I've posted a bit before, under a few name changes I think, about DS. He is DC2 and his sister was similar. He's been a terrible sleeper, frequent (2 hourly usually) night waking and feeding, infrequent and very short naps, even in pram, sling or car.
It all hit crisis point about 6 weeks ago when he was waking every hour, taking a 20 minute bf, then a 20 minute cuddle, before waking up 20 minutes later.
So I began sleep training. At first, it was really successful. I got him to self settle by stopping feeding to sleep, although I continued with the night feeds, just making sure he was awake each time I put him in his cot. He got better and better and started having proper daytime naps in his cot, and only waking once in the night.
About two weeks ago, the bedtimes started getting ridiculous. I'd been staying with him till he fell asleep, but he stopped doing that (learned to stand up) and was taking over an hour to fall asleep.
I did controlled crying. The first night, the longest he cried for was 7 minutes. After that he didn't really cry at bedtime. During the night, if he woke, he just needed picking up and putting straight back. I was getting an almost full night's sleep and felt amazing!
That lasted about 10 days. Now, for a few nights, he's screamed blue murder at bedtime. Keeps asking for more stories, more milk, then howling if I begin to sing his lullaby. Tonight, it took over an hour to get him to sleep (controlled crying, although I don't let him cry longer than 8 minutes because I can't). And he woke up an hour later and demanded a feed. I fed him, because he was hot and sweaty and miserable.
I feel like I've lost my way really. I don't want to end up back at the frequent night feeding, but find it really hard to deny him, even more now I think because he tells me so emphatically what he wants. The last few nights I've fed him once or twice. And he wakes very early, and very grumpy, too.
Any ideas what I should be doing? Thanks.