6mo waking through the night - can't work out why?

[mrsmcy]

Ollie was sleeping through the night from about 4 months but in the last couple of months (now nearly 7 months) he has starting waking. It isn't the same time everynight and can sometimes be once or like last night 6 times. 
He starts with whinging noises (have tried ignoring these but they change to crys so we have to go in), if I go in when he is whinging he doesn't seem to be awake, his eyes are still closed but he is flapping around his cot and throwing legs up in the air and crashing them down (in a grobag). When I go in he calms down when I put my hand on his chest and shush him. (if this has become a prop how can I change it?) If he is more awake he needs his dummy to send him back off.

I don't think its hunger as once he goes back off he sleeps until 6.30 and waits until 7 for his feed without any problems. For some reason today he slept in till 8am.

Incase its his routine during the day this is our usual day:

6-6.30 wake
6.30-7am Bottle (4-5oz)
7.30 Porridge
A
S - 8.30 - 9am for 1.5 to 2hrs

E - 10.30 Bottle (5oz)
A
S - 1.30pm (for about 30 - 45mins)

E - Solids eg chicken and veg and yoghurt
Bottle - (2-3oz)
A
S - 4.30pm (for about half an hour)

E - 5.30 Fruit pot or half an Ella's Kitchen fruit
6.00 Bottle (5oz)
Bedtime routine,
into cot about 6.30-6.45. In cot for about half an hour with mobile on before settling to sleep.

10pm Dreamfeed (5oz)

Would love any suggestions as i'm getting really tired and just cannot work it out. 

[~Alexa~]

(((HUGS)))) I know how tough these NWs can be.

So, does your lo need you for all the NWs to go back to sleep?
How many Nws is he usually having?
Does he have reflux? Is he teething? Do you think he may be cold/hot during the night? 
Do you think the dummy may be causing the NWs?

At this age, babies are able to handle 2.75/3 hrs A time.  Some of your lo's A times are too short, so try to add 10 min and see what happens. 
After a short nap (30.45 min) babies get tired earlier, so if you baby takes a 30/45 min nap, reduce the next A time by 20/30 min, so instead of 3 hrs A time, go for 2.5 hr. 

Hugs
Alexa

[mrsmcy]

Thanks for your reply.

He usually wakes at least 3 times in the night but it can be more. Every time he needs someone to go into his room and place a hand on his chest for him to calm down and go back to sleep. He doesn't always need his dummy to go back off (unless he has become really upset, sometimes the onset of the crying is very quick and he will be distraught but most of the time its whinging that turns into crying if ignored).

I don't think his teeth are bothering him yet, he was a reflux baby (born prem too), he is now off his medication (domeridone and omeprazole) and his reflux doesn't seem to affect him anymore. He doesn't show any of the back arching problems etc. The temp of the room doesn't seem to affect him either.  The previous night it was 20 and last night it was slightly warmer at 22 and he still woke a lot.

I'm wondering if his DF is actually disturbing his sleep, he has started to get upset during the DF and is only taking about 3oz. In the morning he isn't very interested in his milk and will happily wait for it. I don't know if it can happen but I thought maybe if he is in a deep sleep then we are disturbing him for a feed and he finds he can't go off into a deep sleep again.

Is it a bit early to drop this feed? He's 7 months next week and is 20lb.

Thanks again.

[~Alexa~]

If he is waking up so many times during the night and is not hungry, then the only thing that could cause them is pain or discomfort!

If you think the DF is disturbing his sleep, then don't do it for one night and see what happens.  As an experiment!

Try the A time increment I suggested and let me know how it goes!

[mrsmcy]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

I have tried extending his A time, but being the weekend this has gone to pot a bit. He fell asleep in the car yesterday which meant his S time was earlier and for a bit longer. During the week i'm going to work on his routine by extending A time and also considering using PU/PD and getting rid of his dummy.

We cut out his dream feed which hasn't seemed to make any difference. He still wakes from 2am onwards. He is really bad at settling himself to sleep when he first goes into his cot. I have to wait at the door going in and out to put his dummy back in as he removes it and then cries. Although he can sleep without it, I think he may stir at night and want his dummy. So i've probably made it a prop. Ohhh this parenting lark is hard!

x

[~Alexa~]

(((HUGS))) Let me know how it goes!

[anthsmum]

Hi, hope all is goin well. Was following this thread as I couldn't work out why my 6mo was waking up at night as well... Since reading your post a friend mentioned that perhaps he was waking up cold. I didn't think so at all as it's the middle of summer in Australia & we don't have air-conditioning so his room can be up to 30 deg Celsius which I find really hot. Still, she mentioned a PDF I could download off the website saveoursleep.com.au that outlined recommended bedding for different temperatures etc. I ended up getting the PDF & it said my LO should be wearing long sleeves & a couple of blankets etc even with the nursery temp at 30. A bit hesitant at first I followed it's recommendations last night & he slept right through till 7!!! Could be a one off but I'm praying I've found the answer to what kept wakin him up... It was always around 5am. Sometimes aparently the just want to be fed because the milk warms them up & helps them get back to sleep! Just thought I'd mention it anyway...hope all goes well!