Why does DS feel the need to pull my hair, face and ears to get to sleep??!!

[andyrobo237]

My DS is nearly 11 months old and isa very poor sleeper.

He goes in his cot at 7pm ish after a bedtrime routine and bottle. I put him in half awake and he cries to settle himself.

he then wakes up around 10, 1 and then 5 and 6ish. I have tried letting him cry but it is very wearing (we have DD of school age) on the rest of us! If i pick him up and give a quick cuddle, then he can sometimes get back to sleep!

The 5am waking is the worst as I end up putting him on our bed just so I can get some sleep - not the best, but..... It is then when he gets his head as close to me as possible and then roughs my hair, pulls my ears and scrtaches me. If I move away he hands wander until he finds my face!!! (I can see a future with the ladies!!).

He does settle for at least another hour, but how can I get him to stay in his own cot for longer! I always check if cold, or soggy nappy - cant be hungry as is fully weaned......so any suggestions, ideas!!

OMG - you sound just like me but my DS is almost 3! Just this morning at 5:30 he decided that although he had the other side of a double (DH is away this week), he would lie right up against my face, stoke my arms and smell me!

I'm shattered as well as having had flu for the last week! Not sure what the answers are - we too have a DD of school age and I've been doing whatever I can to get him to sleep through but he won't and I need some sleep.

He caqn scream/cry for an hour or more. If your DS is 11 months, I'd suggest going in for a quick cuddle and then going in and not picking up etc until he can settle on his own. Wish I'd been stonger on that but it's easy when they're little and cute to pick them up more often - I'm too soft!

my ds is a sleepy groper, i just take hold of his hand, kiss it and put it down.. repeat.

I think they just want some contact, that seems to work, althought sometimes its easier just to hold his hand to my lips and keep kissing him, he falls asleep and i dont get smacked/scratched.

Have you tried giving him a teddybear or cuddly toy? My ds (7 months)used to only settle himself/fall asleep if we put our hand along his face so that he had something to hold.

At one point I got fed up with sitting with him everytime we tried to get him down so one night i replace my hand with some cuddly toys.

He now has his little monkey and one of those soft cuddly squares with a rabbit head on it, and puts it on his face just before he falls asleep.

Works a treat.

I did try giving him a soft toy last night but it was pushed away - i should try it when he is settling down at 7pm.

I will try the holding his hand when in my bed - at least it may stop the bed head in the morning!

I am glad to know I am not the only one with this though!