My 11 month old is an awful sleeper! I mean terrible!!! My 2.5 year old has always been phenomenal, but 11 month old is very high needs in comparison. I will take any advice you have!
Should I wear him more during the day? He will almost exclusively only go to sleep if he is in motion - car, rock n play, being rocked by me, me wearing him. I have never even once been able to lay him down and have him fall asleep on his own. I love that be needs me, but I hate that he can't even occasionally put himself to sleep. I almost feel like it is a disservice to him - he is exhausted and frustrated too!
I just don't even know where to begin! Thanks in advance for any advice!
Re: Sleep tips
If he is getting the sleep he needs to be a happy kid when awake, I wouldn't worry about doing him a disservice, but having him only be able to fall asleep while moving would be extra hard on you, I imagine, so it's worth making a change.
I think a lot of babies at this age have trouble falling asleep, no matter what sleep associations they have. It's a big time for development, teeth, and growth, and everything seems to interfere with going to sleep!
Sleep associations are normal and good (everyone has them), but if the rocking association isn't working for him or you anymore, there's certainly no harm in gently teaching him new ways of falling asleep. This *might* be able to be accomplished by continued rocking, but less and less each time.