I've posted under 'encouraging independent sleep for 8 month old', but need more help... now.
I put my 8 month old down nice and calm, but not groggy and walk away. I go back in 15 minutes to check on him and he is rolling around, sitting up, or crawling. He isn't trying to find a comfy spot to fall asleep in, he's playing. Should I stay with him a little longer at the start before walking away?
Do I go in after 15 minutes? When I do, he then gets that more excited then cries when I leave, so I pick him up sit with him and lay him down to try all over again. If I don't go in, I'm sure the playing will just continue on until he's over tired and then the crying will begin. Do I ignore the playing and wait for the crying regardless of how much time goes by? Do I go in earlier, as soon as I hear the playing? I try to repeatedly lay him back down, but it just gets worse.
Do I have to pu/pd? I prefer pat/sh. When I pu/pd he cries more loudly and pulls my hair etc. Once he stops crying and I put him down he's crying again before he hits the mattress. Do I have to hold him longer before putting him down?
At this point he is crying a shrill scream and then stops then starts up again. When I go in, he's not in a sleep position. I lay him down again, but he gets more hysterical. Patting stops the screaming, but I don't want to over pat, so I leave and come back even though he is screaming before I leave the room. Eventually it dwindles, but it seems more than anything he is crying himself to sleep.
Currently the crying has stopped and it is back to playing sounds. I don't know what to do when he plays. I'm going to wait another 15 minutes I guess and see what happens. 55 minutes have already passed since I first laid him down.
