6 month old DS having trouble falling asleep

[Fee]

Cooper used to be able to put himself to sleep. But for the last month he has been needing me to pat him to sleep. I'm not sure why? Teething perhaps? He went through a period of night waking around Christmas and then 2 teeth appeared.

But my main problem at the moment is his day sleeps. Sometimes it can take up to an hour to get him to sleep.

I feel completely hopeless like I don't know what I'm doing. I keep thinking that I am not reading his tired signs properly, but he yawns, rubs his eyes, grizzles etc. I try to put him to bed but as soon as I leave the room he screams the place down. Maybe it's some sort of separation anxiety?

So after trying to get him to sleep for a while I sometimes think, maybe he's not tired? So I bring him out to the lounge again and put him on the floor with his toys. He still cries and grizzles.

I pick him up and try to cuddle him and calm him but he just gets so worked up (even if he has stopped crying). He looks around, waves his arms around and bashes me in the head!

I just keep trying different things - trying to pat his bum in the cot, jiggling the cot mattress, picking him up for a cuddle and putting him back down, picking him up and sitting in my chair to rock him, blah blah blah. Eventually he probably gets so worn out that he falls asleep. So it does work after a while but it's testing my patience.

I think he could be teething again but he hasn't been able to self-settle for ages now when he used to be able to do it perfectly. This is why it's very frustrating.

Earlier today I tried not picking him up … but I kept going in to try and soothe him by just stroking his face or patting his chest/bum. Even this didn't settle him. He probably wanted me to pick him up, but I didn't – just to see how he went. It took me 30 minutes of going in and out. He was crying so loudly. I guess what I was doing was CC? Would you say that? I just felt soooooooooo awful. But I really wish he would self-settle again.

I'm hoping it's all just a phase. The last week has been the worst as he's very cranky all the time – even when playing or when I change his nappy. He cries. I know it's nothing too major as I can pull a funny face and he'll laugh. But it can quickly turn into a cry. Just the other week his naps were 2 hours long and now they are 20-30 minutes.

I've had him checked out by the GP and he is perfectly healthy.

I guess this is a bit of a vent??? Not sure what sort of replies I am after!

I just feel guilty that he cried so much earlier and I didn't pick him up. I'm confused as to what technique is best. I really don't like the idea of CC at all. I guess I am fairly happy to keep comforting him to sleep ... but at the moment it is taking way too long and he's very very grizzly.

Hope this is the right section to post in...

[2CheekyMonkeys]

my DD has been like this from birth so you should feel lucky you had a good run. :-) no its probably just a phase and with time he will sort himself out again. it very well may be teething. sorry not much help, but i definatley know how you feel!

[michelle123]

we went thru thr same thing at 6 months. I was told it is a massive developmental period for them. The hardest thing was HUnter's sleep pattern changed completely from being very routine to all over the place. Try not to get into the habit of patting them to sleep if its not something you dont want to continue. We had the problem where he would not self settle and had to re-educate him (which was hard as it involved a bit of crying). My best advice (which is what I was given) is to go with the flow - if they are tired put them to sleep, if they are not and want to be up more than normal - just let them if they are happy and dont stress about their sleeping. They get back into a routine after a few weeks. Good luck

[Cee_Cee99]

Fee - I think you have been living in our house! Ally is also 6 months and she used to self settle, then we went on vacation and we have not been able to self settle since.. I have been BF her to sleep which I know is super bad but I can't do anything else. It is just the day time sleeps that are bad, at night (once asleep) she is great only waking once or even not at all till 4.30am...(yes I do know how lucky I am that this has started... as I have had 6 months of waking every 2-3 hours )....

Anyway... I'm so happy to be getting good nights I've decided to give up on the day sleeps. Her afternoon nap was between 4.30-5.15 yesterday! I know you are suppose to not let them sleep after 4pm, but she had been awake since 11am, so I thought it too cruel to make her stay awake...

So our days consist of me contantly trying to put her to sleep, failing 9 times out of 10, then putting her back outside to play then 10mins later I see her yawn and rub her eyes, so we do it all again.. My nipples are sore from the contant feeding that I need to make a decision to give up on the day naps... (sorry thinking out loud here)... I think I'm used to putting her to bed every 90 mins, like when they were newborns... now I think we can extend it somewhat??? to maybe 3 hours??? Maybe I am not reading the tired signs either????

I don't know.. I'm just sick of fighting sleep too... I'm still wrapping, music, bf, nothing works if she is not tired... she has been up now for 4 hours and is happily kicking the door and laughing.. so my last attempt 20mins ago was obviously not based on reading the signs???

Maybe Cooper is not tired when you put him down? Perhaps wait for 3 yawns then put him down? Or 1 yawn, bed, if he does not settle within 10 mins (or whatever your threashold), put him in the pram and go for a good long walk and see what he does? If he falls alseep you will know that he was tired and you are reading the tired signs.. If he is not tired then he will stay awake and maybe you are not reading the tired signs (or that the signs are now different for a 6 month old as they were for a 6 week old)?

Geez? Am I helping or just babbling???? I am probably not the best person to help as we are going through the same thing.... Just last night when DH came home and was all "ga ga".. I said to him (joking but serious) 'watch out, she can turn on you'... which is exactly like you write

I know it's nothing too major as I can pull a funny face and he'll laugh. But it can quickly turn into a cry.

.. I think they are going through huge changes and we can only do our best to help them through it as best we know how...

Do you have the music for dreaming CD? I find that the best CD as it calms me when I'm trying to put her to sleep... and I guess that is all I can recommend - and walking in the pram with the cover on if he does not go to sleep within a certain time frame..

good luck - we are right there with you!

[Fee]

CC, I do have a music CD but not that exact one. Anyway Cooper has self-settled for all 3 naps today! AMAZING!!! He's been so good. Except they are still short naps - only about 30 minutes each.

His night sleeping is still going well, aside from waking at 4.00 am or 4.30 am. He used to sleep from 6.30 pm to 5.00 am.

Anyway I hope he continues to sleep well during the day like today! I can't keep up with my boy - he is forever changing on me!

[Cee_Cee99]

Oh wow! That is great news. Isn't being a parent strange.. one day we are soooo not coping with anything and the next we are so on top of things we think that parenting is a breeze!

The CD is fantastic, it is super super down tempo beat that makes you feel instantly relaxed I love it and highly recommend it - you can get it at Kmart if you need something in the future... good luck.... (or should I say pass some of the day time sleeps this way - Ally has had 2 x 30min naps since 6.20am and it is now 4pm - oh well... at least DH will be home soon and it is Friday... yeah!