Not sure what to do next

[brightside]

DS has always been a great sleeper. From about 8 weeks he slept through the night from 8-7 and napped well. He is now 3 months and the last 2-3 weeks have shown an increasing problem with night wakings. He definitely isn't hungry as he can go back to sleep and doesn't even really cry. The problem is that he will now wake 2-3 times in the night and need the dummy to get back to sleep. When these wakings first started I put it down to not getting enough sleep in the day (suddenly started having 45min naps) but we've just about got over that one. He now has about 4hours in the day. 2 or 3 x 45 min naps(wakes happy from each) and one long one of about 2 hours. He is much better in the evening and not overtired. However, the night wakings are still happening and the time its taking to get him back to sleep each time is getting longer. Gone from a few minutes to about half hour. The problem I think is the dummy. He goes to sleep fine (on his own in the crib) and spits the dummy out when he starts to properly fall asleep but then needs it to get back to sleep if he wakes. He cries if it falls out until he finally manages to reach stage 2/3. I feel he is becoming increasingly dependent on it. He sometimes sucks his fingers but can't quite keep them there just yet and I would rather he had a dummy than sucked his thumb. I just don't know what to do for the best. Should I get rid of the dummy or is this just a phase? I'm happy to keep putting the dummy in if its just a phase but I'm worried its becoming a prop and would it be better to just get rid of it now before things get worse? I have a few good weeks coming up to do some sleep training if necessary and would rather do it now before going back to work in May.
BTW: I don't pick him up at night. In just sit next to the crib and keep putting it back in. I do try to see if he will resettle himself but he gets increasingly agitated and so I go to him before he really starts to wake up and gets too upset.

Thanks for any advice or experience. If you think I should get rid of the dummy-how should I do it? Cold turkey?

[Kimberly®]

It does sound like it is becoming a prob, have you tried to settle him with Pat?shush? Maybe tht will help you out. As for the fingers I'd suggest you let him develop that if thats what he needs, its self soothing and he will drop the habbit as he grows older, Most kids will stop when they are ready. I wouldn't worry about the thum sucking untill he is much older, also you could try to introduce a lovie. Maybe that would help. At his age if he's waking for his Paci thats a sign of hard times to come, I'd nip that in the butt while you can.

Try the pat/shush though it may be just what he needs.

[Katet]

Also the fact he is 3months & it is taking longer to re-settle, it could also be his 3month growth spurt, so I wouldn't rule out hunger if he takes more than just putting the dummy in to re-settle. If it is a dummy dependance often you only have to put it in & they drop back off to sleep, but when it is hunger, you have to keep putting it back in often every few mins.