Help! Need alternatives to cc for 17 month old

[LiegeAndLief]

Dd has never been a brilliant sleeper and still only sleeps through sporadically. Can wake once for 10mins or several times for hours at a time, although I think this is mostly bad teething.

Anyway, since I stopped bfing her to sleep she has gone down pretty well by rocking and singing quietly until she closes her eyes, then in cot and a few mins of stroking. Usually only takes 5-10mins. But in the last few weeks she has been really unsettled in my arms, sometimes closing her eyes but twisting and writhing to get down. If I put her in the cot and try to soothe her she wriggles around like mad, turning over and over, even when she's really tired, almost like she can't keep still. Sometimes giggles at me manically. If I sit by the cot she tries to climb out to me. If I leave the room she screams.

Most nights I resort to holding her quite firmly until she gives in and goes to sleep, but this takes ages, involves quite a lot of screaming and thrashing and just feels wrong.

I am so fed up I am on the verge of trying some proper cc (I do leave her for a few mins sometimes when I really can't do anything with her) but don't really want to. What else can I do?! Please help!

I would have thought the most important thing is to put her down awake so she learns to sleep on her own.

writhing around is usually an indicator of wanting to go to sleep. I would have a bedtime routine, stick her in the cot, say a good night phrase and leave the room. She will cry but it won't be for long if she is tired and you can go back in to rpt the good night phrase.

You do not have to do cc all night long if they go down awake as they usually learn how to put themselves back to sleep.

I honestly didn't think I'd be suggesting this, as I felt as you did. I've just done two nights of cc with my 15 mo and our lives are transformed already! She was a terrible skipper, waking multiple gmta, wanting bf but it didn't get her to sleep, up for hours in the night, early waker.
The first night she cried for 6 mins, 10 mins at midnight, 2 mins at 4am and slept till 7.15. Last night took two mins at bedtime. She woke at 1.30 am and i went in the room. She rolled over and went to sleep. I've been lying awake just now waiting for her to wake up.
I'm totally amazed. Think it must have been just the right time for her.

Ah well maybe cc is the way to go after all! Thanks both of you. I thought we were getting somewhere with the going to sleep on her own thing, as i was gradually putting her down in the cot earlier, but that has all gone to pot now she won't settle in my arms.

I definitely wouldn't do cc in the night (well not for more than a few mins) as I also have 4 yo ds and she wakes him up, but I was hoping that if I could somehow get her to sleep on her own at bedtime she would settle herself if she woke in the night.

By the way we do have a consistent bedtime routine which she is happy with (probably not as peaceful as it could be because of ds!) and has been in place for ages. Will try just adding "goodnight" phrase to it like you suggest.