Naptime nightmares.. bedtime battles...

[missbird]

I really need some advise on getting my 1 year old to take regular naps without me walking him in the pushchair. All the other mums I meet seem to just put their little angels in their cots and 5 mins later they're in the land of nod. Not mine, we have to walk/ nurse/ cuddle to sleep, which don't get me wrong I've loved but I'm going back to work soon and it needs to be addressed, (I know I've had lots of time to sort this), letting him cry isn't an option for me, so there must be an alternative??
As the subject suggests bedtimes are just as difficult, he has in the last 2 nights decided that he no longer wants to be breastfed which is fine but then he just can't go to sleep. He also wakes up usually once in the night, he used to go straight down after a quick feed, but the last 2 nights he's been up for 2-3 hours!!

During the day he's an angel and rarely cries but nighttimes he's not quite so shy on the crying, he gets worked up REALLY quickly and properly sobs all red faced and snotty within a few mins.
He was sleeping through 8 hours a night until Christmas so I know he can do it...
Any advise please? xx

I've just posted a nearly identical thread! I hope we get some help!

It's so hard, nothing worse than a sobbing baby, and a tired mummy!

I can suggest making sure that his bed is warm and comfy first. Maybe a sheepskin blanket to lie on?

Next I found patting DD on bottom making sshhh noises calmed her to sleep or rubbing her back saying sshh. She also liked (still likes!) her forehead being stroked. Initially, you may need to do it for about 15 mins but then it reduces quite quickly, once they get used to it, and then they settle easily. In theory. In practice it works some of the time!

As a last resort, I would bring her back to the sofa with me and let her calm and sleep in my arms for about 45 minutes (while I watched quiet tv!). Good luck!