Hi! So I’m fully aware that this is probably all typical/normal behaviour for a 13mo but I’m starting to really struggle when I hear so many other children sleep through.
Our youngest, just like his big brother, has never been a good sleeper. Naps are inconsistent and he still struggles to link sleep cycles. Oldest didn’t sleep through until about 18 months and even now wakes at the crack of dawn. But our youngest just can’t sleep alone at night. I know it’s normal, but I am struggling. He will go down in the evening (exact time depends on how his naps have been) and have his bottle of milk while we cuddle him to sleep. We tried getting him to settle in his cot but it was taking so, so long and was disrupting our eldest too which just didn’t seem fair on either of them.
Anyway, he will typically then wake up after about 40 minutes and needs us to go in, give him his dummy and rub his back (he likes to sleep on his side) or sometimes needs a cuddle before going back to sleep. He then usually wakes up 1.5/2 hours later, if that. We pick him up to cuddle him again as the screaming and raging would again wake our oldest. He used to then go down for a while but now, even though he seems to be in a deep sleep, wakes up again as we leave the room. This goes on until I then bring him into bed with me.
The thing is, awful as it sounds, I don’t want to cosleep 🙈😅 I have very intense anxiety, particularly in the evenings, as well as depression and I need space. I get cold and obviously can’t have the duvet up as my son is next to me and we practice safe sleeping. But I’m uncomfortable, tired and touched out. 😔 I feel so guilty saying it but I just need him to be able to self soothe a bit better, but I can’t do any sort of CIO. I also worry of the impact on our older child as I don’t want him to have to cope with his little brother waking him up frequently and not settling whilst we try help our youngest adjust to changes.
Anyway I’m sorry for the long post. But if anyone can help at all I’d be so grateful. Thank you.