Bubs wants to self settle - please tell me it gets easier!!

[Mum2Willie]

Literally as he turned 8mths, my bubs has thrown all his old getting to sleep routine out of the window. I used to pick him up and hold him in my arms at tired signs and within 10mins he was in cot, asleep or settling to sleep. Well, no longer. He has decided he doesn't want me to hold him to sleep. So now I have to put him in the cot and pat and be with him until he falls to sleep! It is taking about 40minutes!!!! Please tell me this time will get shorter!!! Also he has all of a sudden decided to sleep on his tummy! What has happened? Anyone else been through this? Will he get quicker at settling to sleep?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Sorry hun, I can't help All I can do is send you cyber cuddles and say it MUST get better, coz my Mum doesn't hafta do that for me anymore!!

[catherinemoses]

Yikes! That doesn't sound very fun! How long has it been going on? Do you think he could be teething? Is he a bit sick?
What happens if you don't pat him? Does he cry and cry and cry? If you pick him up is he ok?
I'm sure it will get shorter. I tend to leave Flynn to whinge a bit and if it escalates I give him a cuddle and then put him down again. I usually only have to do it once or twice and he is gone.
As for tummy sleeping, I wouldn't worry about it. Flynn is the same, he favours side or tummy more than his back.

[Lulu]

Oh it's such a shock when they do this to you!

The time WILL get shorter, try to get yourself in a position where you are comfortable at least. Do you have a chair next to the cot. Do you think a CD playing gentle music in the background would help? It sounds like he is a bit overwhelmed (which can happen when they start to do something new like crawling or eating), the cuddles are too much but he still needs you there to wind him down kwim?

I dunno if this will make you feel better or not, but 40mins each night isn't too bad - I was doing it for hours....I'm only just getting my brain back now

[mollycat]

This is a start in the right direction. Just last week you wanted your baby to be able to self settle. He must have sat down and read all our posts.

Yes, it will get easier, and shorter. You may be able to just sit beside him and hold your hand on his bottom instead of patting, that might be enough, it may take a few days to get to that point, sounds like he still needs that physical contact, but doesn't want to be held anymore. Another option is to make the pats further and further apart, but this takes time to get to this stage too.

Try to get yourself as comfortable as possible, take a chair in, or some cushions and sit beside him. Music often helps, I like to play Enya with unsettled sleepers, it also provides a distraction of noise if you happen to make any noise leaving the room.

Sleeping on his belly is quite normal at this stage, he has learnt to roll and will move around freely by himself, he'll probably end up at the other end of the cot.

Hang in there, it will be worth it.

[queenbee]

My DD went through exactly the same thing. She is now 11 months and sleeps in her very own toddler bed and loves it. One day, we just put her in it and she loved it. This is a girl that never went in cot and was a full on co-sleeper.

She loves lying on her tummy too. It does get easier, believe me, it sounds developmental.

[Mum2Willie]

This has been going on for about 5 days now. Glad to hear others have been through it! And thanks for the support - at least we are heading in the right direction...that is what I keep reminding myself anyway...I have put a chair next to his cot. I am sitting with him for a while, then going out of the room. As he thinks it is funny at first and rolls around, yabbering on! So I go and do some jobs until he starts crying (winding down - it is not hysterical like when I used to put him in the cot). Then I go back in and pat for a bit, then stop, pat for a bit. Then I have been rubbing his back and then just sitting next to him. He does seem to be needing less assistance by me...but still takes a long time...but I guess he needs to practise... Thanks for the support and any other tips will be greatly appreciated!