One step forward, two steps back!

[MrsGplus1]

Following on from my earlier post, we were doing really well - good naps, better feeding and waking up only once in the night when we could use the dummy and shush him back to sleep really quickly.
And then 2 days ago it all fell apart  - he's back to napping for 45 mins then waking up, feeding is off again to the point where both nights he has been so hungry by bed time he's taken both breasts and 6oz but he will not feed more during the day no matter what I try and we're back to waking up 3 or 4 times a night - sometimes he can chatter for 10 minutes and then put himself back to sleep, more often he cries out and we have to go through shush pat or PU/PD with the dummy.
I intend to push on with the 4 hour (well its about 3 hours and 45 mins) routine. But a couple of questions / thoughts
i) we mix feed at the moment - should I just go to one or the other, probably bottle as I don't think my breast milk is sufficient and at least that way I can track more easily what he is eating. Really don't want to give up breastfeeding but may be an option I have to consider
ii) if I'm going through this pain anyway should I just get rid of the dummy too? Or do you think that is a step too far? I don't mind getting up in the night to pop it back in and we only use it in the bedroom for naps/sleep but I will have to go through that at some point
iii) when does chattering becoming complaining and then become crying? If I go in as soon as he starts chattering, I can get him back to sleep with dummy and shushing straight away but surely I become a prop - if I leave him he chatters for a while, then descends into complaining and eventually crying. I do not want him to cry it out alone, but equally I don't want to rush in too soon and stop him learning how to comfort himself. Maybe I'm just not good enough to learn his cues?

Anyway - any thoughts/words of wisdom? Sorry for the down load, my DH is away on business this week so we're home alone and its extra hard not having someone to talk all this through with - I can turn myself inside out thinking it through on my own! 

Cheers ladies!

[rebecaq]

Hi!!

It's not strange that babies regress to old habits.  When they do that it's important to remain consistent to the routine that you do want.  Many times we do little things, like give in to them in the middle of the night, that can send things to the pooper.  When he wants feeds at night, try your best to to give him just enough to tide him over until morning. It's tough, but you can do it 

Really don't want to give up breastfeeding but may be an option I have to consider

Honey, if you don't want to give up breastfeeding then don't.  Drop by our breastfeeding boards and you'll get tons of support from the ladies there. Have you gone to a lactation consultant to see if he/she can help?  I myself felt at a certain point that I couldn't bf, but I stuck it through, went to a lactation consultant and was able to bf for 9 months   

ii) if I'm going through this pain anyway should I just get rid of the dummy too? Or do you think that is a step too far? I don't mind getting up in the night to pop it back in and we only use it in the bedroom for naps/sleep but I will have to go through that at some point

I think that dropping the dummy right now would be uncessary stress for you ds. When you say you go back in to pop it in, do you mean he wakes when the dummy falls out? If that is the case, then that could turn into a big problem later.

iii) when does chattering becoming complaining and then become crying? If I go in as soon as he starts chattering, I can get him back to sleep with dummy and shushing straight away but surely I become a prop - if I leave him he chatters for a while, then descends into complaining and eventually crying. I do not want him to cry it out alone, but equally I don't want to rush in too soon and stop him learning how to comfort himself. Maybe I'm just not good enough to learn his cues?

Don't be so hard on yourself  It's tough to read thier cues.  It seems to me that as soon as he chattering starts to get a bit desperate, right before it turns into crying is a good time to go in.  And no, that does not make you a prop.  If your baby can't settle himself back to sleep and he needs him momma that by no means makes you a prop. My ds is 18 months old and he still needs reassurance from me from time to time. And at the moment your ds is going through a change of routine and he will stumble along the way. I'm sure by sticking to it and "doing as you mean to go on" things will smoothe out soon 

- Beca

[MrsGplus1]

Thanks Beca,
We're getting there - tougher this week with DH away so LO and I are home alone, but also normal life has resumed as opposed to the luxury of being house bound which we helping with the routine. Now I'd say we're 2 steps forward and one step back!   
Saw the HV re feeding - he is gaining weight but dropping centile. Her view is start weaning but express each day and add the milk to his food to get an "extra" feed into him that way and the expressing will keep my supply up for the time we give him a bottle. The dummy I'm still in two minds about - I've posted in props for some views there too. He really is addicted to it for sleep but maybe we just need to stablise a bit more first before another change. He doesn't wake up when it falls out, its just when he is going to sleep or wakes up early from a nap or during the night - then he needs it. If I go in when he is chattering/beginning to complain and pop the dummy in - he's out like a light, if I delay giving the dummy at that stage or wait a bit longer we're right into PU/PD for a long time. So don't know its a tough one! 
Anyway thanks for your support - so useful to be able to plough through these boards for advice.
Cheers