6.5mo waking almost every hour - help!

[Nixies]

My DS is 6.5 months old and lovely by day - we're in a good routine, he eats solids well and has coped nicely with changing from BF to formula over the last few weeks. I put him down for his naps and he goes off to sleep with little fuss.

BUT it's all different at night - he wakes moaning / crying pretty much every hour, which turns to wailing if I leave him. Sometimes he will go back to sleep if I put the dummy in or put some bonjela on his gums or rock him, other times this doesn't work. Pretty much the only time he sleeps for longer periods is if I put him in bed with us, but I really don't want to do this long term...

I'm willing to try anything (though CC hasn't really worked for us when we have tried it, he just gets in a meltdown and then takes ages to calm and i HATE it)

Any help or advice would be very welcome - I'm back at work next month and don't know what I am going to do!

Lots of sympathy coming your way. I have similar problems with my 6 month old DS. We have tried so many things and just can't get him to settle so I will be watching this thread with interest.

I can't really help or give advice but wanted to acknowledge you and let you know you are not the only one having horrid sleep issues.

Just a couple of questions..

How long does he sleep during the day? What time is his last nap before bedtime? It might (I say this before you answer) that he has too much sleep in the day, or is used to short sleeps How long is his daytime sleep? Do yuo get him up when he wakes? If yes to any of those, it might be that he can't settle himself when he comes into a light sleep. My DC's both have a long sleep int he middle of the day. They often wake part way, cry and then go back to sleep. If a child doesn't learn to self settle, then when at around this age they start to "fight" a bit more, then you get disturbed nights.

Not sure of the solution, CC does work, and although it is hell to start with, it is worth it. Think how little sleep you and he are getting. a few nights of sheer hell, may well pay dividends.

He's pretty good during the day, usually sleeps for 40 mins in the morning then about 1.5 hours at lunchtime. Though recently this has been about an 40mins - 1 hour for each daytime nap.

I think you are right and that the problem is that he can't settle himself when he comes into light sleep - he slept well for about a month over Christmas (wasn't ever great before that - it was a revelation!), so I have been blaming his latest problems on teething. When we have given him some Calpol when he was really crying in the night, then he has slept for 3-4 hours. Maybe we need to ride out this next tooth (he has 1 and another is imminent I think) and then do CC to get back on track?? I just don't want to leave him to cry when he might be in pain.