Waking at 4.50am

[ej020575]

Our DS is 5.5 Months old. He has just recovered from being ill for a long while - 7 weeks with 2 colds, a bad cough and tonsilitus, during which we think he has got into some habitual wakings. All the others of these he will self settle on but the 4.50am one, he is wide awake if we don't stay with him and literally hold his arms down to get him to stay asleep! We're also mid weaning.

Once we gave him a bottle at 4.50am and then he went back to sleep until 7.00 am. We have tried everything else - W2S, Pushing back his bedtime etc but none of these have worked. The bottle is the only thing that has. Should we do this again until he has got past these wakings? 5am is much too early to start the day. He doesn't go to nursery until 8 and to have a nap at 8am when waking at 4.50am is far too late. Here is his rough schedule:

4.50 - 6am - Dozing really whilst we try and keep him asleep
6am          - E (Bottle of formula 6oz)
6.30am      - E (Bowl of Porridge)
8am          - S (1hr ish, less if at nursery)
10am         - E (Bottle of formula, takes about 4oz)
11am         - S (1hr ish)
12pm         - E (Veggies)
2pm           - E (Bottle of formual, 6oz)
2.30pm       - S (1hr ish)
5.00pm       - E (Rice and Fruit)
6.30pm       - Bath, very good bedtime routine
7.00pm       - E (Bottle of formula, 6oz)
7.30pm       - S
10pm          - E (Dream Feed)

I know his naps are crazy but again, I have done everything I can on those with the help of the naps board and he has got considerably better. It used to be 20 mins naps all the way!

I guess I am looking for something glaringly obvious rather than trying to do the impossible like extending his naps etc. Hope you can see it as we can't and we're nearing the end of our tether!

Should I try the bottle again?

Thanks in advance

Emma

[momofclaire]

Emma,
I have a couple questions.
When did you start solids?  It seems like he is eating a lot of solid food for a baby his age, some babies have a hard time digesting them at first and this can cause trouble at night?
Is it possible that he is in fact hungry? 
Other than those two things, I think you know that the naps are a problem.  He probably isn't getting the good rest he needs during the day thus causing him to be overtired and restless at night.
It often takes a while to get back on track after an illness and it sounds as though you had a tough one.  Try to work on the naps and in the mean time you may want to try an earlier bed time to help him get some extra sleep.
Hope that helps
Myia