Right, let's have a list of every technique that has ever worked to get our DC to sleep.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

I'm at breaking point. I feel like I've tried everything. Clearly I haven't or surely 6 mo DS wouldn't still be waking every hour or so?

So, here's a list of what we've tried in case it helps others. I will send you an 'unmumsnetty' [hug] if you share what you've tried so that we can all learn from each other's attempts.

A light show - worked the first night we used it (novelty value?) now just gives DS something else to try to play with. The music bit is priceless though. It comes on automatically when DS screams in the night every 90 mins and sometimes is enough to calm him back down.

Swaddling and white noise - worked for about two weeks when he was around 3 months old. Didn't work before or since.

BFing - works pretty much every time, but means that only I can resettle him and we really want him to learn to settle himself

Bouncing the mattress - works maybe 1/2 times, but also means that DS isn't learning to self settle

Put them down awake - well yes, I can do that, but then he will SCREAM if I leave the room

A taggy blanket - DS loves snuggling up to it and stroking the ribbons definitely calms him down. It works best in conjunction with rocking/feeding etc though, not really on it's own

Hm, I'm sure I've tried LOADS more things than that, but it's a good start. Come on, what do you do (or, just as importantly, have learnt not to do!) to help your DC sleep?

Thank you

At 10 months, DS2 was still waking 3 - 4 times a night consistently, we did night weaning. At first, I didn't feed him before midnight and when he woke, DH would cuddle him back to sleep / pat his back whilst DS2 was laying in the cot. Then after a couple more nights, I didn't feed him before 2 or 3am, then a few more nights, 5am. It took about a week, for DS2 to be night weaned and able to get himself back to sleep. Stopping the night feeds stopped him waking up.

I laid downstairs a bit upset, as I could hear DS2 crying. DH was brilliant, he stayed with DS2 and consistently comforted him, until DS2 could get himself to sleep. His night wakings stopped after that. 14 months later, we still haven't cracked the 5am starts though .

Dancing/ bouncing/ Rocking in various positions - pram - car
White noise on very loud
Rocking the cot (current technique) - literally picking up the side and bouncing it
Feeding (breast / slow teat bottle)
Letting cry / scream to sleep

For toddlers

As above plus
Telling stories til they fall asleep
music over and over again

A nightlight. Just figured this out after eight months and now DD is finally sleeping through!

Lie on side and pat on bum.
Dummy.
Lying down next to them.
Mobile/musical seahorse

Sometimes all 4 at the same time.

Keeping a routine going - 6pm calm down, bath, reading in his room and then bed by 6.45-7pm.
Dummy(ies)
Fisher Price seahorse with light up tummy/tunes (plays for 5 mins)
Mothercare set of 3 phone/carkeys/remote - DS plays with the phone sometimes after I've put light out
Giving him a drink of water and replacing dummy
Tixilix in a syringe if he wakes coughing (before he has coughed enough to properly wake up IFYKWIM)
When I'm sure he isn't ill/wet/dirty - and just being overtired - I will leave him to cry for 10-15 mins (he is 16 months now)
But when he does have a tantrum or is ill - back out and very quiet reading for 10 mins or until he's calmed down - then try again.
Sometimes we resort to him sitting up with us esp if he is ill
If it's after 3 am - he is brought into bed with us too.

Normally DS is a good sleeper - I figure we need to do what we have to to get through and he'll soon be old to understand he needs to stay in bed.

waiting 5 years (you didn't want that one, did you?)