5 month old keeps waking up!!!

[jennmco5]

This is going to be long, so bare with me please. I feel as though every month theres a different sleep issue with my daughter. At 1 month I had to try numerous techniques to get her to sleep, 2 months she was great by putting herself to sleep on the day dreamer, 3 months she wouldn't sleep anywhere but on my chest up until 4 months, then at 4 months I would have to rock her for an hour til she fell asleep and still didn't stay asleep, now at almost 5 months, no matter what I do she wakes up a few times before actually falling asleep, the other night I had to put her down 9 times til she stayed asleep, I was so exhausted I told my husband one more time and I'm going out the window. In addition to that, her bedtime is my bed time because she won't sleep without me near her, not sure if its cause she needs to know I'm there or because I hold her on her side cause every time she flips onto her back she wakes up. As if thats not hard enough, she constantly kicks me in middle of the night and wakes up every 30-45 mins wanting to nurse but I know she's not hungry cause she goes way longer during the day, it's just soothing to her and I am now a human pacifier as she doesn't take pacifiers. She doesn't like to be swaddled and hasn't been since day one so thats not an option. Any advice on a) how to get her to stay asleep, b) how to prevent her from flipping onto her back or at least getting her used to sleeping on her back in the first place, and c) how to limit night feedings to just once or twice a night as opposed to using it for soothing? Also, she won't go to sleep for anyone besides me, she cries bloody murder when my husband tries to put her down even though she smiles and laughs for him more throughout the day than for me. Please no sleeptraining/cio recommendations. Thanks in advance from one tired mommy!

[trimbler]

Hi there and welcome to BW forums Sorry to hear you've had such a rough ride, please know that you're not alone Just  a few questions to get us started, then I'll add a couple of links for you to read...

Is she happy on her back at other times? Do you think she may be uncomfortable on her back - eg silent reflux? He's a helpful link, see what you think: Reflux 101 - General reflux information
Multiple wakings can often be due to discomfort, although of course there are other possibilities.

I couldn't quite work out from what you posted what method(s) you're currently using to help get her to sleep? Please don't worry, we never advocate CIO here! Here we'd generally recommend some form of shh pat: Shush-pat - How to
Here's another link to a different approach which many have found helpful: Gentle Removal Plan

With regards to waking up multiple times during the night and needing you, be aware that she's at the age where LOs tend to expect the same conditions they had on falling asleep, when they wake in the night. So if she falls asleep at BT nursing, she'll need the same when she wakes in the night (as all babies do), as she doesn't know how to fall asleep otherwise. Kind of like if you woke up in the night and realised your pillow was missing, you'd probably struggle to go back to sleep until you found it again.

How's her daytime routine? Please could you post it in this kind of format:
Up and E: 7am
S: 9:15-10.30 (include anything like wakings in the middle or taking ages to get down, or waking up screaming)
E: 10:45...
Or whatever it is for you at the moment

Hugs you're in a hard place right now but we'll walk with you through this and it will get better eventually