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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

DS 5 months not sleeping in cot

11 replies

flutterbynight · 31/03/2013 11:56

My DS is 5 months old and for the past few weeks we have mainly been co-sleeping at night as he wakes crying after about half an hour of being in his cot (next to my bed) but gets a much better night's sleep if he's in with me, and consequently, so do I, though not as good as if he would sleep for longer in his cot.

This isn't necessarily a problem right now, but DH and I were planning on moving him into his own room at 6 months and I can't see that happening unless he becomes more settled in his cot. He used to do good long stretches of sleep in there at night but has always come in with me at about 7am as he used to wake with trapped wind and it was much easier to massage him in the bed!

So really I'm wondering if anyone has any advice about reinstating the cot for nighttime sleeping? Generally I'm very happy to go with the flow and be led by my baby but I would prefer not to co-sleep long term. On the other hand, I don't want to do anything that might cause DS distress so any suggestions of a middle way would be helpful! (I have tried putting a teddy in the cot that smells of me and have even slept on his sheet before putting it on the cot mattress but to no avail!)

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flutterbynight · 31/03/2013 22:28

Bump

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flutterbynight · 02/04/2013 21:38

Anyone?

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Selenium · 04/04/2013 08:32

Not sure I have any good advice but am in the same situation with my 4 month old cosleeping every night, which I initially went along with but now would like to get him sleeping reliably in his cot. I have managed to get him to spend the first few hours in his cot by playing white noise (rainfall) for the first hour to get him through that first 30 minutes when he is most likely to wake. Invariably he ends up in with me during the night and he sleeps beautifully next to me (with the odd feed). If anyone has any good advice for you, I'd love to hear it! :-)

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flutterbynight · 04/04/2013 18:59

Thanks for posting Selenium - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one! Tried putting DS in the cot last night after a couple of nights where I didn't even bother. He woke after 45 mins and I settled him back to sleep on the bed, then put him in the cot only for him to wake the moment I put him down! Rest of the night spent sleeping beautifully next to me.

How does your little one get on with naps? Are they in the cot or somewhere else?

DS has two new teeth and a cold so now may not be the best time but starting to think there will never be a "good" time.

Let's hope someone comes along soon with an encouraging story

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SquidgersMummy · 05/04/2013 22:00

Hi - my dd is 8 mths and we have gone fm attached cot to cosleeping after the 4 mth sleep regression. So no advice - just another bump. Have just posted on '9 mth can't sleep without me' as this is where we are up to too. DD sleeps very well - it just has to be next to me! X

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Selenium · 05/04/2013 22:07

Hello again! My ds is a hopeless napper - only 30 mins at a time unless asleep on me or occasionally in the pushchair. I can usually get him to take his first nap in the cot but this is after 20 minutes of grizzling (I am lying next to him cuddling, shushing and patting and trying not to feed to sleep!) As the day progresses, it all goes downhill and he's seriously overtired by bedtime! Is your little one any better at napping?

I've recently read the No Cry Sleep Solution book which has lots of gentle suggestions to get them sleeping better (including the white noise!) and have joined the support thread on that. Maybe there might be some ideas you could use in there? Do you feed your ds to sleep? I'm wondering if that might be part of the problem for us.

Have you tried putting your ds in the cot during the day for some playtime so he thinks it's a happy place to be? Other suggestions I've heard include using warmer sheets, using a hot water bottle on the cot before putting them down so it's nice and cosy and light shows/music.

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llamallama · 05/04/2013 22:12

My DD was exactly like this. She started night in her cot but after first feed around 2am she ended up in with me. We moved her into own room at 6 months and nothing changed! She still ended up in with me after first wake!! But when she got a bit older, maybe 8 months or so, I could more often than not put her back in her cot after a feed.

So no real advice really. I wanted to avoid sleep training of any kind really and just sort of waited until she was older when it all seemed to get a bit easier.

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llamallama · 05/04/2013 22:14

And my DD didn't reliable sleep in her cot for naps till she was about 10 months old! Then all of a sudden she just started being ok with it! For months and months all her naps were on me, in car, in the sling, in her buggy but not her cot!! We got there in the end though!

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Selenium · 06/04/2013 08:17

Thanks llamallama - all very reassuring! Maybe they just do it when they're ready. I guess as long as they spend some time in the cot, they will gradually get used to spending more time in there.

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flutterbynight · 06/04/2013 18:58

Squidgers - I saw your thread, let us know if you find something that works! Fingers crossed.

Selenium - DS is quite a good napper, he got himself into a routine - usually two to three naps of 30-45 mins and then a later afternoon nap of about 2-3 hours. He then stays up until about 10pm but it seems to work for him & us, aside from getting him in the cot! Naps are usually in our bed, or on any other handy surface if we're out or visiting friends, he's not fussy. He used to be fine with the cot & loves his mobile, so hopefully he finds it a happy(ish) place to be!

How's it going with your DS?

llamallama I'm also keen to avoid sleep training so may end up just riding this one out, glad to hear things settled down for you.

My DS often seems to stir when my DH comes in and we either chat (in whispers) or he goes to sleep & snores loudly (DH that is, though DS has also done a bit of snoring on occasion!) so I think we'll give his room a try when he hits 6 months...

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flutterbynight · 06/04/2013 19:02

Sorry Selenium, on my phone so missed some of your message! Thanks for the no cry sleep solution tip off - will have a look for the thread. I do feed DS to sleep but he can easily fall asleep without the breast if it's not available so not too worried about that (not sure if the same would be true of bedtime, I've always been there for that), it's a nice cosy time really and I'm sure it will be over before too long & I'll miss it!