Thanks for the reply, and the hugs.
Answers to your questions:
- when he awakes it varies, he can immediately be really crying hard, the type you need to comfort, and others he just lies in his cot for half an hour or so, fills his nappy, plays with his comforter. He will eventually start shouting and getting distressed. He does have a mantra cry when he is settling himself for naps and going down initially at night.
- he has had eczema from the start. We are redheads so it goes with the territory! As does hayfever and asthma :-( It generally doesn't bother him unless it gets wet e.g in the bath.
- I have this week moved him onto a lactose free diet as something else to try. My daughter is lacto intolerant although growing out it now. He has had some bad nappies that we've put down to teething but giving this a shot this week to see if it makes a difference.
- foods have been normal family meals mashed down e.g fish pie, chicken casserole, beef stew etc. He is a bigger than average boy and enjoys his food and eats well.
- developments would include frustration at not crawling and constant wanting to stand up, however, he isn't trying to sit up or pull on cot when in bed. He is swaddled and doesn't roll about much like his sister did.
- teething is definitely happening, he has had 1 through 2 weeks ago and you can see the others at the front just sitting there but I have made sure that he has pain meds in going to bed and at dream feed I case this was an issue.
His naps are good, although not this afternoon. I agree his A is ok, it could be a bit longer but he has always had em in the shorter side of the scale for his age. I could put him in his bed after 2 hours in the morning, it's a real struggle to occupy him until 3. This afternoon I was out so it was 3 hours 15 mins a time and he was OT and only slept for 45 mins :-(
I do try to settle him as much as I can in cot but if I am not sitting there until he is I a really deep sleep, which can take 1-2 hours, then I can be in and out the room constantly. I am surviving on 4-5 hours sleep at the mo and have been for weeks.
I am happy to have a night feed and if he wakes after 3 I will give him one (which he always scoffs) but try to settle within the 4 hour window from the dream feed. The dream feed he is usually still asleep although I did hear my DH stir him last night to get him to take it.
I don't know what else to do. If its teething and this is what he is like with just one, I don't know if I will survive the other 19!! Any suggestions?
Thanks