Need sleep advice for 8.5mo and quick!

[MoreSleepPlease6]

Writing this as I currently watch DS on the video monitor messing around in his cot...
I don't know how to get him to sleep without crawling around the cot and pulling himself up at the side??? Do I just leave him to it and eventually he'll get tired.
He's not crying...

If he's not crying, leave him

If he is happy I would just leave him.

Spoke too soon...now he's crying...
BUT when I go in the same thing just happens over and over unless I put my hand on his chest effectively pinning him down to stop him rolling over and crawling.
Only problem with this is:
-He prefers to sleep side/front
-He screams blue murder and just scratches at my hand until he wears himself out.

I've left him to it before just popping in when he cries and he's crawled and pulled himself up for over 2 hours...

Is he actually tired tho? If he’s crawling around etc then maybe he’s just not ready for bed yet?
Could you cuddle him to sleep then set him down in the cot?

I would standby the bed, hand on chest.

Definitely sounds like he’s not ready for bed?

Thanks for all the replies. I will try putting him down a little later tonight. I'm sure he was tired as we had a cuddle before and he was almost asleep on my shoulder. Will push bedtime back a bit though and see what tonight brings!

I don't agree that he's not tired. Mine does the same even when exhausted. I would pin him down on his front, patting his bum. Over time try and reduce input. Mine is 14m and I can't leave the room yet, but if I'm there he is (usually) ok at going to sleep

I am going through the same thing. The exact same thing! My DD falls asleep on her tummy too but just crawls around cot. She is definitely tired as passes out on my shoulder pretty quickly!

I've tried staying with her and just laying her back down repeatedly. Sometimes it works and eventually she goes to sleep but others she starts to cry and won't stop so we end up rocking her to sleep.

No advice really - just to say I feel your pain! Hopefully just a phase 😥

I do think a lot of babies really need help winding down. Plonking in the cot doesn’t always help them to get sleepy IMO. Can you rock or cuddle until at least drowsy?

What’s your bedtime routine OP? Is baby poorly atm with a cold or anything like that? Has he eaten drank enough? My sister had this with her DS and strangely she would leave a bottle of warm water in his cot, he’d start playing up exactly how you describe AND (which I found secretly funny) he would stare at the monitor and shout ‘mumumumumum’ hahaha!!! But he’s find the warm water sit with it, drink and then lay back and sleep? I’d say try anything and everything and good luck! :)

he’d start playing up exactly how you describe AND (which I found secretly funny) he would stare at the monitor and shout ‘mumumumumum’

Just sounds like he wanted his mum

Sleeping on their side or front once they are mobile is fine - they will as you have found do it anyway if it is how they are comfortable.

Agree that a simple bedtime routine should help - I found wind up musical toys (or a CD) helpful as part of that. But up to a point just relax if they are disturbing themselves but not upset. Hopefully should settle with time as his newfound skills become more routine ...

crazycatlady5 no it was the first word he learnt so he said it to everything, he didn’t need her he was fine as soon as he found his water and he’d just lay down and settle. Now when he wakes up he stares at the monitor and just babbles away!

You know your child best, my daughter will mess about for hours, even when exhausted, so certainly not always a sign of not being tired.

I used to leave her playing and when she started whinging/crying, it meant she was ready to go to sleep so I would then go in to help her fall asleep. She hated being held down so when we went through that phase, I would lie her down and pat her on her side/bum depending on which way she was facing. Every time she got up, I would repeat the same thing until she got the message and went to sleep.