Hi there
Our 5 month old baby, Daniel, is often tired, but seems to be frightened to go to sleep. He is generally a very happy baby, but when he becomes tired, he rubs his eyes, becomes grumpy and seems to want someone to take the tiredness away for him, not understanding that sleep is the solution - and he just gets more and more distressed. If we try to help him to sleep - for example by putting out the light, rocking him, etc. - he panics and cries and struggles to stay awake as soon as he realises what we're up to.
So, he won't sleep on his own and he won't take our help. If we help him for long enough, he will eventually nod off for the night, just waking up a couple of times for a suck and a cuddle on a good night. But it is a long and exhausting process of rocking and "shh"ing.
Does anyone have any idea why he might be reluctant to sleep or how we can overcome it? All suggestions are welcome - unless they are to let him cry-it-out, which we have decided we will never do.