Refusing sleep unless held

[kaharris83]

DS2 is EBF. His crib is right next to our bed. He usually falls asleep about 9pm in my arms and I let him sleep there until we go up to bed about 11. I change him, swaddle him, and nurse him back to sleep. He was waking 2-3x a night and nursing back to sleep. Lately he wakes up within 20 minutes of being put back in his crib. He will fuss until I pick him up and instantly fall asleep when I pick him up. He usually doesn't nurse again but may latch. We don't do a paci because he always spits it right out when I try. During the day he is held/worn almost constantly so no naps in his crib or by himself. I've tried and he cries. We did do CIO with DS1 but he was much older and it was for night time not naps. He was not a napper until around 18 months. I don't know how to get DS2 to sleep without being held all night. Our bed is not firm, has too many blankets, and DH sleeps too heavily for me to be able to sleep while holding him. I'm exhausted from holding him 3 all night so he could sleep and not wake DS1. Any BTDT advice on getting this kid to sleep in his crib?

[amom526]

Ds2 is the same age-this is a hard age for sleep! I think part of the problem may be that he is not falling asleep on his own to begin with. have you tried nursing but not until all the way asleep, and then putting down drowsy but awake? You can then look for other ways to soothe-singing, patting, shh ing-when you find something that works, you can soothe him back to sleep when he wakes if he doesn't nurse back to sleep.

[Green_Tea]

Ds2 is the same age-this is a hard age for sleep! I think part of the problem may be that he is not falling asleep on his own to begin with. have you tried nursing but not until all the way asleep, and then putting down drowsy but awake? You can then look for other ways to soothe-singing, patting, shh ing-when you find something that works, you can soothe him back to sleep when he wakes if he doesn't nurse back to sleep.

I agree with the above, especially the bolded part. Babies stay asleep under the conditions they fell asleep - so if he falls asleep in your arms, he expects to wake up in your arms. A change in conditions will rouse him, just as if you fell asleep in your bed, and then someone moved you to the couch. I would work on establishing routines that focus on getting him to fall asleep while not being held.