Cooper has been sleeping through (approx 6.30 pm to 5.00 am) since he was about 4.5 months old. He has gone through periods of night wakings in the past which (I think) coincide with teeth appearing. Anyway it's never been too much of an issue - he would just cry and I'd go in and pat his bum and he'd be asleep again in seconds.

But for the last week or two he has been waking screaming. Sometimes at 10.00 pm. Other times 1.00 am. We've been trying to re-settle him thinking that he doesn't need a feed / he can't be hungry etc. But no amount of patting will help. It doesn't help that he can now crawl and sit up on his own, so he just sits up in his cot crying which probably wakes him up even more.

We get him out and give cuddles, pats on the back etc. Both DH and I try. But he often keeps screaming the house down even though we're holding him. He seems really distressed. We've tried Panadol, teething gel etc at times. Sometimes we've spent up to 1 hour trying to re-settle him. After this time I give in and breastfeed him. He then goes back to sleep straight away.

I've now decided that obviously I should just be feeding him straight away instead of trying to re-settle him. In fact I feel awful that I've been letting him scream (well not "letting" him as in CC but not feeding him quick enough, IYKWIM). I feel like I should have been BFing him quicker instead of trying to re-settle. But at first I just thought, "oh he can't be hungry - he hasn't had a night feed for months".

I even took him to the GP this morning to rule out ear infections. He's totally healthy. He does have a raspy/husky voice this morning but the GP (and I) think this is probably from him screaming so much. So once again I feel like such a bad mummy.

I just wish I knew what was wrong. Is he really hungry? Or are the breastfeeds just a comfort thing? Is he having nightmares? Is he teething? Is he waking up and feels scared and lonely? I might buy a night light and see what happens.

I guess this is just another phase and he'll outgrow it eventually?

I think now that I've decided to just BF him immediately when I hear him wake up screaming, I feel better and not so stressed. I just have to deal with this.

Sorry for the long story. I have just been feeling like there is something really wrong with him as he's never been this inconsolable.

Has anyone else gone through this with babies this age?