7 month old hysterically rocking

[Meliduncan]

For the last week or so my 7mo has started crying hysterically when put in her cot and pretty much as soon as I put her down rolls over gets on all fours and starts rocking back and fro frantically and crying. She can't crawl yet but can get up on her hands and knees. I have to keen turning her over but she just instantly goes back on her front. We recently went on holiday and prior to that were making progress on the sleep front. She generally settled well on holiday and although night sleep was bad getting her down was much easier than now and she wasn't doing the all fours thing although was able to get on hands and knees then too. I have no idea what the rocking on all fours means has anyone else had this?

Yeah, my 1yo does this too and has done since he was able to get onto all 4s. He generally does it when he's resisting sleep. I wouldn't bother trying to force her onto her back, let her sleep on her front if she wants to. It might be the 8 month sleep regression, it was awful for us and resolved itself when he learnt to crawl.

My 7 month old is doing this but stops crying while she rocks.
As far as I know about now they have an urge to practice their new skills around the clock. The rocking is the start of learning to crawl. I had one night this week where I slept only two hours because she simply would not lie down, as soon as I put her down she would flip over and up and just bob backwards and forwards over and over.
I remember my first would crawl in his sleep when he was learning. My second would stand up holding the cot, also asleep. But this one wants to stay awake and rock.
But I can't swear it's the same thing because of the crying. I wouldn't like to say it's definitely what my baby is doing but sounds similar

Rocking back and forth is how kids that age often try to get to sleep. Both DN did it and would cry for a bit when they were overtired. It will sort itself out when you get back into a normal routine after the holiday

Thanks sewinginscotland, she definitely seems to be resisting sleep but I'm confused as she was self settling well before and dare I say it seemed to like sleeping in her cot. I've been turning her over as she can't get from her front to her back but maybe I need to leave her on front. At a bit of a loss with why she's suddenly so upset at being out down. Will read up on 8 month regression 😭

Thanks Sux2buthen and Teddybear sympathise with the 2hrs of sleep. but good to know it's not completely out of the ordinary as I was worried she maybe had a sore stomach or something else very wrong but she is doing the same rocking during the day just happily instead so maybe it is her way of practicing or getting to sleep. She seems to have been close to crawling for a long time now but not mastered it yet

Sleep doesn't just get better and better. It goes forwards and backwards

Often backwards when they're learning a new skill as you have noticed