5mth old not sleeping - teeth? hungry?

Up until Easter, DS had settled into a pattern of only waking twice, sometimes once a night for a feed (he feeds 3 hourly during the day). He then added in an earlier feed, anywhere from 11pm - 1am and is now waking 4 or five times. One 'waking' is usually just for a nappy change. This seemed to coincide with 2 bottom teeth starting to move. They still haven't broken thru but you can see them thru the skin. His day feeds are sometimes a bit fussy as his gums seem to hurt him after he's been sucking for a while. He is cluster feeding a bit more often too, especially from 3-7pm.

I've tried cold washers, cold chewy things, bonjela, Brauers teething relief (he hates this and won't swallow it much to my dismay) and then Panadol when nothing else works and he's still crying and chewing on his fingers. His day sleeps are getting worse too - he usually only sleeps for 3 x 45 mins on a good day, sometimes less with the occasional longer sleep. This week he's been doing 10 min power naps but has managed to be asleep now for 30 mins after a desperate sobbing fit and another feed.

I'm not sure if this is just teething, a growth spurt, a sign that he is ready for solids, a combination of all three or what. I know that I'm delirious and exhausted and that he's not the happy little camper he normally is. He was 4.64kg at birth (42+1) and is still a big boy - 7.4kg and 67cm a month ago. I'm seeing my MCHN on Monday but wanted to get some ideas/advice from you wise BB women first.

Thanking you in advance...

Tallon had especially bad sleeping when he was teething. But good old unperceptive me didn't pick up on it until the teeth had cut through :redface: Mainly because the way he was waking.. he was in such distress, he seemed more afraid of being put down in the cot rather than being in pain iykwim, so I thought it was separation anxiety or -something- but then a little while later I saw that he'd cut 5 teeth all at once! Poor little man.

It's hard to tell sometimes if it's growth spurt, teething or whatever until after it's all over. Sometimes you just have to ride the storm. It doesn't go on forever!

Tallon had a lot of day sleeps in his pram coz he would only powernap. I found being able to quickly run over and rock the pram, he would sleep a bit longer.

It could be developmental too, I found Tallon would be really unsettled right before he learnt something new like sitting up or crawling. But again, didn't realise until afterwards, and I could look back.

I hope everything settles down soon for you. I know it is very tiring.

It kind of sounds like his teeth are bothering him to me.
We're going through the same thing.
DS was sleeping through (10 hours) every night then out of nowhere about 3 weeks ago started waking all night.
I had just started him on solids and so I blamed that initially - stopped all solids and there was no improvement.
I was just about to go round the bend one day last week when he had me up every hour, all night. Lo and behold a couple of days later his first tooth is just breaking through now.
He's also normally a happy little bubba and just hasn't been himself at all - cranky, clingy, waking up alot and for about 2 weeks his day sleeps were pretty much written off most days.
Now the tooth is coming out he's been a bit better but still waking alot.
It's all been a rude shock to me because DD had no trouble whatsoever when she was teething - just woke up in the morning (after a full nights sleep I might add LOL) and there they were. Don't think it'll be so easy with this little man.
I think you're doing all the right things to make him feel better, unfortunately that's all you can do and we just have to ride it out :(

Thanks girls. I've just handed him over to his dad and might go in search of a small medicinal whiskey. :p He's had a couple of huge feeds since 4.30 so hopefully might sleep for a little longer for the first round tonight. :pray: Quick dinner and bed for me.

I hadn't thought about the developmental aspect but he is definitely trying to get moving. He's pushing with his feet and getting is bum in the air, sometimes planting his face into the mat or the side of the cot and getting quite frustrated.

My mum suggested trying him on some rice cereal tomorrow - what do people think?