DSs sleeping going backwards and I don't know what to do

[MB34]

DS is just over 7 months, for the first 4 months he'd have stretches of 4/5 hours sleep a night, waking 3 or 4 times for a feed then going straight back to sleep - I classed myself as really lucky with this!

At about 4-5 months, he was waking every 1-2 hours so we started following ncss - routine, cuddly toy at sleep times, same CD every night, taking off boob and putting in cot when drowsy etc. It seemed to work for a while and one good night he slept 5.5 hours!

Since that night it's gone down hill fast to the point where he's waking every 20-30mins or less. Like tonight -
7.15 asleep
7.45 - 8 woke up four times (fed on the last waking)
8.30 - 9 woke crying, when I cuddled him in cot he'd fall asleep but as soon as I took my hands away he'd wake up and cry/scream

He'll be like this at certain intervals through the night now so I find it easier just to take him in the spare bed with me and he (we!) sleeps a lot better. But I don't know if this is making him worse as he's getting used to me by his side.

I don't know if this has had any impact but recently I decided to not feed him between 12am and 5/6am, soothing him with a dummy instead (however, if he doesn't settle with the dummy, I will feed him), it seems to be working and some nights he doesn't need the dummy just my hand on his belly. Maybe this is having some kind of negative effect?

I don't know what to do now, I don't mind him waking up 3/4 times a night but when it can be 3/4 times in half an hour at 1, 3 and 5 in the morning, it's a bit much!

Any advice would be appreciated

He's just been awake/crying for 15mins at 9.45 and then I thought he was asleep but he's woken up crying again :-(

Bump for you - interested to read replies as going through similar with 4 month old

Could it be teething ? Our usually good sleeper woke 20 times plus a night before getting his first tooth.

MrsBradley (lucky you!) - 4 months is growth spurt hell, we had a lot of waking, extra feeds, etc... It did get better!!

Sorry I've just realised he's been doing this for ages. Eek!

Does he nap well in the day? And does he cry when he wakes?

Thanks for replying. I've been wondering if it's teeth but still no sign of any. When he's tired he does grab my fingers and bites them but he's always done this with his thumb/fingers too - I just think he's trying to suck his/my fingers but not quite getting the hang of it!

His daytime naps have got worse too - he used to sleep 1-1.5 hrs in the morning and 40 mins in the afternoon, mostly going to sleep by himself with me just sat next to him or if we're out and about (car seat or pram), he'd go to sleep by himself.
Now, it's no more than half hour twice a day and sometimes he will struggle to get to sleep (sometimes needing to be fed to sleep)
However, both before and now, he hardly cries when he wakes up - maybe he'll cry out but more to show he's awake.

I have no advice of my own but posted a very similar thread of my own a couple of weeks ago (my dd is a couple of weeks older than yours) - it is on the first page of this forum, maybe have a read as i got some fab advice and most importantly support. It made me feel so much better to know im not alone and neither are you. I had the most horrendous night with dd last night, she probably averaged waking up every hour, and was wide awake from 12pm to 3am, so i totally have every sympathy.
So that being said i clearly am no expert however, my dd used to have a dummy, and in desparation i took it away cold turkey a few months back. Her sleeping did improve once she got used to not having it (until it all went to crap again for unkown reasons!). Her naps definitely extended when she didnt have dummy anymore, i think as she didnt wake up in light sleep to realise it had fallen out. I have also read babies that have a dummy never enter deep sleep (this is why its a good SIDs preventer in first few months), and that they tend to get hungrier during sleep as they are constantly sucking. Just my advice, but i really would think about ditching the dummy and seeing if it improves things, in the kindest way possible it doesnt sound like you have much to lose!

Thanks for replying Gab, how's your DDs sleep now? I was a bit dubious about giving the dummy but I've gone back to what I used to do (put it in until he's nearly asleep then take it out - he has a bit of a fidget then falls asleep) and don't know if that's anything to do with it but {whisper} he's been better these last few nights.

From reading about your situation, I'm counting myself lucky now as DS is not at all grumpy in the day so I don't worry about his day time naps as much. It's hard enough when you're sleep deprived so you have my sympathies.

Hi MB sorry for slow reply. Dd's sleep seems to constantly alternate between quite bad and terrible! Naps have gone back to 30 mins, however today i put her down at 9am and she is still sleeping...
How are things going with you? The heat im sure isnt helping anyone at the moment!

If you're in the uk this hot spell seems to be making all babies' sleep worse. Every mum I know has had problems with frequent waking in the heat this last week