Am I the only one who can’t get their baby to sleep!

[Aftermidnightstrikes]

I’ve always struggled a bit to get my baby (now 10 months) to go to sleep. He used to feed to sleep but now doesn’t. Since he was about 5/6 months I’ve rocked / bounced to sleep but this can take ages and as he gets bigger not sure how practical it is.

I’m just wondering how others manage … have I gone wrong somewhere?

Try aiming for an earlier bedtime. It's always harder to get them to settle if they're over tired.
Don't worry though, it will work itself out
I'm much more relaxed about ds2's sleep than I ever was about ds1s.

Thanks, I’ll keep trying. It’s just so difficult to get him to sleep. But hopefully he’ll figure it out!

My baby was the same. I honestly think some babies are just harder and it's nothing much to do with what their parents do or don't do.
If my son doesn't go to sleep when I first try I usually just tried again later on.

All babies are different. I had 2 that were both 'bad' sleepers. I never manage to put them in their cot whilst awake. As they got better I either lay next to them or sat in a springy back chair ( bit like a rocking chair) meaning I wasn't holding a massive toddler for ages.
An earlier bedtime worked for mine,but they are all different

@Aftermidnightstrikes

Thanks, I’ll keep trying. It’s just so difficult to get him to sleep. But hopefully he’ll figure it out!

Oh it is but he will get there

This is what I’m struggling with @Stumpholecavern, it wasn’t too bad when he was little but now he’s bigger it’s harder to hold him for ages and he gets very squirmy.

I'd try rocking/bouncing until he's settled, then putting him in his cot with a bottle of water and leaving. If he cries, go in and comfort him and leave.

I did gradual CC with a bottle of water for DC1 at 6 months and he slept from 7-7 within the first week. Amazing sleeper now 3 years on. Before that he was still waking up to 5 times a night. No way would I have kept that up, CC was a lifesaver!

GLx

My dd used to be unsettled when we put her down for as long as 2 hours. Then from about 10 months we put a small lightweight jellycat toy in her cot, and it was instantly a game changer. She snuggles into it and gets herself off to sleep within minutes!! She is 14months now and its still just as effective except for when shes ill.
Granted i think we are lucky and have a good sleeper. Are toys in cots a huge mumsnet no no as nobody else has mentioned doing this too
Btw 8pm is late, could your baby be getting overtired?

I just can’t get him down any earlier I’ve tried for seven but that’s impossible. Half seven sometimes if he has slept very badly in the day.

Some nights it’s nearly nine o clock, it’s a nightmare!

I'm currently sat here with DD2 nearly 4 and she is showing no signs of sleep so doesn't get any better!

Don’t tell me that! in all seriousness this does worry me a bit, would like to get him into good habits for the future.

OP my life got so much better when I accepted that you cannot make another human being go to sleep.

You’re not doing anything wrong and your instincts as to what might work or not work will be right.

What you can do is introduce micro routines that set them up for sleep at each nap or bedtime, eg feed, clean nappy, sleeping bag, white noise, familiar phrase, comforter etc. Dark and boring rooms. Stay present or leave depending on what your individual baby reacts best to. For an easy life in the day go with anything that works, like car rides or pram walks.

OP my life got so much better when I accepted that you cannot make another human being go to sleep. this is so key. It's so so hard though and i often had to give baby to dad or put them down so I could just go breathe and sort of press reset in my mind. Me getting stressed wasnt helping.

I’m totally honest and tell people that sleep training worked for my DS. Not everyone is happy to do it. And not all babies are the same. Up to you to decide if it’s worth a try. Do lots of reading on the subject as there are different methods.
I also give DS a soft toy to cuddle and chew on which he really likes.

Try the pram if rocking works.

My Dd is 16 months and has all naps in the pushchair and is pushed back and forth on the drive or in the kitchen to get her to sleep at night then lifted to her cot & then I sleeps all night unless poorly.

I presume you have tried taking the batteries out and pressing the reboot button.

My Dd is 16 months and has all naps in the pushchair and is pushed back and forth on the drive or in the kitchen to get her to sleep at night then lifted to her cot & then I sleeps all night unless poorly.

Rebooting didn't work for us so we too had to do the above. She was my third and just didn't sleep. If I tried to put her in the cot in the day she would just scream, but would happily have naps if put in her pushchair (asleep or awake). My dh spent many an evening walking her round the streets in her pushchair to get her to sleep and we would then move her once we went to bed. She's 9 now, goes to bed (most nights) now.

She was the bite on my backside after my eldest slept 10-7 from 6 weeks (both breastfed) and we often joked would even sleep on a washing line.

Some babies just don’t like sleep

And for some babies the whole ‘pop them down when drowsy’ is almost so bad it’s laughable

@hellothere007

Some babies just don’t like sleep

And for some babies the whole ‘pop them down when drowsy’ is almost so bad it’s laughable

Oh that is so true - with DC2 I am amazed how quickly 'drowsy' can turn into 'nuclear levels of rage' when put into his cot not fully asleep

that is so true - with DC2 I am amazed how quickly 'drowsy' can turn into 'nuclear levels of rage' when put into his cot not fully asleep

I couldn't even get dc3 into the cot, she would fall asleep in my arms, I would stand by the cot, and as soon as I started to lean forward she would pop her eyes open and scream. I could put her in the pushchair though.

I love her dearly, but hard work was (is?) an understatement.

I spent ages trying to get DS into a sleep routine. Gave up by the time I got to DD - she stayed up with is and just get asleep on me until she was about 15 months. We had zero problems getting her info a more normal sleep routine after that. Their sleep pattern changes so often it wasn't an issue.

You're not doing anything wrong. I think it's luck of the draw. My firstborn slept 7-7 from 8 weeks and I made the mistake of feeling all smug. Second baby was a nightmare and didn't sleep through until 2 years old so I soon realised I didn't have a some special knack, I was just lucky the first time. Sorry no practical advice just rest assured it's not forever.