I’m feeling quite lost with my 11-month-old. His sleep has always been disrupted and I know it’s because he’s been used to being fed to sleep and struggles to self-settle.  I’ve never wanted to or had the heart to sleep train, especially since he’s my rainbow baby and it pains me to hear him cry.

I haven’t had an issue with him feeding to sleep; I know he’ll grow out of it eventually. However, it’s not as effective lately. Sometimes it takes an hour to get him down for a nap. He seems tired, has a feed and starts to drift off but then suddenly wants to climb off my knee, towards the door or climb me to reach the back of the chair. I put him in his cot and he’ll cruise around the edge. He’s content enough in the cot but just not for sleep. He’ll lie down and sit back up several times before coming to the edge to cry at me. At this point a feed usually helps or we start the process again. I sit with him as if I leave the room while he’s awake in the cot he’ll cry. I feel like I’ve let him down.

I keep being told by relatives he might need to go to one nap but I just don’t feel that would help. Getting him settled has become a real challenge.

I can’t afford the premium service on the app so I’m not going by the sweet spot predictions but I try to keep an eye on his cues and wake windows.

My husband and I have tickets to see a comedian in September and I’m so anxious about what it’ll mean for his sleep and whoever is looking after him until we get home.

Family keep telling me I need to drop a nap?