5 month old WILL NOT lie down to sleep.

[TristanFarnon]

Any help would be so gratefully received.

My 5 month old is a wee star, very happy little boy and a joy to look after. Nights have however gotten very difficult!

I am a reluctant co-sleeper. I vowed I would never do it, but it was the only way I could get any sleep in the very early days, and now it just works well for us as a family. So, I am happy to continue co sleeping.

However for the past fortnight, DS has been refusing to lie down to sleep. He will feed to sleep, unlatch, and sleep for about half an hour. Then he will half wake up, screaming at the top of his lungs as if he is in real pain. I pick him up, he is asleep almost before I have him upright. I lower him back down and he screams again. This will go on for hours. I don't mind co sleeping with him, but he will have to learn to lie down to sleep!

My DH is fantastic and other than feeds does half the night waking. Unfortunately last week he had a minor op which means he is in a sling and cannot lift any weight or move one arm at all. He is still his supportive, kind self, but cannot do any of the physical "parenting" for at least four weeks while he heals.

I am not getting more than a few half hour bursts of sleep through the night and am going slowly mad. Is this a phase? Can I help him through it?

It sounds like wind is there any way for him to lay with his head elevated - hard when you co sleeping unless you can prop the bed up at one end.

I would consider an ear infection, reflux or wind. Does he cry if you lie him down to change his nappy? If not more likely reflux or wind. Maybe try to wind him when he falls asleep. My ds is only 3mths but after feeding I have to sit him up (asleep is fine) he burps then sleeps nicely. If I forget or drift off to sleep he will wake up 20mins later upset, then burp but not be able to get back to sleep easily.

If he goes to sleep as soon as you pick him up then starts again when you put him down there is your problem.

He's telling you he wants you. How you deal with this is personal but others may have ideas.

cupcake I know he wants me. I have no problem with this at all, it's why I am co sleeping. But he will have to learn to lie down with me so I can sleep as well!

May try burping him more then. He doesn't seem to be troubled by wind or reflux, is happy to lie down to play and for nappy changes. It's just been this last little while he is having trouble lying down at night. He does seem to fart an awful lot, so I wondered if his tummy was troubling him? Thank you for your suggestions.

My DS has always had wind during the night, bottom end so burping doesn't really work. This has gotten worse recently and after much trial and error I discovered that using a rolled blanket to prop him slightly on his side seemed to help.

I know it's against SIDS guidelines etc etc but it was this or no sleep and I use another blanket to ensure he doesn't roll onto his front. May be worth a try.