Once he knows how to sit down again it might be better/possible to do so I guess...

[abadoo]

For those following for ideas, the cuddling until he lies down seems to be working. Hooray!