5 mo old night wakings & short naps!

[LAR]

HI there. Our Son is 5 months old. He is suffering from sleep deprivation. When he is rested he is the happiest most joyful baby. Many days he is cranky all day due to lack of sleep. He is on a 4/4 schedule. He is a big boy, and takes solids 3 times a day. I nurse in the morning and before bedtime. He has been sleeping through the night without eating since he was 4 months old. He struggles to make it through a sleep cycle for naps. Each nap is 40 minutes unless I soothe him back to sleep w/ shhh/pat (which is now shhh/hand on back), or even picking him up if necessary. This is beginning to work less and less. I seems that spend most every day,... with a fussy baby either, winding down for a nap, or trying to keep him down for a nap. When he sleeps I am SO happy I cry. Nights include at least 2 wakings a night. Usually requiring a quick flip over and a paci in the mouth. Recently, this has turned into a major deal though, with him looking hysterical and sobbing.... I don't know, its like he has figured out that I will pick him up and hold him. But many times its many more times than 2, generally when he doesn't nap well during the day. As many as 8 or so.  I find myself to be anxious and exhausted around the issue of sleep because of this.

His schedule:

6:15 wake and nurse or bottle (8oz)
7:00 cereal and fruit
8:00 morning nap (at worse 30 minutes)
       If this nap is short, he gets another in 2 hours. Otherwise he is unbearable. If it is long, we wait until 12.
11:00 bottle (8oz)
12:00 nap (short usually)
       Same goes, if this is short, we get another nap in 2 hours later. Short is anything under 45 minutes.
3:00 bottle and solids (8oz, rice, veggies, fruit)
4:30 catnap
6:00 solids
6:45 nurse or bottle as part of bedtime routine/ bath/rock or bounce... sing and bed.

There is a paci, and he can roll both ways... although when he is upset, he will not roll himself back over.

My Pediatrician has said to let him cry. Of course we are not thrilled about that... and I can't seem to help him sleep better. What can I do? I just want him to be happy during the day, and I feel like this sleep thing is robbing us of a lot of joy. Robbing him of a lot of happy day time.

[Elphyrafire]

No expert advice from me whatsoever but just wanted to send you (((HUGS))). I have a 5 mo old who wakes 6 times a night to be flipped and paci'd or just to shout and laugh or cry. Also bad at getting past the 45 min mark at naps. I jump for joy when it hits an hour and he's still sleeping.  Baby is a crankpot if not enough sleep the night before. I'm on the same rollercoaster ride and it blows.
just wondering- are the 2 nightwakes at the same time every night? Cuz you could try Wake To Sleep for that. Tedious for a few dasy but worked for us.
Anyway, now I am contimplating getting rid of the paci altogether- a scary prospect for me at this point,
Anyway I hope you find good advice from the ladies here- i did/do.

[teezee]

ds is 5 months old and already having solids...could that be why lo isn't able to often get through sleep cycles? when the sleep is light, lo may feel discomfort is the solids are causing belly aches or extra gas. the world health organization has said that lo's should wait until at least 6 months to be introduced to solids as most of the time their digestive systems are too immature to be able to handle anything more than bm/formula. i would try stopping the solids for a week or so and see if you see any improvements.

i def don't recommend CIO and am glad you don't feel comfortable with it either. if lo is crying out - he needs you. that is his only means of communication at this point and if his cried are ignored it will only ruin the trust that you have gained with your child to this point....don't know what is wrong with some of these doctor's...probably don't have lo's of their own...

your routine doesn't look 'bad', although the naps are a little short - i can't help but wondering if lo is grumpy b/c he is uncomfortable and therefore not able to get a good rest...

[LAR]

I appreciate both of your responses. It helps hearing I'm not the only mom out there who is going through this. I really feel comfortable with the solids in spite of the early start. I have read Tracey's book, and she does say in SOME cases they are necessary early. He was a HUGE spitter upper, until we started them... I couldn't keep up with the nursing and his growth... and the bottles just aren't doing it for him. I used to use gas drops all the time, and now I never do. AND he is really regular. SO.... I am going to really PAY attention to his comfort after eating during the day, just to be sure... but for now, I feel comfortable with them. I think he does too. The night wakings are fairly regular. Once about midnight, once about 2:30 and usually once around 4am... SO, perhaps the wake to sleep... although that makes me REALLY nervous . I am tempted to forgo the paci too. I have started NOT replacing it at soothing times, when he seems settled, just to get him used to not having it. He is going for the fingers more. GOOD LUCK with your little one and the sleeping. Let me know if you get anywhere... THANKS again to both of you. In the meantime, I need to increase the length of these naps!!! LAR