Sleep!

[ZaraBlue]

My 6 month old is a dream at the initial bedtime, knows his routine... bath, baby massage, sleepsuit, bottle in the rocking chair... sleep! He falls asleep without a fuss and I've been really grateful to have my evenings back for the last few months. But now he's waking up loads - and he can only put himself back to sleep with a bottle and being rocked in the chair. This really only takes a few minutes BUT then he wakes in transfer or a few minutes later... and we have to repeat the process a lot throughout the night. He WANTS to sleep, he is tired and happily snoring away in our arms. Poor baby just doesn't know how to put himself back to sleep.
I know, I know, I created this monster 😂
(He also has been teething and had a cold. So there's been a lot of cuddles and rocking in the night)
Any tips for changing the bedtime routine to bottle first? I'm nervous. And helping him self sooth?
Don't really want to do CIO... but I know it's time to make some changes now he's 6 months. And I need sleep.
Thanks so much
(Ps I should say of course I feed him if he's hungry and will do so once a night until he needs it... but this doesn't seem to be the issue)

Oh please don’t call him a monster, that’s really normal behaviour. I’m currently sat in a cot with my 6 month old twins because they’ve forgotten that the middle of the night is sleep time. Guessing they’re going through a sleep regression. But all in all, it’s perfectly normal for babies to wake often and need help getting back to sleep. Don’t change the bedtime routine if it’s working, just ride it out. Is this your first? I really would advocate for sleeping when the baby sleeps. I hate it when people trash that advice, because a lot of housework can hold off for a week and the important stuff can be done while the baby is awake in a sling if necessary.

Oh I was just teasing! Of course he isn't a monster, he is sooo precious, even in the middle of the night he's the sweetest thing in the world. I just meant; maybe I've created these sleeping habits and I should start to work at teaching him some new ones, that will help him sleep better, now that he is 6 months. I know he wants to get back to sleep when he wakes.
But thank you maybe it is just a regression and I should really try to rest more in the day to get through it! You are a super hero with your twins!

You don't have to use the CIO method to sleep train. It sounds like a settling issue and I would really recommend you look up some other sleep training methods and pick one that you can stick to. It really is worth it.

Do you have white noise? Or lullabies to play? Give him his bottle downstairs then take him up & sit in the rocking chair til he falls asleep. Then after a bit try laying him down & sit in the rocking chair stroking/patting etc til he falls asleep. Then slowly move the chair away from the cot til you're just sitting in the room til he falls asleep. Try it in stages perhaps if you're nervous about it? I'm absolutely no expert at sleep issues, my 3yo still wakes at night! Just trying to give you some ideas. Tbh their sleep changes all the time with teething/development so not worth CIO or anything like that. But you can try to tweak the bedtime routine for sure. Good luck