rolling around in cot

[cathncait]

My 7 month dd has just started crawling and is a very active roller. However in the last 2 weeks she has taken this rolling and now crawling to her cot. She has started moving around so much when she's supposed to be going to sleep that she ends up 'playing' for her whole nap time and then getting up grumpy. She sometimes even does this at night if she wakes up and it takes forever to settle her again unless I feed her.(she still has one night feed). Sometimes she will go to sleep if I hold her down for a few mins (gently of course!)and pat her for a bit.
I also would like to start dropping the night feed and don't really know how to do this?
I still half 'swaddle her' around the waist and wonde if It would help to stop this? Sorry to go on so much. I feel like I post a message every time she look at me sideways! or maybe I just think about posting a message every time??
any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks

Maybe she is not tired when you put her down for a nap? Why not wait a bit longer until you see the signs (eye rubbing/tetchiness) and put her down then. When they start rolling and crawling, it is a wonderful thing for them, and they seem to want to be permanently doing it, but it usually tires them out more!

I would be a bit more relaxed with yourself, and leave her in her cot if she is not moaning or crying. If you know she is tired, or it is the middle of the night, then being in her cot alone will not hurt her. If she is crying, and it is day time, I would get her up, and try again later. If it is the middle of the night, have you tried giving her a sip of water from a baby cup? Sometimes, if they know that is all they are going to get, they stop waking. You could also try controlled crying.

My dd does the rolling around in her cot thing. I take it from day to day. If she's clearly not going to sleep I get her up again and try again ten minutes later. She is on a very vague routine (originally based on GF, but really quite different now), and we just adjust the other nap times accordingly. She does always go to bed at the same time still though, unless she is very tired. In the evenings I just leave her to it, but go back in and put her back on her back every now and again - she eventually dozes off.

As to the dropping the night feed - I agree with chinchilla. Alternatively I used to give dd a dummy when she woke in the night (now she has her thumb and I don't have to - hurrah!) - never getting out of the cot or giving her much eye contact. It may be a little late to start with a dummy at 7 months, but possibly worth a try as an alternative to controlled crying.

Also, I don't think taking away the half swaddling would make a difference. dd has a sleeping bag and rolls around a lot more when it's in the wash!

Try putting her in a sleeping bag. It helped our ds (and therefore finally got me a decent night's sleep, as his moving was waking me, even though he didn't cry).

It helped us too - would roll out from the covers and then cry because cold.

thanks for the replies everyone. You know how sometimes you feel like its never going to end? Thats how I was feeling. We have now started comtrol crying at the night waking which has worked really well. She's managed to be able to fall asleep in any position (never thought I'd see the day!) and we've dropped the night feed! Amazing! The crying isn't over yet - its only been 3 days. But its getting shorter and easier. Thanks so much to all the mumsneters who've replied to me and posted - sometimes I feel I'd be lost without all the practical advice I find here. You guys ROCK

cathncait - weird, cause I have recently experienced same thing. For daytime naps, I now have to sit in the rocking chair and read to her until she nods off (otherwise will roll and play for whole time in cot, like you say) and then put her in the cot (usually wakes a little, and knows I'm putting her down, but is so dozy - doesn't care ) and at nighttime, went through a few nights of not settling because on tummy and getting fretful... Then a couple of nights ago - I put her in a grobag, instead of her fleece sleepsuit because I thought it would stop her rolling. Heard her drift off to sleep after a bit and thought "yes - that worked" only to go up and discover she had rolled onto her tummy, and fallen asleep anyway. Has slept right through on tummy for last few nights without a problem.

However, started a whole discussion with mum friends as to whether it was OK now for babies to sleep on tummy's now (8m) as one unhelpful HV said you should still be putting them back onto their backs (even if it meant doing it every hour during the night - I mean... perleeeez)? Thoughts anyone?

Me and several friends did the dreaded Controlled Crying for dropping that last night feed (WE NEED SLEEEEEEP!). However consellation was that ALL dropped within 3 days, and are ALL sleeping through now. But it is hard at 3am!!!

Once teh baby can roll back onto back from tummy it is OK for them to sleep on their tummy if they roll themselves over. always put dd down on her back in a grobag, but within seconds she wil roll onto tumy - and jam her dog underneath her head. She has now started sleeping with her legs drawn up beneath her so taht her bum sticks up in the air. I'm sure it's not comfortable but it seems to suit her...

I can just imagine how that looks! really cute Prufrock

Snickers - I've come to the conclusion that dd just had to get used to the whole idea of being on the move at last. I was really tough on her during the day for a few days and just left her there until she did sleep eventually. Poor little mite was sooooo tired. Now I find her all over the place - wedged up in the corners, on her belly, even with her feet hanging out the cot bars! Now my problem is that I just keep going in there to see how cute she's looking!
I agree with Prufrock that once they can get on and off their tummies they are safe as far as sids. Was told that by a sleep midwife type person (whatever her title was???).