DS Fights sleep...Ideas????

[~Trish~]

I just feel like I'm going to burst inside if he is crying and isn't in my arms but perhaps it is his way of saying 'put me down woman so I can get some sleep'

LOL, I'm sure this is what my DS is saying to me too! Sometimes I just give up and put him in his cot and he settles pretty quickly and I wonder why I didn't just do that in the first place!

[Spring Angel]

Well you wouldn't believe it, DS has just gone down for his morning sleep in his cot by himself. I could cry I am so happy.

I took all of your wonderful advice and as soon as I saw his tired signs I put him in his cot. He was in there for about 5 mins talking to himself quite happily when the tone of his voice changed to more of a whinge. I went in, swaddled him, patted his tum and stroked his hair and turned on one of his toys that sings a short tune. I went in another 4 times but I really don't care because it worked!!! He is asleep. He didn't cry anywhere near as much as he does if I am holding him. I can't wait to see how he goes with the lights and music.

I feel so stupid for not trying this earlier, I just assumed that he would want to be in my arms but perhaps it isn't the best way to help him sleep.

I hope so much that it continues to work.

I'll keep you up to date.

[Janie]

Spring, you've done better than me hun! As I said, it's taken me this long to figure out that he's probably not better off in my arms. In fact, it would appear that he's better when I'm not there at all I got so desperate a month or so ago that I started settling him in his cot one night, but staying by his side, just to pat his tummy etc. Well, it was awful. He screamed and screamed and screamed and in the end I just picked him up. I still feel guilty about that.

But if I put him in his cot and leave the room, he still cries, but for considerably less time than if I was with him, holding him or not. I don't like doing it (having sworn black and blue that I would NEVER CC) but it's better than him arching his back and twisting and turning and screaming in my arms for 15-45 minutes (try wrangling with a 9kg, 9 month old baby!). I will note that the only reason I got desperate enough to even try this is because he went from settling quickly overnight, to taking over an hour a couple of times a night to get down. I was just exhausted from spending most of my day AND night trying to settle my bub. I think I have to accept that DS is one of those bubs who will mostly cry to sleep.

I too am so glad that DS is not the only baby to do this! YKWIM I was starting to feel like every other baby in the world self-settled in their cot peacefully, and that I was doing something wrong.

Spring, by all means give the light show a go, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't work. We have had to take everything out of the cot, including the light show because he just thought it was play time in there. Particularly with the light show. But if it works for you I will be clapping my hands with excitement hun! And I'm so glad that the last 12 hours have gone so much better for you and Ollie