Background: We fell into a good bedtime routine when my son was apx 8 weeks old. 6.30pm bath, followed by bottle then bed by 7. The routine has evolved as he got older i.e. 7pm bath followed by stories then bed at 7.30pm. He would always settle to sleep on his own with his teddy and dummy.
A few weeks before Christmas, he started refusing his cot and would cry and shout for me to get him. Being heavily pregnant at the time I gave into him, would lie him on my bed and lie next to him until he fell asleep and would transfer him to his cot. He would wake in the night and I would bring him into my bed where he would settle quickly.
We have since moved him to a new bedroom and into a big boys bed. He was very excited about this and knew it was because he was going to be a big brother. I still had to lie with him until he fell asleep and bring him into my bed if he woke.
Since baby has arrived I'm struggling. I now sit in a chair in his room until he falls asleep but this can be for 30-40mins. My partner sleeps on an air bed in his room which prevents him coming to me during the night.
I need him to go to sleep independently again but I don't know how to fix it. He will only settle for me, not daddy. The baby is very fussy at that time of night and daddy struggles to soothe her. There is a lot of demand/pressure on me at bedtime and I can't split myself in two.
My son naps for max 1.5 hrs a day, he is very clever and strong willed. As a parent I hate to hear him cry and like gentle methods.
Please help! One tired and overstretched mummy here.