To want DP to put the baby to bed?

[MumChats]

7mo DS screams if DP tries to put him to bed... Hes ok with naps etc but something about bedtime he only wants me (with me he will usually quietly drift off to sleep at night, with DP he will cry until I come and take over. The longest we've persevered with the crying is an hour). DP has tried to put him to bed most nights for about 2 weeks now but no luck.

Has anyone got any advice? DS is EBF which i think might be contributing to him being clingy to me. He is occasionally like that in the daytime if he's under the weather. I put this in sleep earlier but no response so I've come to aibu for traffic!

Also, could you do a trial run of going out before bedtime so he knows you're not around? Sometimes when they know there's only one parental option they behave a little better. Stick local so DH can call you back if things get bad.

Unfortunately your son has now learned that if he cries for long enough, you will come, therefore he will keep doing this because it works.

I would suggest being out of the house at bedtime. Make a point of saying goodbye to him at the door and go out for a walk. Your partner can walk round the house with him and show him you’re not there. He can try and find his own routine e.g. singing a particular song, playing games in the bath, having a particular toy to cuddle, rocking him for a bit or similar. It will be tough for a few nights but he needs to stick it out until your son is asleep and not call you in to help. Babies adapt quickly and your son is not being left alone, he’s just cross because he’s not getting what he wants most.

My partner used to just tuck our son in bed with him and put In The Night Garden or Moon And Me on tv, then move him in to his cot once he was asleep. It wasn’t ideal but it worked for him.

Thanks everyone and yes @mindystclaire this is a battle id rather pick - but I don't mind either waiting to pick it in another month or two, or gently transitioning like the earlier advice.

@Darkstar4855 your post was sort of my reasoning in DP persevering so far but its easier said than done. I'm not sure how much DS really has learnt. I dont know cognitive abilities at 7mo and whether he really knows he can bring me back by crying or whether he just cries because he wants me iyswim. Same with understanding that I'm not in the house, I think he would keep crying because he wants me rather than being able to rationalise knowing that I cant come because I'm not there.

Appreciate all your thoughts and words of experience anyway, lots to think about and try.

7 months is still little and there are a few replies here that don't seem to recognise little ones don't understand cause and effect.

I found breaking the link between milk and sleep helped, you may already be doing this but I found giving the last feed away from the bedroom helped break the association.