Sleep training

[MrsMcAvoy]

Can you helpful lot please give me a brief outline of the sleep training methods, and which (if any) they had the most success with? I'm not sure I want to go down that route, but 9 month old DS seems to be intent on me never sleeping again!

give me a brief outline of the sleep training methods, and which (if any) they had the most success with

DC1 - Cry it Out (dummy as only comfort) at 13 months old. Solved the immediate problem of refusing to gp to sleep in her cot within 3 days. However she never developed any truely healthy sleeping habits. Still wanted a drink during the night. Found excuses to wake us for years. 12 years old now, she still sleeps with the light on.

DC2 - Swapped sides of the bed with DH at 6 months and he took over all night wakes and bedtime (i night weaned from breastfeeding and was dealing with toddler above). He had dummy and teddy. Took about 3 months to establish. Great, healthy sleep habits from then onwards.

DC3 - sleeping 11-12 hours without waking from 7 weeks old. Went to sleep with dummy (was ff - which is relevent). Rarely woke but when he does usually comes in with us (still does now, aged 7, but it's only when he's poorly or has a bad dream so not very often)

DC4 - Gradual withdrawal (as a parenting ethos rather than a sleep training method) from birth. Always gave all the comfort and reassurance needed, while encouraging ever more independant sleeping. Took until 9 months to start sleeping through. Until 12m to be consistent and by about 14m could be put in cot standing and awake (with dummy and blankie) and would settle to sleep happily alone, calmly and peacefully. So in total this method took about 9-14 months, depending on the end point you define.

See DS doesn't have a dummy or anything to help 'comfort' him to sleep. Should I try and introduce something? Last night he kept waking up everytime I put him down into his cot, I eventually left him to cry and he fell asleep around half an hour later. I wonder if any sleep training would be more efficient if he had something in the cot with him?

I would definately recommend introducing something. Although if left without a comforter he will probably still find ways to comfort himself in the end - stroking or tickling himself, hair twiddling, thumb sucking, rhythmic movements etc.

Babies do need comfort in order to sleep. But that comfort can easily come from something he has himself, it doesn't have to be from an adult.

Last night he kept waking up everytime I put him down into his cot

That identifies the source of the problem. If he's going to sleep in your arms (rather than in his cot) then you are his source of comfort to go to sleep.

To learn independant sleep he needs to learn to access some form of comfort while lying in his cot.

Should I try him with a dummy? We gave him one when he was first born and he never took to it. Is it worth a try again or pointless if he didn't want before?

I think you've hit the nail on the head. He's BF as well so I think that is his main source of comfort at the minute. I've been trying to wake him up a bit before I put him into the cot as he always fall asleep while I'm feeding him!

At 9 months old you've missed the boat for a dummy. Maybe try a snuggle blanket of some form. It won't be instant bonding, you usually have to work at it for a while.

Try googling the 'Pantly Pull Off' if you are looking for a gentle way to stop breastfeeding to sleep. This isn't a quick fix though. Im not sure how much time you're prepared to give to solving this.