I need some comparisons...

Hi there, My 7 month Oliver has suddenly (well for about 6 weeks now) become a really crap night time sleeper. used to do a good 9 hours then a bf, then through - geneally. for past wee while though its been 4 hours max (last night i think he did 6), at first i took it to be hunger, so fed him, then think was gas from solids, (stopped them until he 5.5months again), then teething...now i just don't know. don't know what a 'sleep habit problem' looks like so, hoping i can briefly describe and see what others think. sometimes he cries and prob is teething or whatever, but if i go in, and he calms down either from picking up or patting and then he is fine when i leave the room does that sound like the old 'crying to get mum' as i always kind of envisaged that as he woudl cry as soon as i put him down or left the room? other night i stood outside and could hear him do a big contented yawn but then less than 10m later he crying again. i can hear him sometimes tryign to swallow and i wonder if the saliva from teethign irritates him so he can't go to sleep so he cry. sometimes he just need to have his arms swaddled...anyway, it never takes that long to settle him again (i've stopped feeding him as think that was just confusing the issue and he doesn't need it) but he doesn't seem to be able to stay asleep for long. some nights its been hourly (thats got to be pain right?) others its two four hour get ups' which is better but i'd rather not! Sometimes he cries and resettles which also makes me think when he doesn't then he really must 'need' me so just letting him cry won't actually encourage him to sleep better ongoing...sorry if this confusing, just wandered if my image of him just crying to get someone to come was right - i.e. he would then cry as soon as i put him down or walked out - as would help me assess my next move (running out of options really). Controlled crying doesn't seem possible as he stops relatively quickly. sorry, this garbled and long, any thoughts welcome. nurse suggested wet nappy, but in that case i will have to get up every night to change?? surely not! he warm enough - well i think he is, he not cold. who knows, any thoughts.?

Yep Fay's sleep regime went all haywire a few weeks ago, from sleeping throuhg from10 -6 she was wakinhg every two hours. We are in the process of training her back and she now wakes at 4.30-5am so slowly getting there. No suggestions but I have been reccommended a sleep training method which several friends have used with amazing results. I only have it on PDF but can email it to you if you want a look. I am very skeptical about sleep training but everyone is loving the Sleep Sense Programme so i am going to give it a whirl. I haven't even read it yet so can't make further comments. Just pm me your dtails if you want a look

Edited by Redbedrock

well if he settles himself I wouldn't hurry in and see if he would settle with out you going in. I am guessing he doesn't have a dummy? That is not to say he should have one but thats our problem in this house is Rhyley will wake and all he wants is his dummy and he goes back to sleep no probs. You are not alone in the fact that kids round this age are not sleeping all night.
Must say waking every hour there must of been something bothering him? I do not feed rhyley during the night when he wakes as I know he has gone all night without feeding (he hasn't been fed thru the night since 3 months old)
I often wonder if at around this age they start getting seperation thingy... (whats that word??)
When was your son born?

Thanks Eva, I am shocking and have not read thru properly, but all my antenatal friends say it makes real good sense, so I will be trying it