Help! 10 month old sleep issues

[KellyC]

Hi all,

I need some advice. My DS has always been very up and down when it comes to sleep - both day and night. He always just wants to play, and doesn't want sleep to get in the way. Once he is asleep it's fine, it's just actually getting him to go to sleep. He had got into a routine where he'd play for a while in his cot and then put himself to sleep, which was great. Sometimes it'd take up to an hour, and sometimes I'd have to give him a pat, but he was going to sleep in the cot.

Recently he's been sick and all of this has changed. He shows all of his tired signs so we put him in bed and now all he does is cry, as soon as we leave the room. He will stand up and hold onto the edge of the cot and just cry. Me coming back into the room doesn't help, he needs a cuddle. We have tried cuddles before putting him into bed, reading books, etc, nothing is working. We have had to rock him to sleep for every sleep and it's starting to get exhausting.

Any advice on what you would do in this situation would be greatly appreciated!! I don't know what to do anymore.

Hope to hear from people soon.

Thanks!

[Junglemum]

No pearls of wisdom, but wanted to let you know i am going through a similar thing with DD2 and also went through it with DD1. It is the age for separation anxiety and very common. It is hard and tiring, but it WILL get better. DD2 is just getting better at going to sleep after about 8 weeks of struggling to get her to sleep.

[mbear]

Going to say the same as Junglemum.......its a very interesting age - so much to do, so much to touch, so much to bang....there starting to get their own independence, yet not too sure yet about leaving mum and dad....i know my lil boy who is 9 months today, has lately been realllllllllllllllllllly clingy. Im sure its just a phase, and he will get past it. But i know what you mean....i never had to put the rail up for my girls until they were at least 12 months...with my boy, he's leaning over the cot, looking all around, itching to get out.
GL.....

[Shanti]

It's hard isnt' it? So much going on for them at this age... it's an exciting time for them! They are learning so much every day.

I have no advice.... but just wanted to let you know you are not alone! My DD is nearly 13mths and still isn't the world's greatest sleeper and finds it very hard to unwind. She won't let us rock her to sleep (or feed to sleep anymore rarely!) so we have to lie with her until she falls asleep otherwise she just screams and cries and stands in her cot really upset.

Good luck.... let's hope it gets easier for us both soon

[Boo Boo]

We are still rocking here...if I just leave DS he will scream and scream, so .....still rocking....and he wakes up 2 to 3 times in the night for cuddles too.

It is a tricky time....I think up until 18 months / 2 years it is hard...but then some people will probably say they are still having a hard time with sleep after 2 years....

I spoke to a child psych a couple of years ago about DD as she was a shocker too and they said up until 4 years children need help with the whole sleep bizo

L

[August]

Hang in there, my DS is 2 and whenever he is unwell his sleeping patterns change and takes time to settle again, even after he is feeling better.

Would your little one enjoy a bit of music or one of those musical lights? The one we had projected images on the ceiling and would play music that you could set to turn off automatically.

Otherwise maybe try the 'shoosh pat'. I loved this one as you can be right there when he needs you but your not looking at or holding him.