6month old won't sleep without crying

[JaneSmith8]

Hi,
I'd love to hear some advice as I'm not sure what we are doing wrong.
DS is currently 6months, he can sleep 12-13hr at night (18.30-07:30) with 1-2 pick ups to resettle and 1dream feed. Naps (only 2) are usually 30min without schedule, he won't follow any wake window and he can have queues and refuse to go to sleep when I try and get really angry and then be lovely for another hour when I give up. Overall sleep hr are good and he seems happy throughout the day (except before sleep).

He always sleeps in his cot, warm and in the dark; even if he's not overly tired he will start fussing until he is and then start crying and nothing will help unless I pick him up and rock him to sleep while he cries.

Any suggestion on how to help with the cry to sleep? It's heartbreaking. He can obviously self-soothe as he sleeps through the night is just falling asleep that is an issue.
Thanks

I think this is just a phase, I remember this happening with my now 22 month old.

I remember getting really frustrated about my little one's sleep patterns and now it feels such a blur and this will pass too. Sleep was such a battle around that age.

It does sound like they are overtired, 2 naps at 30 mins doesn't sound enough for a 6 month old. I do remember at that age I used to let my DD nap on me in the day and hold them to sleep to get a bit more sleep. If you're still on maternity leave it's a great excuse to watch some TV while they get a bit more sleep on you.

I think your little one sleeping for 12 hours at night is really good as well. I did just have to put up with some crying to sleep for a little while but it didn't last long

Self settling is a bit of a red herring - just rock him to sleep I'm the first instance, it won't be forever and you're doing it anyway..

Have you tried just sitting next to the cot and patting him gently to sleep? Eventually that should get quicker until it’s not needed at all. I don’t know about you but rocking them to sleep used to break my back!

Thanks, rock to sleep doesn't work if he doesn't want to sleep, will fight a lot and is quite big
I tried the patting to sleep but he would just get furious; when he's not over tired he will roll and hold my hand but can't put himself to sleep so eventually cries and I end up picking him up.
I don't mind rocking to sleep but then he wakes after 30min as is a false start and needs ressetling (which works at night but not for naps).

We had this and its awful! She’d cry if we left her in the cot, but she’d scream if I tried to rock her to sleep.

In the end we did gentle sleep training, as it worked out to be far less crying than trying to rock her to sleep.

She still whinges before going to sleep now (she’s two) so I think it’s just a personality thing!

Yes it sounds like sleep training is going to be needed, there are various methods available.

Thanks, I'll give him a few weeks as we just sorted out his night wakings and don't want to change too many things at once. Will try to stablish a better nap routine and see if that helps.