Won't sleep alone..

[beautifulnm]

My son has been teething and now he's gotten to the point where he can fall asleep in my arms but the second i try to lay him down he's wide awake and screaming. When he sleeps is the precious little time I have to do anything and there's a lot to do because we just moved and DH is still gone for work. What in the world do I do? Im not a fan of "crying it out" but I'm at a loss as to how to get him to sleep without me holding him..

[Mama Mko]

Can you wear him? Wrap/Ergo/Sling are great alternatives. Back carries are great for getting stuff done around the house without leaving the baby to cry.

[Snapdragon]

what methods have you tried? how old is he?

[beautifulnm]

Originally Posted by Snapdragon

what methods have you tried? how old is he?

7 months tomorrow. rocking him in my arms before putting him down, putting him in his snuzzler (the fuzzy insert from his pack & play), putting him down and staying near by with my hand on his back til he falls asleep longer..

i don't know. maybe it's just all that teething pain mixed with beginning separation anxiety. whatever it is the crying and restlessness stresses me out. sigh. makes me feel like a bad mom but i'm just like i just need a minute..

[Knitting Mama]

It's understandable that you need a moment. I have found that wearing my baby helps a lot. It gives her the closeness she desires, and it also lets me have my hands free so I can do other things. We also co-sleep at night-- we both get our sleep; she stays asleep for a lot longer which lets me get my sleep.

[beautifulnm]

We were cosleeping but since he started crawling I transitioned him to his crib which was fine until recently..

[confustication]

I think you may want to revisit cosleeping, and I would also look for a really good carrier- it's pretty normal for them not to sleep well alone.

[sunnygir1]

I'll echo the baby carrier for things you can do while wearing the baby (for me, it just didn't work for certain tasks).

Another thing that sometimes worked for me was to put him in the bouncy seat (although yours might be getting a little big for that) so I could bounce him with my foot while I washed dishes, cooked, ate, read, typed, etc.

You could also consider giving him something for teething...teething tablets, tooth gel, Tylenol, etc. When pain is keeping my children from sleeping, I will give medication sometimes to get us all some rest.

[beautifulnm]

sunny, he's anti-bouncer, anti-jumper.. trust me i tried lol. i gave him the little teethers (Same formula as hyland's) tablets but sometimes they dont seem to take the edge off.. the tylenol does more. I just feel bad giving him tylenol so much. (once or twice a day)

[confustication]

Originally Posted by beautifulnm

sunny, he's anti-bouncer, anti-jumper.. trust me i tried lol. i gave him the little teethers (Same formula as hyland's) tablets but sometimes they dont seem to take the edge off.. the tylenol does more. I just feel bad giving him tylenol so much. (once or twice a day)

I try to alternate meds when they need them- so for twice a day needs I would alternate tylenol and ibuprofen as they both challenge different areas of the body while the body processes them.

[ann_of_loxley]

I swear by amber teething necklaces (he has three teeth so far and has been happy as a clam!). Also - chamomilla (homeopathic remedy) is really good too (If he is happy in your arms, there is no need to give him drugs. Both my boys have survived without them so far!).
You may need to go back to co-sleeping. My son seems to only fall asleep in one of two ways: 1). At the boob or 2). In a sling. I highly recommend you get some type of sling (if a wrap or a mei tai seem a bit daunting to you - I know Babyhawk do a buckle version now - some websites let you pay a smal fee to 'borrow' a sling or you could perhaps try to find a used one on forums like 'the baby wearer' if you are a bit tight on money - though they are a great investment so well worth whatever you pay!). I don't know what I would do without mine. DS2 is only 5 months old but he is in the sling for most of the day. With a 5 year old and a baby who doesn't want to be put down (he doesn't like bouncer chairs or anything like that either) I find I wear him often so I can have my hands free!!! ...he is nearly 6 months old and it is all paying off...only very recently (for the past few days) I have been able to lay down with him in the bed, get him to fall asleep with a boob - and then I can walk away!!! OMG!!! lol It means I can do things in the evening I havn't managed to get done that day - or do nothing at all with an 18lbs weight lifted off me! hehe

[*mama moose*]

My DD is only 4 months (but over 20lbs so this may not work long for me...) but she naps in the baby swing. The key though is that I have to nurse her until she's fully asleep and turn the swing on BEFORE I put her in it (totally asleep). If you have a smaller baby who will still fit in a swing it might be worth a try! She's not a fan of gadgets while awake, but it's the only way she'll nap! My older two girls were happy being worn while asleep, or me laying down in bed to nurse them and then sneaking off after they were fully out. My little one will NOT go for that though, so I feel your pain!