Why wont he sleeeeeepppp?????

[UsPlus2]

The other girls have given some great suggestions. I was also going to suggest background noise. But if he sleeps in his cot for a little bit, maybe put a cd on of a heartbeat or oceans etc anything to drown out the noise. Also try deep breathing when you are holding him to your chest, will help him slow his breathing and relax him.

The rocking chair was my best friend around the same age with DS, could you perhaps take your other son into the room with you and set him up on the floor with some activies so he is at least away from the tv? It might not be as quiet in the room but it doesnt seem like total quiet is working for you bub anyway.

GL and try to remember one day you get through is another day closer to him growing out of it

[meow]

Thanks for the replies.

I don't always shut my older son out but he has no concept of being quiet and bangs and crashes and keeps the baby awake so he's no help. I end up getting cranky at both of them. He's not always watching TV, he'll play really well by himself reading or something but he's not supposed to be by himself so much.

We have just started playing ocean sounds in the room. Hasn't made any difference yet. I'm wondering if he has sensory issues too and maybe a weighted blanket will help.

This has been going on for a while now, but I guess I'm losing it more at the moment as it seems to be getting worse and I'm also on a new diet to try and help so I'm on carb & chocolate withdrawals. thanks for the reminders that it's normal.

[onthefly]

My DD is the same. Nothing seems to work.
DS was the same. He would sleep longer in the hug-a-bub when he was little, then nothing worked.
So I just gave up and I'm pretty much ready to give up with DD too now. Unlike DS who really didn't want to sleep, she does and is so grizzly and grumpy most of the day. But just can't sleep longer than 40 minutes tops (20-30 is pretty normal too).
Honestly sometimes I think you just have to wrk around it. You can't spend all day trying to get one child to sleep, you know?

[Ginger]

how about popping him in the car and going for a little drive? we are on a bumpy dirt road and it used to work wonders for getting ds2 to sleep

[trishalishous]

I always find that wearing DD, with my b00b in her mouth, means shell wake and resettle with a few sucks.
We also make sure its noisy all the time, then a loud crash/bang doesnt bother her as much.

[meow]

Honestly sometimes I think you just have to wrk around it. You can't spend all day trying to get one child to sleep, you know?

I agree. I wonder sometimes though if I've let him stay awake too long and that's why he's hard to put down. So then I think I should try and put him down at the first sign of tired to catch him and make for easier sleep time. I dunno. After tears and up & down all afternoon I gave up and he spent about 4.5hours awake (after only having a 20min nap) and finally passed out for about 2 hours once his big brother was in bed. Come to think of it, he sleeps well (ish) in the dark, so maybe I should add block out curtains for the day?

I know the theory of making noise so they are not disturbed but it seriously hasn't worked with either of my boys. This one loves any excuse not to sleep and if he hears his brother- bingo!

[meow]

Thanks again for the ideas everyone. I'm sinking a bit at the moment so it really helps to have some ideas. I pondered them some more last night...

Honestly sometimes I think you just have to wrk around it. You can't spend all day trying to get one child to sleep, you know?

I'm still trying to work out what you mean by this... basically ignore the fact that he's tired and just make him stay up to avoid having to put him back to bed again? I tried that this morning. We all played together and I kept him up for 3 hours till it couldn't be ignored anymore. I settled him in the ergo rather than taking him to the bedroom to go to sleep, which also helped me spend more time with my older son. Took him heaps longer to go to sleep though of course.

how about popping him in the car and going for a little drive? we are on a bumpy dirt road and it used to work wonders for getting ds2 to sleep

Car rides are good. My older son loves them and the little one will go to sleep but once he's asleep I still can't play with my older son because we're stuck in the car.

I always find that wearing DD, with my b00b in her mouth, means shell wake and resettle with a few sucks.
We also make sure its noisy all the time, then a loud crash/bang doesnt bother her as much.

I've been so jealous all night thinking of this, you're very lucky to be able to keep your daughter settled like this If only my son would snooze in the sling and wake up for little feeds. I think I'd freeze having my top open though and it would kill my back- he'd have to be around my waist to keep BFing in the sling

[onthefly]

Meow, I mean you try for a bit, but not forever. If he's still awake after 15-20 minutes, just get him up again, do something else, then try again a bit later. Or if there's something that 'works' at all, just do that (ergo?). I still haven't found the 'thing' that really works with DD so I'm a bit stuck there. I'm trying stuffed toys at the moment - do you think she might start sensing my desperation?
Yeah, try block out curtains. Try anything (within reason)!

[Arcadia]

Urgh! It sounds all very familiar!!! I found it would get worse when dd was dropping one of her sleeps and consolidating them into fewer but for longer. I remember carrying dd all day most days with no difference. She would have 5-7 short catnaps and be super clingy and tired. For us 6 months was better, and she was having 3 clear naps, one of them for 2 hours.

Teaching self settling did help for us...but it's a mission and not necessarily pleasant, and i still have doubts about it tbh