Well, your dr. is right that he needs to learn how to soothe himself to sleep. I am not a proponent of cio, though. I have found lots of great advice in Elizabeth Pantley's books. Her methods take longer than cio but they are much gentler.

It's pretty tough and it takes a week or longer. Try to keep him from getting totally upset. What worked for us was for me to lie down next to the crib (my bed's right there) and sing and pretend to sleep and talk "sleep sleep time to sleep". I would alternate between all this depending what worked best that night. In general, if my son was very upset I'd pretend to sleep. When he calmed down a little I'd say "time to sleep, lie down, go to sleep" and if he was lying down I'd sing something quietly. We also have white noise machine going on. It took us a week or 10 days but it wasn't as stressful as CIO since he wasn't crying all the time. I must admit that he still sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and I then sing and talk to him until he goes back down. It's easy since my bed's right next to crib. We even went through his molars emerging this way. Good luck! Oh and he's 16 mo now and we did the "training" when he hit 14 mo.

I agree with alh071 that Pantley's books have some good advice. What really helped me was her advice to stop if something's not working one night, go back to our old sleep method and just try again the other night.

If he is so active while he sleeps, he is probably waking himself up. He is right at the age where they start having dreams. He could be having dreams he's playing or running, which would explain the activeness. Has he always done this or is it new? I've found a lavender bath is soothing before bed. Works like a charm here. Also, try not to pick him up at ALL at night. Rub his head or his back, but keep him down. I have found that the more you move them, the more you wake them up and it's harder to get them back to sleep.

I have tried sitting beside his crib and singing and patting him. It doesn't work. He just gets up and tries to get out. We have his mattress on the bottom level of his crib and he has never climbed out but I think it is just because he doesn't realize he can. He also will just crawl back and forth, it reminds me of the tigers at the zoo. And yes, he has always been a very active sleeper, the last time he slept with us my husband had to go to the couch, but I was like that when I was young too. The confusing part is this only happens at night, he is a champ at napping most of the time.

Patting didn't work for us either. But it was crucial that I don't get the baby out of the crib. I would lie down next to it - that's crucial too I think so they get the message that everyone's sleeping and try to imitate you.

it sounds like he's dreaming maybe and that the SITTING UP in his sleep really is waking him...and then he gets disoriented and can't calm back down. Jackson OCCASSIONALLY does this to us, but he's able to self-soothe. Is it possible your son would do well with a toddler bed....that he could move around in but not hit the wood rails and such....or perhaps his mattress just on the floor in your room... I'm just throwing stuff out. If he's SUCH an active sleeper, then perhaps hit bumping into the hard wood crib is what's waking him and then it makes him mad and he can't get comfortable again.

I don't have practical advice to give you...the CIO worked like a champ for us (and we kinda FELL into that)....but I wanted to just offer you encouragement.

YOU WILL FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS!

And yes...if you have tried something and really given it a go...and it's not working...then you must try other things. Don't feel bad for floundering - NO BABIES COME WITH OWNERS MANUALS!

However...if you DO find something that works...let us know. Who knows when we could be in the same boat.

What is your bedtime routine like? Try switching it up to find some combination that works. He needs to learn to soothe himself to sleep and not rely on the rocking to sleep. Does he have a favourite blanket, stuffed animal??? After supper we go for a walk, park etc ... then we have bath pj's snack teeth and stories. That's what works for us. They like routine and know what to expect next. I know a friend of mine let her little guy cry it out but go back in after 5 mins to reassure that she is still there but not saying anything then going back out. After a few nights 10 mins then 15 mins etc ... That seemed to work for them. Hopefully you find something that works. Good luck

we play quite classical music. does he have a fav toy or blanket? We use the Fisher Price Glow Seahorse - it plays music too - if he wakes up we sneak in push the belly to make it go, and then leave - that seems to help

I don't know if it's at all practical, but if you take away his nap, he may sleep better, harder, for you at night.

wondering how much he is sleeping during the daytime, perhaps he is getting too long of a nap or too many naps?? My guy is very active too and I have to run him all day long to tire him out. We go to a baby gym class once a week, we go to the park in the am, we walk after dinner and I make him run around. THen routine is the key at night. It's dinner, walk, milk, pj's, he watching Cailou on Sprout and then I give a warning that after Cailou it is night night time. Give him his balnkie we do our kisses and hugs and off to bed. He has his lovey, sleep sheep for white noise and he is out. I read the baby whisperer books and found them helpful to me. Good luck

Just curious, but is he teething? My daughter went through spouts of difficulty sleeping and that was the culprit. She would toss and turn because she could not get comfortable. I used to give her bonjela (Aussie version of orajel) on a pacifier and she is out within minutes. Children's tylenol was given an hour before bed.

Does he have something to sleep with? A glow worm or glow seahorse? Having something to cuddle up to will help your child learn self soothing.

is he taking naps? Maybe he is getting to much sleep during the day?

He gets one nap a day. Depending on him it is anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and it is early in the day around 11 or 12. He just cut his bottom molars and at our checkup a couple weeks ago the dr. said he was about to cut top molars. I have given him a lovey, he isn't interested. I do give him tylenol occasionally when he is extra ill and have tried oragel but it doesn't seem to make a difference. The thing is most of the time he is very tired at nightand ready to go to sleep but sometimes fights it or wakes up after just a little bit still tired. I tried sitting beside his bed the other night and he was sooo tired he would cry and wear himself out even more and have to stop crying to yawn but never lay back down to sleep. I hope it is just because of teething but since he sleeps in our bed, although very actively, I'm not sure about it.

And THANK YOU for all the advice and tips!!!