Why won't 6 month old sleep?!

[LandBsMum]

My ds is 6.5 months old and just won't sleep at night!
He has 3, sometimes 4 naps through the day in his cot. He eats well and is starting to sit up and is nearly crawling. I still feed him before bed and once through the night, but through the day he is on solid foods and really enjoys them.
He has bath and feed at around 6 - 6:30 and goes to sleep then no problem at all. But he wakes every night around 11ish and I can't find a single way to settle him. He cries and cries and whether I cuddle him, pat / stroke him, leave him, shush him... nothing works. Most nights he will cry until around 2ish, then sleep till 4 or 5am, then it all starts again until I crawl out of bed with him around 6 or 7am.
He is such a happy little boy through the day, but I really dread nighttimes with him.
Does anyone have a magic wand?! I can cope with tiredness for me, but I hate that I am short tempered with my elder dd.

habbibu, trust me, being able to feed them to sleep is a blessing!!!!

Well, kind of, tiy - dd gave it up herself and it was a bugger, but when she did start settling herself (after a very slow NCSS process) she did sleep a lot better. I'm a poor sleeper, so co-sleeping is a mixed blessing for me.

Could he be too hot? Our dd doesn't sleep well if the temp is over 18 degrees, and with the recent warm weather (in south east at least!) she's been waking up far more than normal. I'm putting her in lighter clothing and opening the window. Do you have a thermometer?

Preggers - my mum and crazy aunts have been blaming teething for Everything for the past 4 months!! However, I think maybe thats something to think about. I will try some teething gel / calpol maybe tonight after feeding him and see if that has any difference.
He and his sister are polar opposites! Still - I guess it won't last forever!

Are you calling me crazy?

My ds1 and ds2 are completely different as well. I expected them to be the same so its taken a bit of getting used to!

LadyM - I have taken a layer off him tonight to see if that has any effect!

Kveta - he and his sister are looked after by my parents while I am at work. He is really happy with them and I am working quite short hours at the moment to be sure he has settled.

It has been a few weeks since I tried any kind of milk (expressed or formula) in a cup or bottle, so I may try that again tomorrow.

Preggers - I don't use the word crazy lightly (I work in mental health!) but these ladies are something else! Its great to see them fight over who gets to hold him, who gets to talk to him, who gets the biggest smile - and he really really plays to them!
Elder daughter really has working the aunts down to a fine art!

It really sounds as if he is hungry for milk - which should be main form of nutrition until at least 1 year. "food is for fun until you are one"

He is probably not settling at night because he wants more milk - but your supply is dropping because you are not feeding enough over 24 hours (obv not your fault!)

would agree with suggestion to try and fit in more BFs in day and evening, and feed him at 11pm.

my ds refused a bottle but started taking milk from a doidy cup. we started giving it in the bath to practice at night so it didn't matter if it went everywhere.

there is a good link on kellymom about calorific content of food compared to milk will try and find for you - if you are giving too much solid he might be filling up his tummy with stuff that is less filling than milk.

is he following his centile line for growth??

Maybe too many naps during the day ?
I am sure when my 3 children got to 6.5 months they were napping 3x or 2x but definately not 4 x....just a thought !

Also try keeping him up till 7pm or later??? Does he go down for the night at 6.30pm ?? seems quite early.

Feed him lots during the day and try keeping him awake more....??

My ds is done in by 7 - he rubs his eyes straight after dinner. I'd keep him up in a heartbeat if I thought it'd help. Wonder if a late nap might help?

Well - its been a few nights since I posted the question... and I think the temperature of the bedroom was the problem. I removed one layer and hes been sleeping really well since then!
So I can add something else to the list of mum guilt... and feel more than a little dim about it.... but he is doing really well. Settles at 6:30, has one or two feeds though the night and then wakes with our alarm at 7.
Lets hope it lasts!

my third littlun still needs a feed in the night and is 7 months. entirely breastfed now with 2 extra meals a day. just habit and comfort. i am sure this will become proper sleep nights soon. hoping and amazed at how even now need reassurance