Ok, so here's my plan for 15.5 month old DS. Please tell me it will work

[Bicnod]

DS2 is 15.5 months old. He is gorgeous, happy, smiley, into everything and generally pretty lovely to be around during the day. Nights are something else. He slept pretty well until 4 months then it all went horribly wrong.

Current situation is that he can settle himself to sleep, but generally doesn't during the night. He wakes between three and five times, sometimes for long periods, and it's getting to the point where I just can't do it anymore. I work part-time and have another DS. I feel like I'm being a shit mum to them both and struggling to get through the day without shouting as I'm constantly so tired my fuse is about a millimetre long. :( This is Not Good.

I tend to get him out of the cot immediately to cuddle him to sleep when he wakes at night (I know, I know), sometimes in his room and sometimes in my room - partly because I don't have the stamina to do a lot else on the third waking at 2am when I've only managed to bag half an hour's sleep and he'll be up in 3 hours anyway, and partly because I don't want him to wake up his big brother.

BUT. Things have to change. So here's my plan. Please tell me if you think it's a good plan/crap plan/how I could make it better. I clearly don't have a fecking clue what I'm doing so any advice is welcome.

Bedtime. This is not so hard. Plan is to put DS down nice and early at bedtime and let him settle himself to sleep without me in the room. I generally try and do this anyway but will make an extra special effort. He did it tonight like a dream (no crying - I can't handle crying).

Night wakings. I will not take DS out of his room and I won't pick him up immediately. I will offer water while he's in his cot and try and settle him (back rub etc) without picking him up. If he gets really distraught I will pick him up and cuddle him, then put him straight back down when he's settled.

Once he's settling in his cot fairly easily (anyone know how long that might take??) I will reduce the amount of intervention and try to soothe him just by talking to him etc. Hopefully at this point he will start settling himself. That's the plan anyway

I will try the plan consistenly for 2 weeks and if there are zero improvements (I'm not expecting miracles, just some improvement) I will admit defeat and call Millpond Sleep Clinic.

If you'd made it this far, thank you. Sorry for the epic post - I needed to write it down somewhere and thought it would be worth getting some opinions at the same time.

Thanks :)

oh no:( Teeth always strike at the worst of times, don't they? What do you use when he is teething? I found Neurofen to be best, it eased the swelling. Obviously not an option if he is wheezy or asthmathic though. Keep going with the routine you've established though, it seemed to be working before this hiccup, and that's all it is a hiccup and you'll be back to full nights again soon. I am being induced with no.2 tomorrow so will be joining you in the sleepy corner then!

Freddie hope all went well yesterday/is going well today... How exciting :) I'm super clucky when I see newborns, even with this relentless sleeplessness!

Joe - yes, he's all calpoled up. DS1 was a dreadful teether as well.

Last few nights have been so hellish I'm not even going to report on them. Grand total of 3 hours sleep last night as both boys have got coughs and colds.

let's see what the night brings, fingers crossed they are both more settled.

Hideous week of 3 or 4 night wakings and 5am (or earlier) starts and then he randomly slept through last night until 6am

Wish I knew what made the difference.

I'm still sitting by him, and sometimes stroking his back, until he falls asleep at bedtime. Also trying to settle him in cot instead of picking him up when he wakes in the night, which usually works now.

Progress still being made though! Are the colds over with? It is surely a ployto keep you guessing though, DS1 (how strange to say DS1...)did it with me for aages.

Boys' colds are on the wane, mine is still in full flow (nice).

Yes, I seem to remember DS1 would throw in the odd all nighter purely to add to the torture of ongoing night wakings as I knew he could do it

What's the gap between your boys freddie?

DS1 is 3y4mo, so a nice age gap:) I wouldve liked a smaller one tbh, but I wanted to finish my degree before I had another! Hope you're feeling a bit better today:)

Looking for inspiration with my 14,5 mo DD... How are things going OP?

Hi Rilla, welcome to the sleepy corner

Things have been a bit rough the last week or so as DS2 is cutting his canines, BUT he's putting himself to sleep at night (with me sat in a chair in the room) and settling within 10 mins of waking at night (usually in need of painkillers) and I'm not picking him up so hopeful once this bout of teething is over the hard work will have paid off.

What's your sleep hell story?

Freddie - how's baby bolero doing?

Oh, and to top off the sob story I've got sinusitis and am on antibiotics so the night wakings are seriously killing me at the mo

Hello

Sorry you're not well - it really pushes you to the limit when you are not on top form yourself, doesn't it. & those teeth are bleeding blighters.

DD2 is 14.5m - used to sleep really well but it has been steadily on/off since the summer. She wakes up anything from 2/3 times a night & I breastfeed her back to sleep. TBH I would probably keep on doing that as I am tired, lazy and lack motivation to make any changes, but DP & me keep fighting about it are agreed that we all need more sleep...

Yesterday was supposed to be night one of controlled crying (I don't want to do this but DP won't support any other method & I don't feel like I can deny her a feed when I am in the room with her at night, she will get really agitated & we will both get distressed), but she has a cough/cold so we didn't... I did put her down awake & do a form of CC - it didn't feel like it because she didn't really cry, but she protested a bit, I popped back in, she calmed down, I left, she protested a bit, I popped back in - etc. She fell asleep in 15 mins. She had a good night after that.

So.. not sure what we will do tonight...

Hi Rilla (love the name by the way - I was an Anne fan too...)

Sounds like Monday night went really well. How was last night?

Would your DH be up for pick up put down as opposed to CC if you don't feel that comfortable with it? That's what we did with DS1 and DS2 when we were night weaning. It meant we didn't have to leave them crying on their own at all (which I just couldn't do) but it got them used to settling in the cot without being fed to sleep.

DS2 woke at 4.50am today so it was a killer early start, but he slept through until then from 6.40pm so I can't complain too much - in fact I think I got a record six hours sleep in a row last night

Welcome Rilla; hope things improve for you, you can do it!

Sounds like it's going well for you Bic despite the teething, hope you get well soon!

DS2 is feeding well and putting on weight, he slept 4 whole hours last night, which I was very happy with! Finding it difficult to stay awake during feeds and then I'm wide awake when he finally drops off though... Ugh. So far he's a better sleeper than DS1 was, fingers crossed he is better, DS1 slept his first full nigh at the grand old age of 9months, at which point I was on the verge of insanity...