My 6-month-old son used to be a good sleeper, but everything fell apart at around 4 months. I thought it was a sleep regression, and maybe it was -- but we're still not out of it, 2 months later. He fights his naps and they tend to be short (45-60 mins, with occasional longer ones). I usually have to rock or nurse him to get him down. He wakes every 2-3 hrs at night and won't go back to sleep unless I nurse him.
Our day usually looks something like this:
8:30 wake up
10:30 S
11:30 A
2:30 S
3:30 A
He sometimes has a catnap around 6:00, but other times just stays up
8:30 bed (a bit earlier if he only had 2 naps, or later if he had 3)
11:30 first night waking; goes back to sleep quickly if I nurse him
2:30 second night waking, and so on
He starts out in his crib, but inevitably ends up in our bed.
I realize he may be overtired from staying awake so long before bedtime (on the days he only takes 2 naps), but this problem predates his 3-2 transition. Even when he was routinely taking a 3rd nap we had these night wakings. He is also getting his first tooth, but I'm not sure if teething could really be the cause of all this.
I feel guilty because I know the rocking and nursing may be just reinforcing his sleep associations, but I don't know what to do. I've always tried to put him down "drowsy but awake," but it just doesn't work anymore. He cries and cries and it escalates until I end up giving in. Should I stay by his crib and let him cry? Pick up/put down? I don't want to do CIO but I feel like we're headed in that direction. I feel like I'm failing him by not knowing how to respond and not helping him develop better sleep habits. And I'm exhausted, too.
Would love any advice.