Ok, so this is it - DS has always been a pretty good sleeper, we used to just put him down in the cot, put his wrap over him (including his face cos he liked it) and then walk out. He wouldn't make a noise, just go to sleep.

So now he has had a couple of bouts of different illnesses, and I think his eye teeth are bothering him (when he lets me look, his gums are all red and swollen so I think they are coming) and now he will not go to sleep unless I am sitting on the floor near his cot and patting his back or something.

He is now going through the "Stuff sleep - lets play" stage and will jump up and down in his cot, even though he is sooooo obviously tired. I usually tell him to lie back down, and sometimes he does it, if he doesn't I walk out of the room. Then he cries. I usually let him go for a few minutes (I'm usually waiting outside the door) and then go back in. Then the whole, lie down, sit beside cot starts all over again. Sometimes this happens five times to get him to sleep during the day and at nighttime.

I'm just wondering if I should stick with the crying a bit more, and if I'm making it worse by going in there when he wants me to do that and sitting by his cot, like am I giving in to him too easily? Just after some advice from people that have started doing this at a late stage (remembering he is 16 months) and they grew out of it or if it started a bad habit.

I'm so confused as to what I should be doing for him. I don't mind sitting down there, especially now cos I can use the time out and relaxation, but when the new baby comes along, I'm worried that I won't have the time to do this!!!!!

Any comments/advice/help will be great. Thanks!!!