Can anyone here help me and my DH get some sleep please?

[Washersaurus]

DS2 (6 mo) is a nightmare sleepwise. Despite my best efforts, he won't have proper naps in his cot in the day, but will sleep on my lap or in the buggy at random intervals.

He goes to sleep at 7/7.30pm and wakes at about midnight for a feed, then cries for a bit when I put him back in the cot before going to sleep again. He then wakes again after a couple of hours crying, but isn't hungry.

We are trying to stop co-sleeping with him as he doesn't settle well in our bed anymore (waking hourly and needing bf to get back off to sleep).

I am so tired my head is in a muddle and I don't know what to try to sort this mess out.

DS1 was such a good sleeper in contrast, he got into his own routine by this age and only woke for feeds before going straight. back to sleep.

Aaaargh, maybe I have (as DH suggested) made "a rod for my own back" by co-sleeping in the first place? I only started co-sleeping because he was so impossible to settle in the first place

It sounds really terrible I know but I am really sick of listening to him crying....He cries when he is tired so I put him to bed, he cries when in bed until I go and retrieve him and then he falls asleep on my lap and cries when I try to put him down.

I honestly cannot carry on like this, I might end up seriously disliking my own baby

Sounds dreadful - have you asked your HV for a referral to your local sleep clinic? Might be worth a try.

my ds didnt sleep through until 7 mths and didnt nap in day only 1 in morning unless in pushchair so always went for walk around 1 so he can nap

does he have a dummy at all as maybe if he was sucking on the dummy for comfort when he cries maybe pop it in and he may settle

dont get into habit of picking him up every time he cries keep thing slow light voice etc and just say sshh sleep time pop dummy in and leave

could he be teething also maybe a bit of teething gel and dummy

my ds got used to being picked up when crying and it becomes a habit but can be broken you need to be consistant with the sshh sleep time and then leave

as for the day time i would get him off to sleep and then move him into cot with a rolled up blanket by his side so still felt snuggled to me

they do get used to it feels like they never will give it a week of consistency and you will notice a difference [fingers crossed anyway]

also i found i had to change nappy in night as he couldnt settle back off if there was wee in nappy

Oh thanks for your replies - I dashed off earlier with DS2 in the buggy as his whining was driving me insane.

I suppose it could be teething related. The problem is now that we are so tired and he cries/whines so much we find that we sort of tune out and don't look at the obvious (ie that it could be teething, dirty nappy etc).

I don't leap up to pick him up when he cries but can't leave him crying too long at night because he wakes DS1 - and to have a tired toddler the next day too is hell

I have tried a dummy but he just wasn't interested - it seems that only I will do!

I don't even know if there is a sleep clinic around here . Just can't bring myself to visit the HV either (even if I knew where to find one)

He is such a happy baby in all other respects (everyone always comments on how smiley he is) but this sleep situation really needs resolving now - after 6 months DH and I are exhausted and it is really causing arguments.