Strange sleep regression - at a loss of what to do

[hanbee]

Going slowly mental due to DS2s complete inability to sleep at night without me. He naps alone in the pram during the day for 30 mins to 1.5 hours at a time but at night can now only manage to stay asleep for around 10 minutes once I leave the room. A couple of weeks ago he was sleeping on his own in the crib for up to 2 hours at time but the suddenly he can't stay asleep unless I'm holding and shushing him constantly. DH works away during the week so I'm co-sleeping at night so I can deal with the daytime.

DS2 is 5 months old, bf and not yet weaned. He wakes and screams the place down unless I pick him up and feed him. No amount for comforting in the cot seems to work.

I'd be really grateful for any thoughts. Why he suddenly won't sleep and what I could do to help him. I'm not up for controlled crying, mainly because I have 2 year old DS1 who has development delay and becomes very distressed if woken by DS2 crying.

Thanks all

Sorry you're having a tough time

My DS is nearly 7 months, always been hit and miss with sleeping. Sometimes he will go to bed at 7pm and sleep through with 1 wake up at about 2am for a feed. Last night he went to bed at 7:30pm, woke at 9pm screaming. Nothing would calm him down, put him in bed with me and he went to sleep at 11pm. Cried alot. Woke up at 1am, 3am and 6am. I've just had a look at his gums and can see a new tooth coming through, and he has a cold :( Could he be teething? My DS got his first tooth at 4 months!
Is he on solids? My DS gets tummy ache with certain foods and would be quite upset at night.

I don't have any advice but you are not alone. My situation is not as bad as yours but my DS2 is also 5 months and bf, and since 12 weeks he wakes about every 2-3 hours and quickly gets very distressed and the only solution is the boob. From the first wake up he is then in bed with me, as like you it's the only way I can get enough sleep to look after him and DS1 in the day. I wasted 25 mins of sleep time trying to settle him in cot after feed last night, and a further 20 mins later in the night trying to cuddle him instead of feed. Between 6-12 weeks we were at one feed a night!!! Last night I fed him 4 or 5 times. DS1 was mix fed and I had stopped bfing by 5 months exactly and had stopped feeding him in the night by 3 months so I have no experience of this. I have however started weaning this week.

Arch, just heard him then, please don't let this be the start of a terrible night!!!

Good luck!

I was same as you, I surrendered to having him napping on me for his day naps andwe co slept at night. (Although not alot of other stuff got done).

As soon DS started crawling he started sleeping a lot better. Very liberating! It's not forever OP. I kept telling myself throughout that he would only be this small and portable for so long.

Would gradual retreat work here? I have read about it but not used it. Hopefully someone will be along who could help.

It won't last forever - why not just continue to co-sleep until he's a bit bigger and more secure?