CC & how to do it!

[Albertatata]

Ok I don't want to start a big debate or any judgy pants please - just need some advice for DS2.

DS2 is 6.5 months and has an aversion to sleep, comfort feeding every 2-3hrs all night, every fricking night. I'm tired and grumpy and have a two year old that I need to run round after.

I now realise DS1 was actually quite a good sleeper but he wouldn't self settle so we did CIO (I know flame me now) for settling in the cot at naps and bedtime and it worked like a dream - two night and he was happy going to sleep by himself. He would usually then only wake once for a feed at about 5am so I always fed him when he woke in the night.

DS2 is a different story wakes all the time & comfort feeding. Feeding about every 2-3hra in day and not particularly interested in food. Only feeds to sleep and seems to wake as soon as I put him in the cot. I need to get it sorted for my own sanity - my question is how!

Happy to do CC for bedtime but when should I do it when he wakes. I really think he still needs at least one feed overnight (DS1 did until 10montgs) but then I want to be consistent with the CC and not to give mixed messages IYSWIM.

Anyone been in similar position - do you do CC until a certain time say 2am? and then feed? Wouldn't he find tgat confusing. It seems so much harder to do with DS2.

Ps no suggestions of co sleeping, I do it when I'm at breaking point but I don't see it as a long term solution for me.

Can you feed him when he wakes in the night, but don't let him fall asleep during the feed? Put him back awake and then do whatever form of controlled crying you decide on? Maybe once he learns to self settle at bedtime it will become clearer when he needs to feed at night.

Yes that's an idea. Tonight he went to bed at 8.30 & so far has fed at 10, midnight (I brought him into my bed as wouldn't settle back in the cot after feeding) and now feeding again at 3.30. I'm sure he doesn't need these feeds but he just can't seem to sleep on his own.

Now he won't sleep despite me feeding & co sleeping with him - just kicking around in the double bed wide awake

My DD1 was a poor sleeper and what worked for us around this age was a 'dream feed' when I went to bed around 10pm. Then I reckoned she could manage 6 hrs without a feed so would not feed her again until 4am. So I would do CC if she woke in between 10pm and 4am (if you're bf, it helped a lot if DP or someone who can't feed went in for these times). Once she got the hang of not feeding at 2am this meant I got to sleep 10-4 which was nice. As she got older I pushed the 4am feed back until it became the morning feed.