Is my only option CC/sleep training?

[RainRainGoAwayy]

DS is 15 months old and his sleep is worse than ever. In the last month or 2 he is now refusing to be rocked to sleep and also won't go to sleep when I lie next to him on the bed. I have spent approx 2 hours a night trying to get him to sleep over the last 2 weeks and he has spent most of that time screaming. Losing my mind a bit here...

Can't stand to hear him cry and he really does go from 0-100 becoming very distressed almost immediately but I feel like i've tried absolutely everything else

Is it just at night he does this?

Cot back on your room?

No, he does it for naps too but to a lesser extent. I usually try for half an hour before giving up and taking him for a walk in the pram/drive in the car instead. The evenings are a lot worse and he won't tolerate being put down by DH so I spend my whole evening up there trying everything I can possibly think of to get him to sleep!

Don't think the cot back in our room would work as when I say lie with him on the bed, I mean our bed, and sadly it doesn't work anymore. Cosleeping used to always be my 'go to' however it doesn't seem to be doing the trick at the moment, he just messes around and won't settle down to sleep.

Op before CC get the Gina Ford contented toddler book, her routines are so much gentler and do really work...good luck

We got the book ‘teach your child to sleep ‘ lots of facts and practical solutions. You choose the method that suits you and your family and it gives step by step instructions.

Thanks both, will have a look at those books before I try anything!

If he is screaming with you lying with him I’d try just walking away for a bit and see if he settles.

The No Cry Sleep Solution, but see if you can read a review as it might be for younger babies. It was all so long ago

My son is 15 months and he’s been a terrible sleeper for most of his life, so we’ve tried most things.

I was very anti sleep training to begin with and couldn’t stand him crying. We tried gentle methods for a very long time. But in the end we had to let him cry in his cot, we stayed next to him but didn’t pick him up - or at least we would pick him up to calm him down if necessary but would put him down before he fell asleep, and he would cry again. Anyway it felt harsh but he learned very quickly so there was less crying overall I think.

My advice is to try gentle methods but at this age it may be that stricter sleep training is necessary and works better more quickly.

Is it possible he’s come to associate bedtime with crying and so gets himself worked up unnecessarily?

If so, maybe change the routine, just throw the whole thing in the air and start again. Spend time during the day playing with him I’m his cot and bedroom, just making sure it’s not a scary place for him where he anticipates crying and being worked up.
Make sure the house is as calm as possible all day so you know it’s not an overtired thing. Throw cushions and throws around the floor in the living room and try to encourage him to just fall asleep there when he’s tired, but no pressure. Just play with him and then play some lullabies, shut the curtains, give him some warm milk/juice and quietly read books about an hour before you expect him to actually get tired and keep it up for as long as you need to to see if he responds. Maybe even over an hour.

Try to make it so that he feels he can just fall asleep when he’s tired and that his cot/bedroom is a safe and happy place to be.

May not work at all, but maybe worth a go?

Hi there! I recently started my 1 month old on a sleep routine and we are slowly getting there. I make sure she doesn't get more than 4 and a half hours of day time sleep, so she sleeps more at night. My issue has been the 2 am feed. I dreamfeed around 10:30 pm, and then she is usually up around 2 am. I change her and feed her but she's is fighting the bottle and is always very unsettled and cranky, and it sometimes takes me full 2 hours to get her back down. We start the day at 7 am. I'm not sure what to do about the 2 am settling. Should I try dreamfeeding her around that time? Is there anything I can do to make her sleep through it? Thanks in advance for any replies!

Guys, I'm really sorry! Ignore this. I only just joined and accidentally posted in the wrong place! Apologies!

Hi, you don't say what your nap situation or bedtime is, but the first thing I would consider is if he's just not tired yet.
Try moving bedtime later, or shifting the last nap. or dropping one. It's normal that they gradually need less sleep, so if bedtime is taking an age, then he really might not yet be tired at whatever time you're trying it.
CC is never the only option, always other ways. Don;t feel you have to inflict that on yourselves.