Waking up every few hours at night

[smileygirl]

My 7 month old is waking up every 2 or 3 hours at night now. I used to be able to get maybe a 4 hour stretch from him. He is teething so I'm wondering if that's what's bringing on the change. I use the cry it out method but sometimes I just want him to sleep that I end up just nursing him instead. I wonder if because of that he now wakes up more expecting to be nursed. What should I do?? I forgot to mention that before he started teething, I changed the way he was swaddled. He used to be completely swaddled but because he learned to use momentum of his body to flip onto his belly, I switch now to only one arm swaddled. So now I'm wondering if that too could be causing him to wake up more.

[mmom]

((HUGS)))  I am sorry you are struggling.  First, I wouldn't resort to CIO.  It breaks the trust between mom and baby.  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63839.0

Have you tried medicating for teeth?  If there is discomfort, that will help.

Also, what is your routine like during the day?  Can you post it in EAS format?

Anything else going on developmentally?

[smileygirl]

I haven't really tried medicating. I did buy something but I don't know what's holding me back. I guess I should really try.

As far as his EASY schedule, it's something like this.
E 6am
A
S 9am or so (I work off his cues)
Now some days he sleeps good and then some days he doesn't. He may take a 30 to 45 min nap or he could take an hour or longer

E 11am
A
S 2pm
Now I'd he takes a short first nap, this nap may happen sooner. If not, again he may take only a 30 to 45 min or again a really long one where its at least an hour or longer.

Bedtime varies due to his sleep patterns. Sometimes it can be at 630 or 7pm.

Dreamfeeding - not really. If he has a hard time falling asleep, I end up feeding him again in an hour or he wakes up in about two.

I realize that I don't have a set EASY schedule. Now this is my second child do with #1, I had a good EASY schedule but not with #2 which is a bit nerve racking. Also since #2 is exclusively breastfed while #1 wasn't.

No other development changes that I can tell.

I appreciate any feedback I could get to help. I am so exhausted!

[mmom]

I am wondering if you are getting a short first nap, because the A is so short.  I would bump that up a bit by 10-15 minutes every few days.  You should at least be able to get a 2.5 hour A here.

After a short nap, you want to shorten the next A time.  So a 3 hour A is probably too long after that short nap.

I am thinking your LO is OT.

Hugs, it is hard with 2 LOs.  but you will get it.

[smileygirl]

Sorry but I am a bit confused.  Are you saying his first A time is too short?  Also if he does get a short nap on #1, his nap #2 should be sooner?  But then if he has a short nap #2, does that mean a super early bedtime then?

Now that you mentioned him being overtired, you could be right.  That's what I feel so lost. 

[mmom]

Yes, you explained it right.  I find the last A before bedtime the most crucial in determining the night.  If the last A is too long, we can get NWs and EWs.  Even if the rest of the day was ok, this is what happens.

The other thing that really effects my LO is teething.  When he is cutting teeth, we get EWs no matter how the routine is.  It can be text book and we get EWs regardless.