The Amazing Non Sleeping Baby

[Azquilith]

My 16 month year old has coslept since birth (only settled since day 1 lying next to me). Still bf at bedtime and a couple of times comfort feed early morning.
He is a nightmare to get to bed. Fixed bedtime routine, bath, bf, bed (in our bed). We've tried in the cot but he will scream for hours. Tonight is typical, into bed at 7.15, bf, I waited till he went to sleep about an hour later. Ten minutes later he's awake and crying. Go back in, 45 mins to sleep. Go out, ten minutes later he's awake again, went into room and he's got himself up and toddles into lounge (we live in a flat). He's now lively as anything running around. I'll try him again shortly. He'll sleep till 7 (with a couple of brief awakenings) and be perfectly bright and happy all day tomorrow. He has one sleep of 1.5/2 hours at lunchtime. Help!

[Iggly]

OK, sounds silly, but do you wind him after a feed? He might have a burp or something. My dd still gets wind (she's 2!) After a BF. He could have a bit of acid coming up too hence waking and screaming.

[Azquilith]

Hm he seems to have no problems with wind from the other end... How do you wind a toddler? Patting on the back the same way?

[allisgood1]

He will scream for hours because he knows the longer he screams the more likely it will be that you'll come and get him out.

Sleep arrangements are a personal choice I find. I will cosleep for a certain period (6-8 months) but not beyond. And I don't believe in CC until after the age of 1.

You have to choose what's right for you. Do you really want to keep co sleeping? Or are you only doing it out of fear for what happens when you put him in the cot? How do you feel about CC?

[Azquilith]

DP and I have just had another chat about it. I don't like CC but for 16 months we've had no evenings at all so something has to change. So we've decided to start it from tomorrow and be tough!

[allisgood1]

Does he sleep in his cot at nap time?

[Iggly]

I just mean maybe he's gulped a bit of air down. Just sit him up after feeding and rub his back getting him to sit upright.

[Azquilith]

He sleeps in a cot for his cm during the day, but at weekends tends to fall asleep on bed again next to me. I do unfortunately think we've trained him into bad habits.

[Inapickle123]

We started CC with 6 month old DS two night ago. We had genuinely tried every other approach but softly, softly doesn't work for some babies, especially stubborn souls who just want company and interaction 24/7.

It took a lot to get us to the point where we even considered using it: 10 weeks of 4 hours sleep in 24; 15 weeks of bottle refusal; no daytime naps; multiple night wake ups, some lasting up to 6 hours; meltdowns every time we went into his room etc. we tried shhhh/pat and PUPD but this just enraged him as because he could see us he thought it was time to play/have a chat/bounce and could not resettle.

We can't feed to sleep due to his bottle refusal so we decided that he had to either concede to taking it or learn to sleep when hungry. He has opted for the latter.

We're only on day 2 of modified CC (I couldn't take his dmy away too-felt it was too much, too soon) and-touch wood-there's been a marked improvement in his sleep.

First night was awful. He woke at 4 and didn't go back to sleep until 620. Naps were a bit better but only because he was so tired.

Last night was great. He slept from 730-515 (with yogurt DF) before he called out for his dummy. I was in and out in 2minutes. Started grizzling at 545 but he didn't even get to 5m before he had put himself back to sleep.

Today's naps have been amazing. DS did 2 x 90m naps (this is unheard of). First was without a fight; second he cried for about 10-15m before dropping off (had to replace dummy twice). He also had a 20m power nap late afternoon.

Went down without so much as a whimper at 730 tonight and -so far-he's not made a sound.

I'm not by any means saying that CC is the right route for every child. DS is highly strung, had endless and boundless energy and loves interaction. We learned fairly early on that our presence on his room just wound him up. Remove the distraction and he could concentrate on sleeping. I honestly think that he needs to cry to get rid of his excess energy/frustration.

He was completely ready for it. If he was more sensitive (he's a right wee bruiser) I would probably have persisted with gradual retreat.

Please don't be put off trying it. If it isn't for you or you think your DC isn't ready, you can stop. Every child is different and there is no "one size fits all" approach. If you've tried everything else, you've nothing to lose.