Sleep training approaches - at my wits end!

[SHFsMum]

Hi everyone,

I am really struggling with my 10 month old’s sleep. She’s never been a good sleeper but we had a few weeks of very good nights last month.

My issue is it is taking her over an hour to fall asleep. I put her down in her cot awake and stay beside her. She absolutely screams the place down until we either have to lift her and hold her to sleep or she just passes out. I feel like she can’t be sleep trained because she can’t even go into her cot without crying. This has been going on for months and it’s showing no sign of improving.

We’ve tried pretty much everything except CIO which I really don’t want to do. She’s had a bedtime routine since she was about 6 weeks, white noise, appropriate wake windows and naps etc etc.

Please could you share some sleep training success stories and which approach worked best for you? I should also mention she is extremely stubborn so would be interested to hear how it worked for strong willed babies.

Thanks in advance.

So honestly what worked best for us was either holding to sleep or stroking their back, but on either a mattress on the floor (second baby) or a cot bed with the side off (first baby) and a baby gate on the door. That made it so much easier to sneak out and they fell asleep in the place they would wake so they weren't waking up disoriented.

How are her naps? How long is she awake for before you put her down for the night? Is it possible she’s not that tired so she’s awake for longer, and so getting more upset?

I don’t have any advice as I currently have a similar problem with my 6 month old who will only sleep on me and screams as soon as her bum touches the cot! Solidarity, it’s tough!