6-month-old lost the ability to self settle!

[Gingerbreadpixie]

Up until about a week ago DS1 rarely caused a fuss going to bed/for naps. Little bit of grumbling, head-rubbing and thumb-sucking and he'd be asleep soon enough. Everything has changed. He's completely unable to self-soothe and is getting himself worked up into a frenzy every time now, even when he's clearly exhausted. He usually has a 45-90min nap every few hours during the day. Today he went 7 hours without napping and was in complete meltdown mode just prior to his last bottle. I dont know what to do.

[TheGreatHunt]

He hasn't lost the ability - he just needs more comfort. Sometimes this happens, they haven't forgotten. It could be teething or a growth spurt or developmental where the brain goes a bit mental.

To reassure yourself, think carefully of how many people you know who still need cuddling to sleep....

Try cuddling and rocking to sleep. If it works, bingo. Then you can try self settling again when he seems to get better.

[Gingerbreadpixie]

Thank you. I do try to soothe him but it seems make things worse (and subsequently makes me feel a bit useless!).

I try rubbing his hands/bum/back/tummy or patting him. It doesn't seem to soothe him. DH had some luck repeatedly pinging the waistband of DS trousers the other day but it didnt work for me when I tried. He won't be cuddled to sleep at all.

We sometimes give a dummy but DS pulls it out then cries because he can't get it back in.

It does seem like he's developing pretty rapidly atm so maybe he just can't "switch off". Poor thing :(

[TheGreatHunt]

What about singing to him? So I remember dd getting very over tired at this age - she wanted to be asleep by 6 some nights (!) so an earlier bedtime could help?

[Gingerbreadpixie]

I'll give the singing a try. He goes to bed at 7pm. Maybe I could bring it forward half an hour and see what happens.

[Gingerbreadpixie]

Singing didnt work. He can't hear me over the screaming.

His eyes get all wide and alert as soon as I go near him. :(

[Bexmathews]

I was gonna say teething, any other signs ?

[TheGreatHunt]

Is the room pitch black? My DC need it to be completely blacked out.

[Gingerbreadpixie]

He's been dribbling, having red cheeks and "chewing" everything for the past 2 months. But no teeth poking through yet. I expect they're on their way though. I'm reluctant to give calpol if he's not actually in pain and there are no obvious sore spots to apply teething gel. I've seen the homeopathic powders but not sure if they work ?


The room isn't pitch black in the day. I could certainly try to make it darker.

[Bexmathews]

I use the Nelson's teething granules, they help calm and help distract. My dd sleep pattern went out the window with first 2 teeth and now 2 more have just cut the surface :( back to night time waking, she also goes off her milk and is generally grumpy !