Crawling around in cot and can't go to sleep...help?

[Ellie]

We have been so spoilt...Miss A has slept through the night...like 7pm to 6 am since she was 8 weeks old...have always just popped her in her cot and kissed her goodnight and within 10 minutes she's asleep...

Fast forward to this week...she has realised she can roll over, sit up and crawl around the cot...but she hasn't worked out how to get down again to go to sleep...she is also teething...all top 4 at once (poor bubba!!!)...so the last two nights I have spent an hour watching her roll, sit up, crawl, sit up, cry...then popped her back down, patted her tummy and said goodnight again...over and over...until she is so exhausted (me too) that I've picked her up..rocked her for like 30 seconds and she's asleep.

So...what do I do? Am I being mean ...should I just rock her to sleep knowing she's having a rough time...or do I keep trying???

Thanks in advance

[Kazbah]

Have you tried something like an amber teething necklace? They really do work!

Also maybe give her some time to crawl around on the floor etc to wear her out before bedtime? My Pip was the same - slept through from about 12 weeks until he could move around in the cot.

You could try letting her play in her cot a bit with some soft toys and make it more of a routine - play outside of cot, into cot for a little play then story time and sleep, so it's relaxing for her and not a sudden "stop" to all activity?

good luck

[Ellie]

Thanks Kazbah...great idea..maybe she needs to burn off some more steam before bed?

[melsa31]

We had this problem with my DS. He also used to stand and get stuck and cry. I just kept laying him down again, soothing him and eventually he'd go to sleep. It was tiring for both of us! As his skills increased and the novelty wore off though he's stopped doing it. So maybe you the phase will pass?

[butterfly_warrior]

Ellie - my sympathies. Sam is also cutting his four top teeth all at the same time and it is just cruel. We've always cuddled him to sleep, though... and would be inclined to suggest it as she is going through a rough time - but you may be establishing habits that can be hard to break. Sam would always go to sleep by himself when we put him in the cot - and then we moved when he was 8 weeks old and he was so unsettled we had to cuddle him to sleep... and still are now at nearly 12 months old.

BW

[Ellie]

Thanks Ladies...well she's in the pram for her day sleep as I'm throwing up...again...I know I'm probably starting a bad habit here but hey...life is circumstances and this is were we're at