Baby wakes up panicked and unresponsive?

I have a 3 month old and the last few nights he has woken up in a panic about this time. Usually when he wakes up, he doesn’t cry (he fusses a bit but that’s it) and he will root around, nurse, then go back to sleep. However, he has done this three times now, where he will wake up panicked, and he won’t want to nurse, but he doesn’t turn away or fight it the way he usually does if I offer to let him nurse but he’s full or doesn’t want to, he just doesn’t open his mouth or react in any way, as if he doesn’t realize I’m even offering to let him nurse. He doesn’t respond to any of my attempts to soothe him either (it’s not just that they aren’t working, it’s like he doesn’t even realize I’m there. He doesn’t respond to them or fight them whatsoever). The only thing that works is picking him up and holding him very tightly against my chest and rocking him until he falls asleep, which he does within 2 minutes of me picking him up.

Any idea what the heck is going on?