Any suggestions before I use CIO <-(

Ive also got a bad sleeper. And no matter what people can recommend it will not necessarily work for you and your child

There could be reasons he isnt sleeping well. The main one being Teething. My DD was a bad teether and had problems for months from about 9 months until nearly all her teeth came through.

Perhaps try stick to the same thing everynight. When he wakes up maybe sit with him and stroke his head, talk softly to him until he drifts back off. Or perhaps he just needs cuddles. Do this for a while and leave again.

I have used CIO when needed. Mainly when DD is so out of routine i just use it to get her back in. It is hard but i normally do something to keep me busy. Quite often DD falls asleep and i always think why didnt i try this earlier. But she is a bit older than your boy.
Also with CIO i think you need to listen to your baby's cry. I can tell when DD is being a little madam and playing up, then i leave her. If she is really upset then of course i go and sit with her and try get her to fall asleep.

Another thing could be to check for an ear infection. DD has one and her only real symptom was lack of sleep. She wouldnt go down because in laying would make it worse.

I hope this made sense with my preggy brain being up so late
Good Luck i hope he sleeps better for you soon

Edited by _SMS_

I would also question the pain thing... my wee boy started waking hourly when we started him on solids at 6 months and its been downhill since then. However I found I could give him pamol at around midnight and some nights he would sleep through so I think something is causing him pain.

We have been through numerous doctors, had allergy testing done, spent a night in hospital under observation, and tried ranitidine.
We started losec last week and he now does 3 hours when he goes down (he now has his first tooth coming through and is the baby from hell) so I have all fingers crossed that it will only improve in the coming weeks.