So hard to settle baby with toddler around, DH still in spare room...arghhh!

[Tootbeep]

I have a 2.5 yrs old and a 6 month old. Seriously, how does anyone deal with this??

With DD1, we had a good routine and I got to the point where I could put her down and she would settle herself to sleep, by around the 7 month mark I think. But trying to have a routine is much harder with DD2 as we're often out at playgroups or on playdates for DD1. DD2 finds it difficult to sleep because it's all too stimulating, even when I pop her in the carrier. Even at home, it's hard to settle DD2 at nap times, because DD1 will want to 'help'. I boob DD2 to sleep because it's quicker and easier and I just don't have time to sleep train with a toddler running around.

To make matters worse, DH is sleeping in the spare room and DD2 shares the bed with me. She slept in a side sleeper initially but slept better closer to me and I felt calmer about co-sleeping with DH in the spare room so that we had more space and he got more sleep. But now it's impossible to get her to sleep in her own cot in her own room. She won't settle when I breastfeed her in the rocking chair - she's so used to me lying next to her. I just don't know what to do.

You sound just like me! I'm in the same trouble. I have managed to stop bed sharing however.. Much picking up and putting back down again and getting up every hour to resettle her but she's got used to the idea that the cot is her bed now (I had to as I started to worry she was going to roll out of bed). I'm still really stuck for naps and feed her to sleep (but she won't be put down) or rely on the car / pram so she can grab a nap then (poor thing never gets a proper sleep though which I think isn't helping with the overnight wakeups).. Its so tough and I don't know what to do either!

@Inthesky42 It's so hard isn't it? I'm going to have to make more of a consistent effort this week. It won't be long before she starts rolling, DH is starting to get a bit grumpy about being kicked out of bed, and I feel like I'm going a bit mad. I also love the feeling of being so close to her at night too which makes it even harder stop, even though I feel like it's the best thing to do.

I'm in a similar position. I packed my toddler off to an extra day of childcare and persevered with naps and a routine. It was bloody hard work and ultimately means I'm going to be tied to the house a lot more but I couldn't cope with the chaos anymore...

Not quite the same but I thought we’d never get DD2 out of our bed. She didn’t even go in the next to me. About a week of perseverance and she will sleep at night in her cot (still wakes up but she goes back down) but if we try and put her down for a nap, she barely sleeps at all. She’s 16mo now. DD1 is 8 and also slept in our bed. She now goes to bed at 8 and wakes up again around 6:30 unless she’s had a bad dream so I know it will get better.

I'm going through the same. I've started a routine that I'm sticking to. Non negotiable that we have to be in at lunch time for the big nap and I'm moving DC2 into own room next week. It's a tough few weeks but persistence pays off so I'm hopeful that it'll work