help, is this just one of those things that will pass?

[Spinosaur]

I have been trying to get my DD to sleep in her cot, she is 7 months and has been co-sleeping. The first 2 nights were good, she woke and then fed 2/3 times and settled again. Since then she will not be put in her cot, she screams and cries hysterically. Last night she cried for 3 hours, I patted, cuddled, rocked, tried music, singing etc. She settled for 45 minutes and then woke again. She just doesn't seem able to let go and go into a deeper sleep. I am in a bad place with this as I am back to work soon and am beginning to panic about it all. I also gave her calpol in case it was her teeth. She does have a cold but this doesn't appear to be bothering her too much. Any advice, comfort that this is normal behaviour. Thank you.

Happend with my DD at 6 months when she went in her cot. I just kept doing what you were doing. I also tried to put her in her cot during the day for a few mins at a time while i pottered round her room.

I see you have been co sleeping, so this probably won't apply, but at first we put her moses basket in her cot, so she was sleeping in that, but getting used to the bars/position etc.

I would say it took her about a week to be fully settled in it.

Good luck.

Thank you for that. I was unable to get her to use her moses basket (waste of money) as she just screamed and cried, co-sleeping was the only way forward. She seems to be repeating the pattern but I am just in two minds how helpful it is to her/me/family if she is going to cry and be hysterical for 2 or 3 hours each night. Not sure if I can cope. She is being settled at nursery too so she needs to get her sleep so she can be cheerful in the day. I have two other children, neither of them were like this! Am very very tired and beyond rational decision making

Hi this sounds exactly like my dd. She is 5 months. We couldn't use Moses basket, just like you say she just screamed and screamed so we co-slept.

This didn't really work for us but you could try, from what I've read it does seem to help a lot of babies.

Can you put her cot in your room, take the side off and push up against your bed. Put her to sleep in the cot but then you can touch her etc as much as is needed. Then after a while put the side back on but leave in position. Then gradually move the cot further away from the bed.

We did all this, then moved the cot into her room and now she is waking all night every hour! Although to be fair it started off as every 20mins so we have had some improvement!

Where does your dc nap?

I had considered the next to the bed thing, might have a go. She is very mobile so could be interesting . She usually naps in pram as have also failed miserably at getting her to settle in cot in day.

She's letting you know that she doesn't like the change but that doesn't mean she won't get used to it. It may take time and giving up early won't help if you decide to give it a go a second time around. If you have decided this is what you want to do there are gentle ways of encouraging self-settling, but they are rarely quick and easy.

I think putting her in her cot during non-sleep times to let her play with toys is a good idea - you can stay in the room and potter. That way she starts to become comfortable with her surroundings when she's not tired and stressy.