Clingy 1 yo

[Sleepyquest]

Can anyone advise on how to 'sleep train' a 1 year old who has nearly always contact napped or fallen asleep on the bottle? She's stopped doing both of those things but hates being put down in her cot too. There's lots of tears every night and I have been doing the going in after 1 minute then 3 and so on and so on and it isn't working 😩😩

Hi OP,
You could try putting her in the cot and holding her hand until she goes to sleep for a couple of nights. Then move your hand away before she falls asleep for the next couple, then just sit by the cot etc until eventually you're not in the room? It's not a quick fix but has worked for friends of mine.
I'm not sure if your DD is crying with the method you're trying now? But I would persevere with it for a few nights if you can cope with the crying!

Gradual withdrawal as above but you need to stick to it and not give in even if it's a 3am waking.

Yes exactly, we expect a 1 year old to sleep in a separate cot in a separate room away from mother and not expect them to cry. And God forbid if they cry we shouldnt go near them even if its 3 am because we are "training" them. Why do we forget its natural instinct for babies to stay close to their mother. I feel bad for "clingy" 1 year olds who cant even talk yet and have been out of mums tum for only a year, but are expected to spend long nights in a separate room away from their mother. Just like bottle feeding has become normal alternative to breastfeeding because "whatever works for you", so has sleeping in a separate room has become the norm. A year old is naturally supposed to be breastfeeding at night, not just for the nutrition but for the comfort and the sense of security, but no we need to "train" that 1 year old to not be clingy, against their natural instincts. (Disclaimer: I do feel sympathy for those who cant breastfeed due to medical reasons)

Thank you @plodding5 - the holding hand won't really work as she cries as soon as she goes into the cot. She fell asleep on the bottle tonight so no tears but also no practice of the 'sleep training'

@amy362015 your response is blunt and mean quite frankly. Whilst it may be natural, it isn't ideal in a world where women have to work to make a living to run a home and so therefore need rest too. I would love to have her by my side more but I also have another child and a job and other responsibilities so I cannot have my sweet girl attached to me. But why am I justifying myself?