7 m.o not sleeping during the day.

My DS is 7.5 months old.
The last week or so he's been having about 30 mins to 1hr's sleep in a 12 hr period, still sleeping ok through the night, usually, if he's not sleeping well I put him in our bed and he sleeps ok.
He's really tired -droopy eyes, screams/ winges every time I put him down, etc but refuses to sleep. Everytime I put him in his cot he cries/ screams until I pick him up. I'm a bit worried that he's begining to associate his cot with crying because every time I put him in he cries straight away. How can I fix that?

Even when I try rocking him to sleep he fights and fights and fights until he can no longer stay awake and falls asleep in my arms/ on my shoulder/ sleeps while I'm feeding him and wakes up when I put him down or when he's finished feeding. He has also started crying when he wakes up from a sleep too, which he didn't usually do.

It could be wind but even after I've spent ages (30mins +) patting and think I've gotten it all up he still wont sleep. He is also teething at the moment.
I thought maybe separation anxiety but he's mostly ok when he's not tired.

Help please, I'm going insane. He's tired and I'm tired, and it's making me grumpy and I so dont want to be grumpy at him, I know it's not his fault. :(

It's a tough stage. Sorry, I don't know what to do, I never figured it out!! DD did the same thing. But it does get better somehow, hang in there :hug:

My DS is going through a similar stage at the moment too, I tend to think it might be seperation anxiety, I can't remember the last time he woke up not crying. Sorry I'm no help, but thought I'd let you know you're not alone.

:) It is soo good to know I'm not the only one, and maybe it's not my own inadequacy as a mother but just a normal phase!

I was really begining to doubt myself. :(

People keep saying to me "at least he's sleeping through the night". I keep imagining myself leaning out and slapping them. lol

I'm sorry that I can't offer any advice - I just started a thread about my 3.5 month old DD going through the same thing. I'm hoping it's just a phase, and hoping yours is too. I know what you mean about feeling like a failure as a parent. I feel the same way, even to my family, and even worried that "something's wrong, that I used to be so proud that she was a good sleeper and it's come back to bight me".

Ahh - you think you've got them figured out and they go and do something to throw everything out of whack again :lol: I'm just glad she's happy when she's awake - she'll sleep when she's tired (I can tell myself that now because she's asleep, but not sure how easy it will be to remember when she's upset and I'm trying to put her down again).

Hope DS settles down soon for you!

it's a tough time, it seems like your baby has gotten into the habit of resisting naps. My advice would be to feed him or rock him to sleep, and just let him nap in your arms (make sure you have some water and the remote control nearby!) Perhaps once he gets back into the habit of sleeping during the day it will become easier to get him to take a nap in his cot. Hopefully this stage will not last too long

good luck

T
xx

They are all so different and I can only say what has worked for DS, which you may have tried already. I am def no expert when it comes to babies... just when I think I have him worked out he changes again.

DS is 7 months and used to be a terrible day sleeper, he now has 2-3 sleeps a day between 1-2 hours for each sleep.

At the moment I have found I have to put him down no more than 2 hours after he has woken up, and that sleep tends to set the mood for the rest of the day. So if he wakes at 7, he is back asleep by 9am. Yesterday for example he didnt get to sleep till after 10am and he was a shocker for the rest of the day.

This will sound silly but I do whatever works to get him to sleep. Most of the time I pop him in the cot and he will go to sleep no probs.. other times I have to wrap him, if that doesnt work, sometimes he wants to be held.. other times he wants to be rocked... each sleep is different. Sleep 1 today, I put him down, unwrapped and closed over the door and he was asleep in a matter of minutes.. Sleep 2 I tried to put him down but he started getting grizzly so wrapped him (with his arms out) and then I put him down again with a bit of shhhing/patting and it worked. Tonight I will prob have to rock him.

I have found with DS there is a very thin line between tired and overtired.. and I need to get him as soon as the tired signs start. DS signs are pretty clear most of the time which helps.

Next week I am sure he will change again! and everything I have just put down wont work..