I have several problems, all probably my own doing as I gave in to all the wrong sleep associations (dummy, breast, rocking etc). Now my baby can't self settle and I am at my wits' end.
- Baby refuses to nap during the day. He cries intensely and won't go down for more than 30 minutes (after a lot of fighting) before he wakes again, and is instantly wide awake.
- He wakes for a middle of the night feed and is wide awake, refuses/can't go back to sleep unless I rock him and breastfeed him.
- Falls asleep at the breast so he doesn't ever get enough to eat, making him demand food every couple of hours, and also it's a sleep association for him and he often won't sleep unless I put him on the boob, then he wakes up when I put him down.
- He is an extremely sucky baby and needs the dummy to sleep if not at the breast, and wakes up crying for it. Also keeps kicking and writhing in his bed unless he has the dummy.
I tried PUPD, but I don't get when I have to pick up and put him down, since he cries INTENSELY even before he reaches the mattress. I tried it for hours and nearly killed my back from the nonstop up and down. Also, the books says put him down immediately when he stops, or when he arches his back/fights. He does both, so it's literally up down up down up down in quick succession for 2 or 3 hours; I physically can't keep it up.
He screams so loudly and for so long that I am not sure I can stick with PUPD for days on end. Is there another way which is not CIO?
Also, what's the best way to start him into a routine of 3 naps a day? I would like him to do 30 mins in the morning and afternoon, and 1.5-2 hours between 11 and 2.30. He just starts screaming and struggling as soon as I bring him to his room at those times.
Lastly, all the tips for breaking wrong sleep associations say to put the baby down when he is drowsy not asleep. But most of the time he is wide awake, not drowsy so I can't put him down.
Appreciate some ideas. Thanks.