No idea why and what to do...

[wikowa]

Hello,

I need an advice on my nearly 18 weeks old LO night waking.
He has been always waking up at night for feeds and between week 8 and 12 he would have his DF at 10.30 -11.00, wake up at around 3.00am and then 6.00am. After week 12 he will even manage to wake up once at night at 4ish at had a little of milk so I even started thinking that he will drop this one to. How wrong was I? 
The last 2 weeks have been a nightmare as he will wake up at random times. DF doesn't work any more as he will wake up earlier than 10pm for most of the day to be fed. Last night he didn't and we feed him at 10.50pm thinking he will sleep a little bit longer but he was awake at 1.30! So in one night I can have a combination of 1.30, 4.00, 6.00am or 2.30, 5.00, 6.00 or 1.00, 5.00. I'm shattered 

He is not teething, he is healthy, we have his reflux under control. He falls asleep independently in his cot with his teddy or I will hold his little hand until he nods off. 
To add to this he is a 45 min napper and just refuses to sleep longer. Pat/shhh will make him even more awake as he things that this is some sort of play. The only time I manage to get him back to sleep is when I hold his jerky arms. He will then nod off for about 10 min and wake up again and we usually do this dance until the next feed.
Even taking him out in the baggy doesn't mean he will sleep longer - which he previously did.

Is like something has happened and he will not sleep any more?!

He is out today's schedule if that helps.

22.50 DF (5oz formula)
1.30 (4oz formula)
4.00 (4oz formula)
6.30 wake up, dummy and went back to sleep
8.00 wake up and E (5oz breast milk)
9.35 S - 45min
10.20 - A
11.00 E (5oz breast milk)
12.00 S - 1 hour
13.00 A
14.00 E (5oz formula)
15.00 S (buggy - 45min)
15.45 A
17.00 E (5oz breast milk)
17.30 S another 45min
18.15 A
19.30 E (5oz formula)
20.15 S


I'm increasing his intake of the formula milk as I have been pumping since day one as he never latch on and my milk has been drying up faster than I would like to. So just in case if this might be the issue here are some details of his feeding

Week one - formula
Week two to week 8 - breast milk only
Week 8 to week 12 - one bottle of formula
Week 12 to week 14 - two bottles of formula
Week 15 mix of two to three bottle of formula
Week 15 to week 17 - three bottle of formula
Last 4 days - four bottles


Thanks a lot for any feedback in advance!

[Erin M]

I'm thinking maybe you need to get some longer A times in there -- At 4 months, we'd expect him to be closer to 2 hours of A time -- increasing your A time will often get you longer naps as well.  Your NWs could be because he's overtired from all the short naps he's taking throughout the day.

However, I'm also wondering about the formula -- do you think it's possible that he's sensitive to something in the formula?  I notice that your night wakings are increasing the more formula you're introducing.  Has it always been the same type, or have you used different types?  Also, is there any difference in how he's been eating from the bottle with the formula vs the breast milk? 

What do you think?