This is my first post on the site and I am looking for advice on night time sleep. My son is 4 1/2 months old and has been on EASY since he was born. He hasn't always followed it well as we have battled 45 minute naps from the start. They are getting better - for now!
The problem we're having right now is that he cries incessantly at bedtime and often takes over an hour to settle down and go to sleep. I tried p.u./p.d., but it doesn't work anymore because as soon as I go in the room, he stops crying and smiles and laughs!!!! I can't exactly do p.u./p.d. with a baby that isn't crying. At this point, we do let him cry for a little on his own before going in and sometimes he will stop and go to sleep without us going in, but that's not the norm. When we first put him in his crib, he is fine - it's 15 minutes or so later that he starts crying. Here is his schedule (on most days):
wake around 6:15 - 6:30
E 6:30
A 7:00 - 8:30
S 8:30 - 10:00 (sometimes shorter/longer)
E 10:30
A 11:00 - 12:00/12:30 (depending on morning nap)
S 12:00/12:30 - 2:00/2:30 (again sometimes shorter/longer)
E 2:30
A 3:00 - 4:00
S 4:00 - 4:40 catnap
A 4:40 - 5:30
E 5:30 (cereal)
6:00 (nurse)
S in his crib by 6:20/6:30
E 10:30 dreamfeed
We have found on many occasions that keeping him up any later in the evening backfires and he's up even longer. The crying has been going on for about 2 weeks now and we just can't figure it out. I think he just doesn't want us to leave him, but I don't know how to help him with this, other than to stand by his crib until he falls asleep - but at the same time, he doesn't go to sleep with me there - he just "talks" and giggles. I would like to give him a t-shirt of mine or something that smells like me to hold onto, but I'm afraid he's too young for that and will cover his face with it. I feel awful when he cries like that and hope someone can offer a suggestion or two. THANKS!
