Advice needed on helping my 6mo get to sleep

[tellyaddict]

Hi all,

my 6 month old is still crying his eyes out for up to 3 hours at night when it comes to bedtime. He does the same in the day if I try to put him down for a nap so I usually end up putting him in his car seat or pram and he nods off there.

He's been nodding off during his dinner at 5pm so I've been putting him to bed at 6-6.30, worked for a few nights (he went 12 hours) then back to square one again. For the last couple of nights I've laid on the bed and fed him to sleep, when I put him in his crib he seems to drowsily acknowledge where he is, pops his thumb in his mouth and then goes back to sleep. Tonight he decided he didn't want to go back to sleep when put in his crib and has cried for a couple of hours again.

I hasten to add that I don't leave him crying, I go in regularly and cuddle him, kiss him and say goodnight and put him back in his crib. He stops crying as soon as I walk into the room, starts kicking his legs wildly when he sees me and is happy when I cuddle him.

I'm at a loss - he so obviously wants to be with me, but needs to learn to go to sleep on his own. He used to do this (from about 7 weeks) but now can't seem to.

Anyone else got a similar tale and any suggestions, it's really upsetting me (and obviously my baby)?

Thanks

Have you tried different sleeping locations? dd WILL NOT go to sleep in her cot (unless she is fed to sleep or fed to that drowsy state of just concious). However, each morning and afternoon I put her in her pram outside and she usually burbles happily then falls asleep. Under a tree has worked best so far.
Not ideal if you don't have a garden, I know, but perhaps a new mobile or being next to a window would help?

Hi wrigglejiggle

I can usually get him to nod off in his car seat or buggy in the day but it's not a deep, restful sleep as he startles awake within 10-30 mins. At night I don't want to get him to sleep anywhere but in his crib (or cot when he moves to one soon)as it'll just be another hurdle later on.

I feel as though he needs me to be with him when he goes to sleep but if I do that then when he wakes up during his sleep cycle he will realise I'm not there and get upset.

Hi my now 7mth ds was just the same, very light sleeper too and was very difficult about daytime naps, rarely slept more than twenty mins wven tho he was exhausted. To improve the getting to sleep at night, I bfed him loads but put him down awake and sat by the cot and tried to reassure him until he cried himself to sleep for 2 wks, it was horrible but now he goes off to sleep and I can leave the room immediatly, because imo he knows Im there if he needs me, he has also learnt to use the sheet as a comforter and pulls it up to his chin, I notice he does this when he's stirring in his sleep. he did awaken frequently in the few hours after this, I just picked him up give him a quick cuddle and lay him down and leave he now settles quickly back to sleep. I also only offer water not bfs until the early hours. he now often sleeps through until 4am. hope this helps, god it is hard work and I know not all kids are the same good luck.

also maybe he is teething that always puts a spanner in the works???

Hi Mumkin

yes he is teething like mad! He cut his first two at 5 months and stuffs absolutely anything into his mouth and chews furiously, dribbling like mad. This whole crying at bedtime started when he had a horrible cough and was teething, the cough went after two weeks, the teething obviously continued as did the crying at bedtime!

God you were very strong sitting by his bedside for 2 weeks!! Well done! I don't think I could, but I might have to lol!

Tonight I bf him to sleep, he was shattered especially with the heat (and I stopped him from napping at 4pm) and not a peep when I put him into his crib. Gave me a break, but not teaching him to go off to sleep on his own again!

Aaaahhhh well......