no pm nap

[*Nicola*]

Could he be going through the 3 month growth spurt?

[wands]

I had thought that a week or so ago, but really this has been going on for about 3 weeks and I didn't think that growth spurts lasted that long.  Also he really isn't nursing more during the day and he doesn't nurse that great at night when I do nurse him. 
He woke up after 45 minutes with this nap.  I went back up there and rocked him a few minutes to calm down and then put him down.  I shushed/ hand and he went back to sleep.  When I rock him to calm down am I being counterproductive? Should I just let him wake up?  I tried to just shush/ hand/ pat but he worked himself up. 
I am wondering if because I get him drowsy by rocking if he needs that to get into the next sleep cycle even though he is putting himself to sleep for the most part.  Maybe it is the same thing during the night?  or does it sound like he is really hungry since it is almost 3 hours between wakings?  I am just very confused.  Thanks.

[*Nicola*]

I was just thinking exactly the same.

If he is relying on you to rock him to sleep then he will need that to get to sleep/get drowsy each time.  This will most  likely be true of the night too.  He is using you as a prop I suspect.  Your aim then, would be to stop the rocking to sleep in order that he learns to settle independently.  You can gradually reduce the time you rock for and instead concentrate on using pat/shh in the crib.  He wouldn't be happy with this as he is used to the rocking but you will need to stay consistent and you will get there!

If he is taking short day naps, he may well be OT and this will be contributing to the NW's.  With regard to the NW's, it is possible that he has got stuck waking extra after the 3 month GS.  This happened to us. 

[wands]

Thanks for your opinion.  It has actually gotten worse if that is possible.  He woke up so many times last night I lost count.  I tried to get him to nap yesterday, but all I got was a total of 1 and 1/2 hours.  Yuck.  So OT.  He was still in a pretty good mood yesterday, but today he is so beside himself.  Also dealing with the eczema and rash again. 
I will try to rock him less.  I did that a few times but he put up such a fuss, but I will do it.  My LO and I are both so exhausted.
Also it is possible that he is teething already?  Could that be causing all the sudden night wakings?  He will sleep in my arms though so I don't know.  He doesn't sleep great though.  He is also very twitchy when he sleeps even when he is swaddled.  He actually gets himself out of the swaddling most of the time.  It seems like an unusual amount of flailing.  What do you think of that?? 
Thanks.