6mo co sleeping and bf

[NewChoos]

I reached the point of tiredness where I must make changes.
DS feeds to sleep, we can sometimes get him in his cot while asleep for the beginning of the night, when he wakes after 2-3 hours, we co sleep as we all get more sleep this way. Apart from he has now started to feed hourly. I think just because I am there he thinks he'll have a little snack!
I am back to work in 2 months so I really want to try and get him sleeper longer and in his cot if possible.....
Also his naps in the day are generally on me, or if he's fast asleep I transfer him but he normally wakes.
Tried PUPD about a month and he got hysterical on the 3rd day so we abandoned this. I am sure he isn't getting enough sleep as he doesn't settle until we do around 2230 ish. Naps in the day are no more than 2 hours in total. He generally gets up 0800ish.

Any advice please?

Oh and he screams if I don't feed him in the night, even if he's just had milk!

It sounds like he doesn't know how to get himself to sleep. Have you tried putting him down awake (but sleepy) at the start of the night? Or for naps?

Could he be overtired? When does he nap?

My DD stopped feeding to sleep (by herself) so I put her down with her dummy in, with a comforter and her musical seahorse. If she is tired but isn't sleepy she cries. So I get her up and we play quietly until she rubs her eyes again. I then put her down, if she is now sleep and tired she always goes off very quickly. I guess it might be a bit late for you to try a dummy?

You could try the No Cry Sleep Solution for other tips. She advises you to unlatch just as they are going to sleep so they do the last bit on their own. If they cry you latch them back on and repeat.

Also the Dr Sears website is good. Do you have a partner to help you out? I remember Dr Sears says crying in the arms of a loving father is not the same as crying in out so even if there are tears could your DP/DH help out?

Btw my DD is not a good sleeper (wakes 3 plus times a night for food, wakes a lot in the evening for her dummy) but I've read alot of the topic and didn't want your post to go unanswered.

I go back to work in 3 months myself but just for 3 days. Are you going back full time or part time?

My DD is teething at the moment and comforting sucking a lot. Now isn't the time for me to make changes. I keep hoping things will get better on their own. Hope some of this helps you though. Let me know how you get on.

The late settling, hourly waking and only one day nap sound like he's massively overtired.

I'd put him to bed early - 6.30, get him down for a short nap 60-90 mins after he wakes in the morning (by any means necessary), then another one about 1ish after lunch.

Early bedtime does not equal early waking when babies are overtired.

Try this for a week - the aim is for him to get more sleep so he settles better once he's more rested.

Check he's not teething too!

Thanks for the replies - I think he is very over tired. We have put him down to sleep drowsy/stayed with him/tried shush pat etc and he just gets hysterical after a while.
DH took him upstairs and sung, cuddled and generally tried to settle him down for 2 hours last night and he was still awake! This was from 0730-0930. I then fed him to sleep but he woke when transferred to the cot so he spent the night with us again! He slept for 4 hours but then fed almost hourly from around 0300 ish.

He spits dummies out or plays with them.... I think we are going to try PUPD tonight. Today he has had an hour nap this morning from 1100-1200 and then about an hour from 1430-1530. Fed to sleep both times and then I moved him on to the sofa as I wanted him to sleep and didn't want to risk the cot!!!
I am planning dinner at 1800, bath at 1900 and then story and so begins the sleep whispering for another night :)

No sign of any teeth yet, he started weaning 2 weeks ago but doesn't seem to have helped with sleeping......

sorry I mean 1930-2130!

Do consider putting him to bed earlier - you want to aim for him to be asleep, doesn't matter how at this stage! The more tired he is the longer it takes. Even now with DS, aged 2, if I put him to bed as normal when he's knackered, it can take an age!!!

DH doesn't get in until 1830, which is why we have aimed for 1930 ish bedtime. We could try earlier though and see if this helps. He'll start nursery in Jan 2 days a week and it won't be home until 1830 and so I was kind of aiming for a routine we could keep to then - of course we're not in any kind of routine.....

We just can't cope when he's really upset and so comfort/feed him, we're in a never ending circle of not enough sleep/trying to get him to sleep/worried about going back to work :(

haloflo I am going back 3 days as well, but DH is doing the nursery run as I'll be working a longer day, leaving the house at 0630 and getting back at 1900.

So, I gave DS dinner at 1730, bath at 1800 and a massage (at this point I was almost asleep!), cuddle with DH at 1830 and a story. 1900 bf, asleep by 1930, but woke when I tried to transfer him to cot. More bf, 2000 DH takes over, tried shush pat and cuddles, on 5th attempt to put in cot, baby breath holds so DH brings back downstairs at 2030. Currently have cooing baby being read a story by DH. I am about to attempt another feed and go and lie down with him.
He did have a 30min nap at 1630- so perhaps this was too late.

Persevere??

Yes but I wouldn't take him out of the room until he sleeps. Also put him down once asleep after 15-20 mins to make sure he is. Try putting down on his side then gently roll onto his back.

Also dinner seems too close to bedtime? 5 would be better as more time to digest

Thank you Iggly Will try an earlier dinner at 1700, bath at 1800 ready for story with Dada at 1830 and bf and bed at 1900

Good luck! It took us a few goes to get bedtime sorted.