10mo biting and frustrated before bed

[GimbleInTheWabe]

DS is 10mo and has never been a good sleeper. In fact I can count on one hand the number of times he has slept through the night. Usually 2 wake ups would be a good night but recently it's been every hour and a minimum of 3 wake ups. I bf so these always fall to me to deal with (he's a bottle refuser and DP works a full time manual job so needs his sleep too).

Bedtime is taking longer and longer to do as well. He tired and ready for bed but fights it like no tomorrow. He rolls around on our bed throwing his head about (his cot is in our room and we're on a blow up bed in the living room) and sometimes will bite me so he's clearly frustrated and over tired. He's def not teething, he already has 7 teeth and I can't feel any more coming through. I've tried leaving him to cry before but this has actually made him be sick so I'm not keen to continue to do that.

He has a really good routine before bed of dinner, bath etc. In the past we have successfully done a sleep training method but teething or illness would always get in the way after a night or two and now he's vomiting if he cries I don't know if it's an option anymore.

As you can imagine I am totally drained and as he's such an active little chap I don't really get to take it easy with him in the day time.

I guess I don't know what I'm after really as I'm just hoping he'll grow out of it but if anyone has advice or any words of comfort then they'd be so welcome.

I know at 10 months there's a sleep regression but he's never slept so there's not much regression to happen!

Just bumping myself. He woke up from his nap at bedtime! Disaster..

Bumping again in case anyone else is going through this or can help

I don't have much advice sadly, but I do stand in solidarity with you! My one year old has always been a terrible sleeper, and seems to be getting worse. He'll be absolutely shattered at bedtime, but fights sleep as if his life depends on it. He's also waking up multiple times in the night for no apparent reason... He then comes into bed with me and wriggles around like an octopus, sticks his fingers up my nostrils and tries to climb out of bed.

We also have a good, calming bedtime routine with milk, story, low lights etc; he's not hungry, he's not teething, he's not too hot or cold... He's just a sleep refusing monster

I'm sorry I can't offer any help, but I do offer an awful lot of sympathy. "It's just a phase" had become my mantra... I'm telling myself I'll have the most beautifully behaved, tantrum-free toddler as my reward for all this

Sympathy from me too! It might be worth looking up the Cheshire baby whisperer (different from the 'other' baby whisperer books). Her suggestions are all about making the cot a lovely sensory playtime place that they really want to be in and associate with happy times - sounds a bit counterintuitive but otherwise the main association with the cot becomes about being left there alone, and what baby wants that? Lots of daytime play in the cot. And I highly recommend a soft toy/ comforter that they learn to snuggle in the night instead of it having to be you. Also have a look at recommended foods for sleepiness at bedtime - lots of protein to keep them full over night. We tried all of these with DD successfully - I have no idea if any of them really work, but at least it might give you some things to try while they grow out of it!

Thank you @user1498549192. Your 1yo sounds very similar to my bed squirmer! I keep thinking each month 'right this will be it' but it doesn't seem that way! He's such a good little boy during the day so that does make it easier. And yes we will most definitely have angel toddlers for all the time we've put in!

I'll take a look at that @FizzyFeet, thanks. DS does spend some time in his cot when I'm sorting out his buggy (we're on the first floor) and he's quite happy there so maybe I'll increase this a bit. I've tried to encourage a toy but he hasn't taken to it yet! I'll try a bit harder though.

How all of us exhausted parents get through it all I'll never know!