i had a preemie A., and i worked with preemies born as early as 21 weeks (!). listen to your doctors. they know what they are talking about regarding the cereal. preemies need time to catch up. remember. he might be 5 months to you but to him and his body, he is only three months old. it's frustrating, but it will get better. just think. he's five months old already!
since it sounds like that wonderful little man is keeping mom awake at night, let's try to figure out why: change in demeanor, change in sleep habit, drooling, and chewing on the bottle instead of sucking ... MAMAS, WELCOME TO TEETHING! :)
think about how we feel when our wisdom teeth come in. ouch! try frozen baby bagels. they fit in baby hands, are great chew toys, and are inexpensive compared to other baby toys out there. :)
****the next time you are at the doctor's office, hold your child and stop the doctor before he/she leaves the room and say, "dr ___, i want to make sure we're on the same page. now that we're done with little man's exam, please repeat what you have told me so that i can write it down. AND, i have written a few questions here that i need to ask you ... " always remember that regardless of your insurance, HE/SHE WORKS FOR YOU!!!
watch for ear infections at this time, A.. for some reason, my son always seemed to have more during teething times.
i hope i've answered all your questions. good luck!