6mo baby suddenly doesn’t want to go to bed!

[BlackCat14]

Hi all, just looking for a bit of advice!

Our baby has always been a brilliant sleeper. Since 12 weeks old he’s slept through the night- about 9.30pm until 8am.
In the last month or so he’s been going to bed 8.30pm until 7.30/8am.
Weve been so lucky to not have had any night wakes, and also, we put him down in his cot after his last bottle and he just settles himself to sleep. Sometimes he falls asleep as he has his bottle, other times we can put him in his cot still awake and within 10mins he’s asleep.
But this last week (he’s coming up to six months old now) every night when we’ve put him in his cot he wakes and starts crying. We’ve ended up bringing him back downstairs and giving him more milk, and letting him fall asleep on us before putting him back in his cot. We’ve realised he needs to be asleep on us a good 20mins to then stay asleep when we transfer him. But sometimes this has taken an hour and a half, two hours, and it’s been 9.30/10pm before he’s finally settled in bed.

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced it? Is it just a phase? He is growing and changing. This week his first tooth is starting to grow and he rolls for the first time so is it all just part of him growing?

Just part of having a baby, totally normal.

You’ve just had a ridiculously easy time of it so far. I wouldn’t personally come back downstairs. Stay upstairs in the dark and the quiet, but yes, this is completely normal.

6 months is especially tricky because of teething and starting solids. Solids cause all sorts of sleep disruption because it wreaks havoc on their digestive system. Mine woke every 30 minutes all night long for several weeks at 6 months. 🥴

Just keep going but make sure you are going to bed yourself and getting adequate sleep. You’ve likely been lulled into a false sense of security that it will always be this easy and it definitely will not be, so get sleep while you can.

Very common at 6 months. It's a massive leap for brain wiring around this time, not to mention teething and solids.

It does get better within a couple of weeks. We did sleep train around this age too, using Ferber but limited to 10 minutes, after which we resettled/reset by taking back downstairs for 5-10 mins, then trying again.

Very normal. Baby is growing and learning, and becoming more aware of himself and surroundings. It’s very common for sleep changes throughout the baby years.

He has realised he is on his own and doesn't like it

This is really normal and it will pass! Sleep isn’t linear, you have peaks and troughs. Sounds like he’s going through a bit of a leap if he’s just rolled and is getting his first tooth. I’d expect it to be a phase that passes, but their sleep is constantly changing, as are their needs.

Thanks everyone, it’s really reassuring to know this is very normal at his age ☺️