15 week old and change in night waking

[AZMOM]

Hi!!  The past week dh and I have experienced a change in ds's night wakes.  He always wakes during the night but usually anywhere from 4 - 5 am  now he wakes at 1:30am.  At first I thought it was a growth spurt because it happened 2 days in a row and then we had a 4:50am wake but now we are bak to the 1 - 1:30am wake time.  I'm just wondering what could be causeing it and what we should do or change.  Here's some info:

DS is 15 weeks
3-3.5 hr EASY
3 naps a day - usually 45 minutes in length but lately we get at least one long 2 hour nap along with the short ones
He is bottle fed (breast fed for the first 8 weeks but now exclusively bottle) and takes 6 ozs of formula each feed
He has 4 6 oz feeds and then before bed he takes 4 ozs because he is often falling asleep
HE eats at about 6:30am,10:00am,1:00pm,4:30 or 5 pm and then 7/7:30pm We do not dreamfeed.
His bedtime routine is bath,bottle,lullaby/cuddle and bed 8:00pm
WHen he wakes at 1:30am I feed him and he only takes about 3-4ozs and is back to bed/sleep within 20minutes of myself or dh feeding him
I have tried pacifier and that doesn't seem to be working except it did this morning because ds was up at 1am and then again at 5am.  Since I fed him at 1 I used the pacifier at 5 and he went back to sleep until about 6:30am 
He does not use a pacifier to go to sleep and only really use it in the car during car rides if he gets fussy.
Lately he doesn't seem to go down as easy for naps,bed  as he once did.  If we catch him at the right time and get him at the yawn he ususally goes to sleep with out any intervention.  Now it seems like he fusses and we let him cry for a few minutes and then go and shhhhhh and hand on chest and that seems to work.  Once in a while if he is overtired we have to pick him up and gently sway with him. 

I hope this info is enough.  DH and I both head back to work this Monday and we are concerned about this change.  DS will go with his sister to a sitter.  I need things to share with her if changes need to be made.  ANyway enough babbling.  Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can give me.

Thank you
Lisa

[Jo-FrasersMum]

Hi Lisa

It is a very long stretch for a 15 wo to sleep from 7pm (bedtime) all the way until 4 - 5.  I would not be surprised if your LO is waking because he is hungry by 1.30am.  If it were me I would offer a feed at that waking (when it happens) and work on teaching your LO to fall asleep independently so that he only calls you when he really needs you during the night.

I suspect that your DS is a little harder to settle to sleep now because he is becoming more aware of his surroundings.  I would suggest that you work on using pat/shhh at nap times and night time (no more letting DS fall asleep on his bedtime bottle).

Good luck
Jo