Broken Sleep

**Warning** - This a crabby post, so if you want to stay in the great mood that you're in, skip this one!

I dread the nights. I hate to say that as a second-time-round Mom, but it's true. I dreaded the nights with newborns for a few weeks, especially the first time around - all those unknowns about breastfeeding & changing projectile poop in the dark in the middle of the night when you're half awake...well, need I explain further?

I still dread the nights with W. He wakes anywhere from one to six times per night. Still. Yes, on a bad night it's SIX times. It's no wonder why we're constantly sucking down the coffee and have huge circles under our eyes. We're a bit deprived in the sleep department. Exhausted is an understatement.

His new thing is to wake and scream bloody murder. We let him scream it out for 45 minutes last weekend, and he eventually put himself back to sleep, and then woke once for the next few nights. We were in heaven - thinking we were turning the corner in the sleep department. We were wrong. This is what last night looked like:

-Bed at 7:30 PM, fussed and wiggled until 8 PM
-Woke at 12:45 AM and fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 2:15 PM, screaming bloody murder, fussy, almost inconsolable. He fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 3:20 AM. I finally gave in and fed him a little bit, then put him back in his crib, inserted the "plug" (AKA paci) to which he spit out, and started kicking and flailing his arms and cooing - like it was time for a mid-day play date.
-He slept from 3:45-6:40 AM. He's exhausted today, and so am I. We all are. I am so over it! But I am at a loss to what the problem is and how to solve it. HELP!

W's behavior at night:
-wakes screaming
-arches back
-kicks legs
-gassy
-no poop (he has only pooped at night a handful of times in his life)
-will eat if offered the boob
-falls asleep nursing
-will wake immediately if put into his crib following falling asleep nursing

Other W tidbits:
- he is a poor daytime sleeper, naps 30-45 minutes at a time
- can put himself to sleep most times in crib
- occasionally falls asleep in swing, carseat, stroller, someone's arms

We have tried:
-elevating head of mattress
-gas drops
-gripe water
-modifying my diet (rice milk, bland foods, etc)
-small amount of rice cereal in the evening
-bedtime routine @ 7:30 PM
-letting him cry (okay, scream!) it out
-soothing
-white noise

I don't know if he is uncomfortable/in pain (I was doing some research and some of his behavior/symptoms sound similar to "silent reflux"/GER/GERD) or if he's "playing us" (to quote my husband this morning) in the middle of the night.

I love my children. I am so blessed to have 2 sweet little baby boys. I want the best for them, as any parent does. I want them to sleep well and wake feeling rested and refreshed. Selfishly, I also want a little of that for myself!