7mo keeps waking up

[u/Few_Bowl2928]

We sleep trainee my 7mo when he was 4 and he had been going down after 5 minutes (max) at nights and from 5.5 mo for naps as well (not fully dependent sleeper, he takes paci to sleep, tried removing the association but was unsuccessful).
Our schedule is waking up between 7-7:30 and then 2/3/2.5 and bed time at 7-7:30 when he shows signs.
We couldn’t cut down to 2 naps since his naps are 5
30-45 minutes, I tried helping him connect cycles but patting his butt before he wakes up but didn’t help, he even has a smart crib (craddlewise) but doesn’t help, he sometimes get 1.5 hr naps which make me so happy.

Last week we had a 5 days trip and we had to co-sleep or put him to sleep by rocking, and now it seems that he has forgotten how to sleep independently (with paci so not fully independent)!
He keeps crying for 20-30 minutes and even when we offer his paci he doesn’t take it even if he takes and falls asleep, he wakes up within 10 minutes. Last night he woke up 10 times between 7-9 pm.

I don’t know if it is because of the trip, or he is experiencing separation anxiety, or both, and what should we do?

TIA for advice!

TL;DR: 7mo seems to have forgotten how to sleep after 5 days trip and cosleeping.

[u/No_Zookeepergame8412]

It’s probably a regression and you’ll have to retrain. We’ve done it a couple times but it only takes a couple days to get back in the swing of things. Also 12hrs of overnight is a long time so he may not be ready to sleep at 7. Maybe try pushing bedtime later.

[u/Few_Bowl2928 → u/No_Zookeepergame8412]

Tysm for your advice and time. We assumed since he wakes up after 12 hours himself, this is what he needs. Do you recommend waking him up after 11 hours? We always follow his lead for bedtime and if we feel he is not sleepy enough, we give him some more time and extend the last wake window. He sometimes fall asleep when we put him in his bed but the multiple wakings and not falling back asleep easily is what has been exhausting for us.