Help! Baby doesn't sleep without me in evenings

[shortytrekker]

He's 9 months and will wake every half an hour at best, until I'm with him by his cot in the evenings. He still wakes 2-3 hours through the night, but honestly that isn't such an issue.

The evenings are awful, I haven't had a nice evening simply just watching TV with my husband in months. We don't get to talk properly much and really need to. I end up sitting with the baby by his cot then I go to bed. Baby is breastfed - I'm ready to stop, he isn't - and reliant on it quite often for sleep. Hates formula, hates expressed, Hates any form of bottle! Only likes cups for water.

Any magical ideas?

Bumping this for you. No advice (I have a 14 week who will only sleep on me ) but hope someone else has sown advice and you get your evening back

Some advice* :)

Welcome to motherhood

I should add that he's not my first baby, it just wasn't this hard in the evenings with the others!

Oh my goodness. Same here. DS is 8 months old and is completely dependent on breast milk for a sleep and wakes if I put him down. The last 4 nights I've been brutal and just put him down in his cot after milk when he's exhausted (awake for 5 or 6 hours beforehand).

First night he cried for an hour and a half and slept for 3. Second night cried for 45 mins then slept for 4 hours. Last night cried for about 35/40 minutes and slept for 3 hours. Tonight he only cried for about 2 minutes (!!) so we'll see if he sleeps.

I stay with him until he's asleep and shh him and stroke his forehead occasionally. Hoping eventually we might get no tears followed by a full night's sleep...! Ever the optimist.

I really hope things improve for you 🤞

Good luck @2dogsand1baby, I hope it works for you. I can't really let my baby cry, not only am I a soft touch, I've other children to consider who need their sleep.

I would keep him downstairs with me and husband, next to us, soft lights and TV not too loud. He can sleep as well downstairs as in his room and will feel more secure with you there. Carry him up when you go to bed and have his cot next to your bed. It won't last forever.

@Bluerussian I think I'm ridiculously stubborn, and I worry about seeing a precedent and making things worse. Maybe I'll compromise and do that one a week maybe a Saturday night.

Shortytrekker, you must do whatever works for you and your child.
What I suggested is what husband and I did and it worked for us, at the time we actually thought it was very nice and sweet and all that :-); our child was extremely contented. However I was never much of a one for rules, routines and strict bedtimes, it's just not in my nature.

We did come in for criticism from our parents but didn't let it bother us.

We're all different and so are our children, you know your own best.

Good luck.