Sleep issues, again!

I always used to complain that Daragh didn't sleep well, but since we stopped BFing about 6 weeks ago, it's just gotten much worse. He used to be able to drop off very quickly while feeding, but now its a 1-2 hour battle nearly every morning and night to get him down for naps and bedtime. This morning he woke at 5am and was tired by 8.30am. I started to rock and shush him at 9am. He's just asleep now and thats how it usually is. Same at bedtime, he's in our room by 7pm, and it's often 9pm before he's out for the count no matter how tired he's been. Sometimes it'll be an hour but rarely less. Somewhere in that time I also have to go in to Molly and read her a story etc.

I don't really have four hours spare to be rocking him to sleep every day! and it's not good for my sanity either, if by 8.30pm or 9pm he's not asleep, I often have to just leave him to cry because I get angry and can't cope with the exhaustion. He' no better for DH and just screams the whole time. DH does try his best but it frustrates him too. Every night is like doing controlled crying, which I hate, I always said I'd never leave him to CIO but I've done it several times in the past couple of weeks, DH says it's the best thing to do but it feels horrible He can go over quicker in the sling but always wakes when I'm trying to get him into the cot. He still wakes once in the night and because there's no booby, its another hour or so before he'll drop over again, then he's up for the day at 5 or 6am.

He's such a happy little dude the rest of the time, we have a great time during the day, he just fights sleep until he's so tired he cries and I don't think he's getting enough sleep (maybe 10hrs inc nap). I wish I was still BF as he at least went to sleep easily then, he still seems unsure of how to go to sleep without it but wont take a bottle or anything else.

I know I'm not alone with sleep issues and just have to hope that one day it's better, but I just needed to get it out.

hi!

Im not very knowledgable... but i read the baby whisperer book, and i found the pick up put down method really good. yes my little girl gets upset, but i pick her up, then put her down again. 1st time it took 112 times..... which was over an hour, but now, if i need to do it, it is a maximum of 5 times... so only a few minutes.
Hope this idea gives you something to look at! x x

I must admit I took the cheats way out & I give a cup of warm cow's milk to Amelie when she is in her bed for naps/bedtime

What's worked for us is putting the kids in the cot and leaving them to cry to sleep. It's a different kind of cry. Gaps in the crying get longer as they listen to hear if someone is coming. It's a very difficult way of doing it but it's worked for us and we can put them to bed and leave them and they go straight to sleep with no issues. Sounds harsh but I'm sure we're not the only ones. If they sob then I go in as it's sounds different IYKWIM....
It's horrible listening to them crying but as long as you know they're ok in there and safe, it works. It's not a quick fix though.