Sleep training 15 month old

[Jellybel]

Hello - hope you lovely ladies can help. I'm sat here crying after being up with my 15 month old for the last 2 hours and he's still showing no sign of falling asleep!
He used to sleep through the night from 3 months but then it all went wrong when he turned 10 months and I've never been able to fix it. Both DH and I are working full time now and I just can't cope anymore Currently just before 7pm we go through his bedtime routine of bath, cream, lullaby and then bottle and then he just lies in my arms, sucks his thumb and falls asleep. We don't rock him. I wait 10 minutes for him to fall into a deep sleep and then lower him down into his cot gently. He then sleeps from 7.30pm and wakes up any time between 10pm and 1am and then I put him in the bed with us as trying to get him back to sleep in his cot takes 2+ hours!

Now I'd be happy to co-sleep but that is also very hit and miss as he often just rolls around on top of me and DH, grabs our faces and playfully pulls my hair etc for hours / throughout the rest of the night. So co-sleeping just isn't working. Now after trying to get him back to sleep in the bed I'm trying to get him back into the cot again but he is always hysterical every time I put him in the cot even for a second. He stands up and screams, cries, coughs because he's crying so hard.
I know I need to sleep Train him but I just don't know where to start...please help!

This is pretty much my DS and it’s awful. I really was on the verge of depression due to not getting any rest or real downtime.

I tried to sleep train him and he screamed so much he was sick. I felt so completely lost and I did contact a sleep consultant. Our plan was personalised to us but I’ll share it in case it helps.

What we had to do was not engage with DS. The first night was beyond awful. He was sick five times through screaming. We had to calmly change him but not make a fuss. I’m not joking when I say I felt terrible and I was geared up for the second night to be horrific, but he slept.

He is not totally perfect - since starting this two weeks ago he’s slept through a couple of times (this is a miracle) but more often than not he will wake at least once. Last night was a bad one and he woke four times. But the huge difference now is he goes straight back down. Sometimes he falls asleep even before I’ve gone in there. When you go in you say lie down or go to sleep quietly, whatever they understand, but don’t engage or fuss or cuddle, which is hard.

I have my life back now. I can read or watch a film in the evening, and don’t feel permanently angry in the day.

Good luck. Depends on your shifts but if maybe be inclined to think about doing it Saturday night when not as hot.

@Ablackcat - thanks so much. I was just wondering the exact same thing.. .. whether it's too hot to start doing it but you're right I'll go with Saturday. Sorry you went through the same thing, but glad you have your evenings and sanity back.

Start by putting him down in cot awake. Google Jo Frosts controlled timed crying. It changed our lives. It took 2 nights!

I agree with being too hot. I'm pro sleep training, I did cc. I wouldn't do it when too hot. My lo needs me in night when it's hot....
But look up Jo frost or ferber method. Worked lovely for us. Sleeps 8pm till between 6am and 7am. Unless ill and usual bits x x