sleep... sleep... sleep...

raecatalano

My son will be 4 months this wednesday and for his first month sleeping was great. He slept for long intervals and ate about every 2-3 hours. Then by two months the night time sleeping was okay, waking every 3-4 hours, but the naps were becoming far and few between. By 3 months both the naps and night time sleeping were becoming a problem and now at 4 months I feel like my child never sleeps. Everything that I have read says ROUTINE is the answer to most (if not all sleeping problems) however, all the routine in the world cannot put this boy to sleep. I will admit that the sleep fight is much easier for me to handle during the day with naps and a routine is set for sleeping and feeding, but at night time I feel like I am giving in to him more because I am desperate for him to get just a little bit of sleep that I will do anything. But even with the daytime schedule he still does not ever want to nap.

I'm not really a cry-it-out mom, but I do think that laying him in his bed when it's time to sleep and letting him fuss a bit is okay and then going in to comfort is good. He is used to falling asleep after a bottle and I think 4 months is a little early to break that, but when the boy doesn't sleep I feel like I'm feeding him constantly to either go to sleep, stay asleep, or go back to sleep. I feel like it is obvious what my problem is but at the same time I feel completely lost...

 Any advice or tricks or tips or whatever would be great!!!!

Jess & Drew

This may be obvious, but it is normal for them to nap less and less as they get older. Have you tried adjusting your routine to account for that?

As far as sleeping at night, we didn't necessarily do CIO. But we did do something like you mentioned. We would do our evening routine (bath, PJs, brush hair, bottle, talk about our day) then lay her in her bed, pat her gently, and reassure her until she fell asleep. She would whimper, but we didn't pick her up and she would eventually fall asleep. Everydaythe time she whimpered would be less and less. Now we just lay her in her bed around the same time every night (whether she's wide awake or half asleep), and she doesn't make a peep (unless she "talks" to herself).

raecatalano

I have an older son that went through a sleep change about the same time just not as drastic, so I'm aware that the sleeping patterns change at about 4 or so months. Sleep regression is what I think it's called. I've adjusted his routine and trying to get him to take a solid three naps during the day and sleep through the night. Every time I put him down for a nap though it's over an hour later that he is actually asleep. It's not that sleep was that easy with my first son, but I guess I feel like it's supposed to be easy this time...

bellelamb

Is he not ready for a nap when your trying to put him down?? I know Lucas doesn't need to nap as often now. Although the last few days he's been teething and missable and not sleeping at all. But it will pasd

NatPhoto09

your son sounds just like mine.  his sleep as a newborn was better than it is now! 

the sleep problem for us is not the going to sleep but staying asleep.  so he wakes up often and is restless between 5am until 6:30am which is our wake up time. so I can get some sleep we are co-sleeping and I'm just waiting until he is older and chunkier to do the CIO method.  

pithikaki

Jess & Drew:

This may be obvious, but it is normal for them to nap less and less as they get older. Have you tried adjusting your routine to account for that?

As far as sleeping at night, we didn't necessarily do CIO. But we did do something like you mentioned. We would do our evening routine (bath, PJs, brush hair, bottle, talk about our day) then lay her in her bed, pat her gently, and reassure her until she fell asleep. She would whimper, but we didn't pick her up and she would eventually fall asleep. Everydaythe time she whimpered would be less and less. Now we just lay her in her bed around the same time every night (whether she's wide awake or half asleep), and she doesn't make a peep (unless she "talks" to herself).

I just want to say we did this for weeks and she will not have it. I will stand there and pat/pick up only when crying and it will go on for *hours* until we re bothso over tired.  I think some kids just arent ready at this age.  4 months is a big mental growth period, so know it will pass.  I stopped with the routine and she does much better...She gets worn when shes cranky and then we have quiet time as the night winds down.  She likes to be on our schedule and in our room - she goes to sleep for the night between 10:30 and 12am with us and sleeps 6-7 hours, then every 3-4. Every baby is different... IMO do whatever you need to do so all of you can sleep and have peaceful days. If it doesnt work now, there is lots of time later for something more structured.