Baby falling asleep standing up

[CultureAlienationBoredomandDespair]

We’ve been sleep training DS13months and after a rocky two nights with lots of reassuring and eventually coming into bed with me we seem to have cracked him falling asleep on his own and not being upset.

The problem is that that he’s sleeping standing up leaning against the cot! Every so often he starts slumping down and he just starts himself awake and stands up again and goes back to sleep.

If I go in and lie him down he just cries and stands up bold upright and gets upset for a few minutes before falling asleep again standing up.

What shall I do? He can’t be comfortable or getting good quality sleep but is it best to leave him and let him figure it out or do I just give up ans have him in bed with me? (Not really feasible for reasons that are a bit long to go into)

Well he's not settling to sleep is he. He's exhausted and distressed and falling asleep against the thing that's stopping him trying to reach you.

I'd forgotten that my son did this a bit too. I think he inherited his father's genes and the ability to sleep anywhere. I just left him to it really, he was perfectly happy and he would usually lie down at some point in the night. Thankfully, it was a very short phase.

Thanks for that. Any actual advise? He’s not distressed and he’d certainly let me know if he was, but he’s certainly not comfortable either. Settling to sleep is what I want. He was asleep within 5mins tonight. Last night he slept 7.30-12 in the cot but mostly standing up, I brought him into bed with me where he slept until 8. He then had a 2hr nap this afternoon so he’s not lacking sleep, just not good quality atm.

Thank you.

Just to add he’s been his usual happy self today.

Not surprised he slept well when he eventually came to bed with you and needed a nice long nap as well. He must have been knackered.

It'll stand to him (pun intended) in later life, I had a friend who'd wrap his arms around whatever was handy, lamp pole, wing mirror of a jeep, etc and sleep standing g up after a few drinks!!!

So he’s not distressed for anything length of time- just a bit of grumbling as he falls asleep standing up? Is there a safe way to add an obstacle so he’s less propped up and slips down as he doses? I’m thinking about a firm cylindrical cushion in that corner, so he is less effectively propped in place. He’ll sag into a lying down posture as he gets sleepy.

I’ll take it that’s a no to any actual advice then.

That might be a good idea, thank you. I just want him to be comfortable and hopefully start lying down soon!

I wish I was like that, maybe he gets it from DH, who can just say night, roll over and be snoring in 5 seconds flat 😂.

The actual advice would be to get a floor bed or double mattress on the floor and a baby gate on the door of the room and cuddle him to sleep and then roll away. That way he falls asleep in his own bed so isn't surprised by waking up somewhere different, he gets comfort to sleep and if necessary you can sleep with him.

Just let him sleep standing up if that works for him. He will sort himself out. As long as he sleeps, things are good.

Mine used to do that (albeit for naps, not at night time). I'd pop her into her cot for a nap, she didn't protest so I thought she was fine, leave the room, go in later & she'd fallen asleep upright. If I stayed in the room & she could see me there was no chance of her sleeping so I popped her in her cot and left the room. I would try and move her to a more comfortable position when I found her like that, but it would of course wake her depending on how lightly or deeply she was sleeping. She grew out of it after a while.

Ignore this sanctimonious comment.

I would wait and see if this stops of its own accord. Is he is a sleepy sac? That might be harder to stand up in. He's doing really well.

I'm not convinced about putting any cushions in there.

Could you have a song that you play when he is just lying down to rest during the day so he associates it with getting into a sleeping position?

Thank you, I’ve put him a grow bag for the last few nights but one with legs. I might try a more dress shaped one tonight. I’ve been putting my eldest’s yoto in with him with sleep sounds on (he loves music and always used to fall asleep to Nick Drake!)

Unfortunately that’s not possible as we’re living in my MILs house at the moment. Plus my DM is unwell and I might have to go away to help care for her for a few nights. In order to do that he’d have to stay with DH and would surely be less distressed if his bedtime routine could stay the same and he could sleep in his own cot.