Escalating sleep problems in 5 month old

[hatebeak]

Hello there. Not the most original problem in the world, I know, but our five month's sleep patterns have gone completely haywire. She was waking for a feed at 1 and 5.30ish, which as a big breast-fed girl seemed quite a lot.It now seems like heaven! When she learned to roll over (one way) she started waking at 10, 2 and 5, then she started refusing to settle when we put her down at night at all, flipping over and going mad, rubbing her little face into the mattress and wailing until she was picked up - and even then taking a while (and possibly a feed) to calm down. The night before last she was up every hour and last night I couldn't put her back down for a second without heart-rending crying. She would only sleep in my arms, except for 45 minutes when she was mugged into sleeping in her cot. This will not do, needless to say! She seems happy in the day and I don't think it's hunger. We're not prepared to let her cry it out, but does anyone have any suggestions / explanations? Teeth? Developmental glitch? Just a bad bad baby?

[busybutterfly]

Sounds like it could be teething (if she's rubbing her face in the mattress) - have you tried Ashton & Parsons powders or Bonjela (or something similar)?
Failing that, do you have a sympathetic in-law who could take her for the night to a) give you a rest and b) be strong enough to leave her (if she is just being a little madam)?
Good luck

[ches]

Developmental glitch that in our household lasted about 18 months, coupled with 6 month growth spurt. As a full-time working mum, at this point I ended up co-sleeping.

[hatebeak]

I'd co-sleep if I thought it would work but she seems (like her elder sister, oddly enough) to derive no comfort from lying down in the bed, just from being fed/held. I'm happy to do that but it's not practical all night long! (Last night saw me trying to work at the computer while holding a sleeping baby after her seventh waking. This is Not Ideal.) We tried Calpolling her last night - again, no significant improvement but might try those teething powders, Busybutterfly. Thanks for suggestions, anyway.