My 8 months old hates his cotbed

[OliveandJim]

My lo hates his cotbed, he yells just at the sight of the d@mn thing, bangs his head against the bars when he's in it, repeatedly, despite being surrounded by his favourite toys, screams until I pick him up (he can go on for 1 hour and a half non stop which isn't fair on the neighbours and I'm not ready to do cc yet) and in the battle of wills I always lose. Please help, how can I reconcile my baby with his cotbed and stop co-sleeping with baby?

Mine was always banging heads against the bars too. Now sleeps (mostly) very well in the travel cot...

Put him in duringthe day for short bursts and stay with him while he plays.

At bedtime, I'd put him in asleep and keep doing that then gradually less and less sleepy as he gets older then he'll self soothe. Same for night wakings too - get him back to sleep then pop in cot.

Thanks for the tips both of you! We're rethinking our sleeping arrangements based on other feeds I've read about co-sleeping. Why fight it?

I wish I had the answer to this but I don't do we cosleep! As you say, why fight it?

i dont think he hates his cot bed, I think he hates sleeping without you !

If you don't resolve it, you might find he's still in your bed age 5.

I would put him in his cot bed for all his naps, don't pick him up, just stand there & stroke his head until he stops ctrying & then if doesnt stop crying/settle, after half an hour later take him out, do similar at lunch time & the afternoon nap. Do it every day & be consistent, don't put him in your bed as this isnt fair if you are serious about him sleeping there.

Good luck & keep in mind the lovely sleeps you'll have in your own bed & how much better it is for him.