5 months and no sleep! Help?

[LH1981]

My son is 5 months old and has never really slept.
He wakes up at least 4 times a night and most nights has a period of an hour or so wide awake (not crying or upset, unless on his own, just awake and babbling, fidgeting etc) usually around 3-4am. He wakes up more when put to bed in his cot, so we have taken to co-sleeping but then I don't sleep as he keeps me awake with noises, fidgeting in his sleep and paranoia of the duvet smothering him). Plus he likes me to have my arms around him which is uncomfortable.
He only goes down for a couple of 15-20 minute naps in the day and on very rare occasions I might get an hour out of him so no time for catch up sleep for me.

He is weaned, on 3 meals a day now and starting to introduce formula in the day to replace breast feeding.

I honestly do not know what to do. I'm miserable. My DH works away a lot so I'm often on my own and have two older children age 6 & 8 to look after too.

Other than the sleep thing he's an angel. So easy and good natured, always smiling.

Any help with how to settle him into a healthy sleep routine?? I've tried controlled crying but he just goes on and on so I feel that I shouldn't leave him like that. At my wits end!

[Cooper11111]

Hi, didn't want to read and run. My opinion will probably be really unpopular, but it sounds like he needs sleep training. Not all babies are born with the ability to fall asleep on their own and need to be taught. He is waking out of habit and the only way to break it is to stop being his prop. I absolutely know how you feel, I never brought ds into my bed but I remember the hours of sitting in the dark in his nursery just holding him- these memories haunt me and are affecting my new baby too. I sleep trained my little one using a professional sleep sense consultant. There are two methods you can use and one of them is where you don't have to leave him if you don't want to. I did the other method of cry and return, at first I felt like he would never stop but after 4 days he slept through and is an angel sleep now at 3 years. I feel like I've written this on a lot of posts lately, but my memories of the desperation are still so raw and I hate the thought of others going through it.

X

[Nolim]

I had to sleep train mine at 12 months. Not as young as yours but i was going insane at the time. And yes it is heartbreaking but it is key to persevere.

Have some pancakes and get some rest.

[LH1981]

Thank you! I have contacted a sleep trainer and my HV to get some help. I really appreciate your advice xx

[Heatherbell1978]

I can relate. DS1 is 6 months and has never slept through the night. Up until he was 4 months he would only wake once which I could deal with, now it's multiple times and it's killing me. He settles reasonably easily so I'm not pacing up and down with a screaming baby all night but the constant getting up and down and inserting dummy, putting music on is starting to take its toil. He only naps for 30 mins during the day too (but does 3/4 of them).

I'm going to leave it a couple of weeks incase he magically starts sleeping better as we've not long started weaning, if not we're getting a sleep consultant in.