Andrea, I really think the nightwakings are more from overtiredness. At 6 months, most are on 3 naps (some drop the catnap but I wouldn't advise you do that just yet). Her a times should be around 2.5 hrs (max).
Here are my suggestions. Her routine should be more or less like this:
6am - awake for the day
8.30am - nap 1 (1-2 hrs)
12-12.30pm - nap2 (1-2 hrs)
4ish - catnap (usually the shortest nap - 45mins)
6ish- bedtime
In the morning when she wakes, feed and then have A time. Try to stretch her till 8.30am but do it slowly (10mins every few days) so that she doesn't get sooo overtired that she cannot sleep. As you are getting closer to 8.30, start your wind down (maybe in the beginning do a longer wind down to help her relax). At 8.30 place her in cot and leave. Does she go on her own? If she sleeps for 45mins and will not return back to sleep, pick her up and keep going with your day. Again try to extend her A time until she takes her 2nd nap somewhere around noon. Be mindful thou cause if she is used to sleeping around 10.30 then maybe try stretching her to 11 and then 11.30, etc... until you get to noonish. Again she should be taking a longer nap as her A time has been extended and she should be tired enough to nap well. Repeat the process for the catnap. The last A time is not the full A time so if you have to put her to bed earlier for the night, especially if she has not napped well.
This may all seem impossible to do BUT I have to tell you that at 6months, Jasmine was on pretty much the same shedule as your lo. She only took 45min naps and was waking up ALOT at night. I had to stretch her morning nap from 8am until I got to 9am, etc... so as hard as it may seem, it is possible and I truely believe this will help with nightwakings as well. Its not always about how much "day" sleep they get, its also about the timing of naps. NAps at the wrong time of the day are not as restorative and leads to nightwakings.
I used to have to take her out of the house in the morning, expose her to lots of light and stimulation, etc... anything really... walk up and down with her if you have to, look out the window... until its time for wind down. Then I'd go into her room, lights off and curtain closed, walk around the room and humm to her. Pat/rub her back and then place her in cot.
If she wakes at night, try to soothe her in cot. Try not to feed her to sleep (or let her suckle) as this will then lead to suck-to-sleep-association. If she has slept through the night before, she knows how to self settle. She is just in a cycle of overtiredness and I think working on the schedule will work.
Good luck and let me know what you think
Layla
