19 weeks started waking every 15 mins for soother

[ryghmom]

I know this is a repeated question, but wih my fatigue I don't have the time to scroll through all the posts to find it.  PLEASE HELP

Our 19 week old baby boy has started to wake up every 15-20mins. in the night. we go in, give him the soother, he goes back to sleep for 15 mins. He used to really go for 5 or 6 hour chunks at a time. I really don't know what is going on 

He has been on EASY since day 3 and is now on 4 hour easy.

7-7:30 am E
7:30 - 9 A
9-10:15 S
10:45-11:15 E
11:15-12:30 A
12:30 - 1:30 S
2:00-2:45 E
3:00-4:30 A
THIS IS WHERE NAPS START TO GET CRAZY. SOMETIMES THE SITTER WILL JUST TAKE HIM OUTSIDE IF HE ISN'T SLEEPING
otherwise he gets a 45-1hour minute nap at this time. 4:30-5:15/5:30 S
5:45 -6:30 E
6:45/7pm - bath
SOMETIMES WE WILL GIVE HIM A FEW OUNCES OF BREASTMILK OR FORMULA HERE IF HE DIDN'T TAKE ENOUGHT FOOD AT THE LAST FEEDING.
7:30/7:45 -Bed
10:45 Dreamfeed
4:30 or 5 am feed
6 30 - wake up.

We have recently decided that we want to take him out of the swaddle. At first it would work fine he would do his normal schedule. However, now he seems to be really flailing his arms around when we go into check on him. He does ocassionally roll from back to his side, but not all the time. Also, our doctor has us giving him rice cereal diltued in breast milk to help him with reflux (we have always given him the formual that has rice starch in alternate with breast milk). We have been doing this for 3 weeks and we do it 2x's per day.

Should I resstart to swaddling? Any ideas if this is developmental? Is he starting to manipulate us by calling us in for the soother? 
Last night, we let him cry for 5-6 minutes each time to see if he would put himself back to sleep, but nothing doing...and he was so tired from the crying that I had to feed him at 3am.

Also, the doctor says thatI should stop the dreamfeed. because he needs to get used to sleeping through the night - when we put him down at 7:30 then that should be it. I prefer to follow Tracey's advice to continue the dreamfeed until 7months.

It's wacky and I need to get some sleep. Hopefully someone can help me out!!!! He is a sweet baby, but I feel like I am going to lose my mind.

thanks for taking the time.
Ryghmom

[Kate A]

First, I would continue the DF until 7 months.  It's very normal for most babies to need to eat in the night.  I've heard alot of people say and my ped that up until 8 or so months some babies need it.  After that, there is no more need.

We swaddled until 4-5 months but let it go very very slowly.  We started with one arm out and then moved to two and then took it off completely.  Waking could be developmental as he is trying to roll over.  That's why you get the rolling on the side.  You could try to swaddle on the side that he uses to push himself over and maybe that will prevent some of the wake up's.  Also, I don't think a baby that young can manipulate with cries.  My dd is 8 months and I still don't see manipulation.  I see habit and what she knows is a response, but not manipulation.

my dd is waking, hope that helps...sorry I couldn't offer more advice.

[annary]

Hello! I hear you I hear you!! It could be my son you are talking about. We have about the same routine aswell. We had the night thing down pat until about a week ago. Funny how you gain confidence and then wham it all goes  up!
Here are my ideas-
Re. the swaddle....why are you removing it? I wrap thomas so that he can get hs hands free (Aussie wrap, there is alink with a diagram somewhere on this website). Having tried him without it and in a sleepbag we had no luck at all settling him. He associates the wrap with sleep now - so the wrap stays! My sister in law used it until her baby was 1 year old. (loosely wrapped)

Could the soother becoming a prop? I have a feeling that this is the problem with Thomas. I have tried removing it as he is going down through the gears of sleep so it is not the last thing he remembers. It sometimes works really well...other times not. Im considering gong cold turkey, but I think at his age he still needs it to sooth. he has found his hands but seems to suck more during the ay than at night.

Could it be the introduction of new foods..........it doesnt make it any easier but...its a theory...

Lastly....i think we are all going through a growth and developmental spurt.Gorgeous things going on in thier tiny brains, and maye tingling in the limbs........

Anyway. if you get any bright ideas send them my way, and Ill do the same.
Chin up! Things will get better!
Cyberhug, Anna