He just cries himself to sleep; wont settle for anything.............HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Freya]

Ds is 8mths old. Breastfed. Wont take a dummy or bottle; occasionally a sippy or cup.

We used to cosleep but unfortunately we were getting less sleep sharing than sleeping separate so he is in a cot next to my bed now. He used to be good that if he was sleepy I could put him down still awake and he'd drift off.

But now even if he feeds to sleep as soon as I put him down he's awake and standing at the side of the cot crying. Often it ends up that I have to let him cry after the 7th feed and cuddle because I just cant keep going after that.

I hate hearing him cry though. Im at my wits end and run out of idea's.

Any suggestions?

(Please dont take offence but slinging him or rocking him or just feeding and feeding are great options except that I have two other small children to care for and a ton of things to do in my day; not to mention he weighs a ton so nearly breaks me back carting him around at the best of times.)

[BrightSparkles]

Sounds like a tough time.
Can you try wrapping him? A muslin wrap would be too small but maybe a single bed sheet or you could go to spotlight and buy some muslin and make one big enough.

Maybe going and buying him a toy that only stays in his bed so he can see it everytime he goes to bed and associates it will sleep time??

Do you express milk? Could you try putting some in a bottle and leaving it in his cot so he can have some when he feels the need to?? Or a bottle just with water in it?

Hope this helps. Good Luck. xx

[shellbell3]

Would you consider moving him out of your room? I'm only thinking cause Emily is still in my room and when she wakes she knows I am there so pushes he head against the bars tries to reach for me etc.
Some nights I have gone and slept in the other room and I found her to sleep so much better, actually slept thru. So we are planning on moving her out soon, (when we get around to it)

Has he just started with the standing? I remember with Ash having issues when she first started standing crying at the cot and I'd spend my time lying her down patting her, she'd stand up, lying her down again over and over and eventually she caught on.

[Eng]

So sorry your going through all of this.. I had a lot of problems with dd. One night I just got so upset I put my hand through the wall.. I watched the super nanny and read up on a few things. (she would start and stop all through the night and I was working full time)

I put her in her own room, I gave her a toy, I told her it was sleep time and mummy would be here for her.. I started sitting on the floor in front of her cot. Then I would slowly move further away from her cot... I gave her a cuddle after 2 mins - 5 mins & 7 mins. Some nights I would just lay on the floor holding her hand through the cot.

I bf dd for 9 months, it was hard cos she would kind of use me as a dummy.. I had to wen her onto a bottle.. I got one of those tommy real bottles.. A GOD SEND for me!! lol

Best of luck I hope things working out.. Best thing to do is read up and a few different ways and try a few things and remember.. Give yourself a few minutes time out when it gets too much...