5 1/2 month old NW

[vanessa c]

My LO used to sttn when he was 1 1/2-3 1/2 months old (9-4 then 4-8). At 3 1/2 months we moved him to the crib. For the first week he woke 2 times...around 1 then again between 4-5 then at 7:30/8 in the morning but he began having more full night (9-4 or so) more often than not. All of a sudden this past week he has waken every 3 hours. I am desperate for sleep myself as once I have awoken it takes me time to fall back to sleep then it seems once I start to get some rest he wakes.  I do hold him to sleep, however in the middle of the night I am able to just lay him down and he falls asleep on his own...any suggests?

[becj86]

What's his daytime routine?
Any chance he's hit a growth spurt? How long has this been going on?

[vanessa c]

His daytime routine is not set yet as he does not wake at the same time each morning...I am considering doing a set schedule, I just feel so bad waking him in the morning.  This is what his easy usually looks like:

8 wu and eat breast feed
8:15-10 Activity, usually involves playing in his saucer, playing on his floor mat then some tummy time
10 wind down, usually asleep by 10:15 (this is e nap I am getting more success out of independent sleep than any other)
10:45 wakes, try to resettle for 30 min, rarely falls back to sleep
11 eats...2.5 ounces formula, 2 TB rice cereal
11:30 activity, usually involves floor play then going out...shopping, walk, etc
12:45 wind down, usually asleep by 1
1:15 wakes, try to resettle for 30 min, rarely goes back to sleep,
2 breast feed
2:15 activity, usually consist of playing, swing, maybe going out, reading book
3:15 wind down usually asleep by 3:30
4 wake up, try to extend usually successful and will sleep till 5-530 in my arms
530 breast feed
545 activity usually consist of tummy time, floor play, in carrier while doing chores, etc
8 eat, 2.5 ounces formula and 2 tablespoons cereal
8:30 bath
9 sleep

Yesterday I found that he has cut 2 top teeth and last night he slept from 9-5:30 then 6-8:15 

I problem started Monday night and as of this point only got worse until last night...in the middle of the night when he wakes I nurse...I am not sure about the growth spurt as he was not eating more in the day but there must have been some discomfort due to the teething.

[becj86]

10 wind down, usually asleep by 10:15 (this is e nap I am getting more success out of independent sleep than any other)
10:45 wakes, try to resettle for 30 min, rarely falls back to sleep

Probably undertired for this nap (classic 45min UT nap) - try extending A time gradually up to more like 2.5hr or maybe a little more.

12:45 wind down, usually asleep by 1
1:15 wakes, try to resettle for 30 min, rarely goes back to sleep,

Overtired for this nap (30min is a classic OT nap) - 2hr after a 45min nap is a pretty long time and the OT buildup through the day would eventually lead to wakings early on in the night from short-term OT.

Discomfort from teething can disrupt sleep and breastmilk has a natural pain reliever which can look like baby wants milk more often at night

[vanessa c]

Good to know about the breast milk! I was getting worried that he might not be able to settle himself once he woke....tonight so far has been a good night! We were out so he had a cat nap on the way home from 7-730 so he did not go to sleep until 930 but he just woke at 430...I will try adjust his activity time...I am also going to be trying wake to sleep for his first nap of the day to see if he will go longer than 30-45 mins...thanks for your help!