Sleep regression in 5.5 m.o

[mishkamoo]

Never been the best sleeper, bless him! But we were bumbling along ok, with bath, approx half hr breast feed, and then bed. He would fall asleep feeding but wake up breifly when put down b4 crashing out. Then usually 2 feeds in the night, and settled quickly with either sh, pat or white noise at other wakings. Had one night where he slept through til 4.30am! but then the very next night it has all gone tits up!!
He is falling asleep feeding, but then waking up when boob falls out, rooting (but if I put him back on he falls asleep again!) and then SCREAMING!! Really hard to get him to settle. Also when he wakes in the night this last week, he has shrieked/screamed and WILL NOT be settled without feeding (doesn't matter if patting, carrying, white noise-which has always been our fail safe fallback!)-and has had reasonable feeds each time.
Don't think it's a growth spurt as he's not demanding extra feeds in the day, or teething as no other signs.
Planning to do BLW and has started playing with bits of fruit and veg but not eating anything realy yet. I know th HV will say he needs to start 'proper' weaning but I keep tellinh myself (and my DH/MIL etc) that 2 tsp baby rice or mushed up carrot isn't going to provide any real calories and make any difference.
Is this age a classic time for sleep regression?
Any ideas/help/suggestions. Am feeling very demoralised, and am really worried about him suddeinly nneding to feed to sleep (has just managed to settle himself for his nap though).
Sorry for the ramble!!

I don't have any solutions, just wanted to say that we went through the exact same thing at this time.
Weaning made no difference for us until DS was having a reasonable amount of carbs and protein for lunch and dinner - he is 8 months old now and is waking either once or twice in the night be fed, he goes down at 8:30ish and wakes for the day somewhere between 7 and 8am, and those 2 feeds can be almost anywhere during the night.

sure its not teeth? Is it not around 6 months they can start? they could be starting to irritate under the gums?

You're right about the weaning. At this age my DS started sitting up unaided, crawling, and pulling up to stand and went from the 2-waking pattern you describe to every half hour. It settled on every hour, and we started co-sleeping. It was (is) entirely developmental with him; too much going on in his brain. I think he'll sleep through when he hits puberty.

Thanks for all the advice. Last night was slightly better-woke up 5 times and then up for the day at 6.15... but was able to sette him a few times without feeding, so I guess that's progress..?!

I'm right there with you sister! My dd , 17wks, used to wake twice a night but over the last few nights has been waking every two hours. She's very difficult to settle, unless I feed her to sleep.
Day time naps are a nightmare and I have a toddler! I am very close to the hitting wall. I was horrid to dh last night, bless him.
I do co sleep sometimes which helps but then I stress myself out thinking she'll learn bad habits etc.
Should I start giving her formula? Think I'ii try and ride it out for a bit longer but tis hard work.

sorry, i know this isn't answering the OP, but a response for billyog. don't want you to make the same mistake as me. DS started nightmare sleeping habits at about 17 weeks and I assumed it was hunger so I made the awful mistake of giving my exclusively BF baby some formula to top him up and also weaned him because I assumed hunger was waking him so much in the night. I then realised that there is a 4 month sleep regression and no amount of food will stop some 4/5 month olds waking up. The sleep regression can't be explained - perhaps it's development, perhaps it's just babies being more interested in the world, but it is just a phase and it will end. I know that doesn't really help you now, when you're using matchsticks to keep your eyes open and have a toddler to look after too. But like I said, please don't make my mistake. Try and ride it out and you will come out the other side soon.

I'ii take your advise, lovelymama, and carry on as is. Dh has taken the afternoon off and taken the dc to the park. I'm having a cuppa and a hobnob, the world looks brighter.

AAhhh! I'm not alone. Thanks starlight, thats reassuring.