now wont settle himself for sleeps!

junior j · Mar 11, 2011 5:57AM

hey my ds was a great sleeper from 8 weeks, settling himself in bed most of the time, sometimes just needing abit of sshhcccing, and he was also sleeping through the night. however he has now for the past 3 weeks been waking up for feeds once or twice a night - i still sometimes get a fullnight sleep from him, and i have put this down to growing needing extra food - hes 18 weeks now.

However he will not let me put him down in his cot to settle himself to sleep anymore, the moments he is down its a screaming match, ive tried sscchhhing and humming stroking his head all the stuff that used to work but he just wants to be picked up and rocked to sleep.

its driving me crazy! has anyone elses baby decided to change their habit like this? its not as if he hates his cot, as he will be quite content in it in the mornings whilst im getting ready and will coo and talk to himself for a good half hour before calling to be picked up.

ive even made his bedtime earlier to see if i was missing that window of opportunity to get him to sleep.

i guess because he self settled so easily before ive forgotten the tricks on how to get this to work - how lonf to leave crying when to pick up and put back down again etc.

anyone got any hints please??

jumpingzebra · Mar 9, 2011 8:50AM

I had the opposite prob mine has only just learnt how to self settle without moaning for 30mins. He has a dummy and really associates it with sleep.

The pick up put dwn method is good as you are settling them when they cry but reinforcing that they are to go asleep on their own. Does take persistance but it works and is kinder and builds the trust between u rather than doing the controlled crying.

xx

xxfairyxdustxx · Mar 11, 2011 5:57AM

Hi jemcol, our lo's are exactly the same age if I remember correctly. My little girl was exactly the same, slept well from 11 weeks & then around 15/16 weeks it all went out the window. Would fall asleep at her last feed and unlatch herself, be fast asleep in my arms but the second her head hit the cot mattress, she'd be screaming and I'd have to rock and cuddle again until she was finally exhausted enough to sleep. Anyway, my hubby finally insisted we try a dummy. I really didn't want to, (no idea why!), but eventually gave in.......and it was like magic! We only use it when she's tired and can't settle herself and I'll always try and put her down without it, which will sometimes work, but if not, it saves me two hours of stress! We've gone back to two night feeds as well. Yaaaawn! It's normal apparently and we've been lucky to have that sleep period!!

now wont settle himself for sleeps!

Replies