Attachment Parenting

Sleep issues -- desperate!

DS slept like a champ at night from about 1 1/2 to 3 months old (avg. 5 hour stretches, sometimes more), but for the past 4 weeks, since he turned 4 months, has been waking up EVERY. SINGLE. HOUR. Every night. And he nurses every time he wakes up, eating like it's been hours since his last meal. He still nurses about every 2-3 hours during the day, and we recently started rice cereal 2x per day to help with his reflux, so I can't imagine that he's lacking nutrition (he weighed almost 18 lbs. at his 4-month checkup!) Now I've come down with a bad cold and the lack of sleep combined with not being able to take any cold meds is sucking my will to live. Also, DS has never been a good napper and I'm lucky to get two or three 20-min. naps out of him during the day. Needless to say, I don't get any naps myself.

We've ruled out teething issues, and his reflux appears to be better. Anyone have any ideas - causes, solutions? I'm so desperate for sleep. DH has suggested CIO for naps, even though he knows I'm opposed. But seriously, I can't survive this much longer. Wisdom, ladies?!?

Re: Sleep issues -- desperate!

  • There's a 4 month wakeful period.

    Wisdom?  Coffee, and knowing that he won't be a baby forever. 

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  • It could be teething, could be going through a growth spurt, could just need you a little more or be working on a new skill.  There is no magic cure for sleep.  Sometimes DS sleeps through the night, others he talks at 3 am and like tonight he wakes up to nurse 4 times.  This will pass.  Feel better:)   
    AP, BWing, BFing, CDing, VBAC, Crunchy Mama to my handsome little 2 year old and squishy newbie! Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers Babywearing Leader to the DuPage Slingers www.DuPageSlingers.Blogspot.com
  • As soon as I read his age I thought 4 month wakeful! Will he nap in the car? It was so bad for us we would drive around so he would nap and sometimes I would too. Is you SO helping out?
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • Yep - 4mo wakeful period.  Next up - 6mo growth spurt!  :)
  • Sounds very familiar. The only thing that worked for us was time. It lasted about 3 weeks I think.
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  • So it WILL end? Promise?? Wink He'll be 5 months next week, so hopefully we're at the tail end of it. DH works 12-14 hours days starting at 4:30 a.m., so it's pretty much me and only me at night.

    Coffee it is.... Thanks everyone!

  • Why can't you take cold meds?  Do you have supply problems?  They helped me so much while I was sick, and I didn't really see a difference in supply, though I also don't pump when I take them b/c I don't want to store chemicals in the milk.

    It will end!  Use your swing if your LO will let you, and try to find a room in your house that is safe for them to play while you can rest on the floor by them.  Our DD is happy to crawl all around as long as we are close by, and we don't put her in the crib.

  • Yup it sounds like 4-month wakeful.  And I agree with the others that time is what will help.  For us, it's gotten a little better, but honestly DD's sleep hasn't been the same since then.  And now I think she's going through a growth spurt.  All I can say is never get used to how they sleep because it will keep changing!  I am very sleep deprived too (I think a lot of us are), but I just have to tell myself that it's only temporary.  Some day I will look back on this time and miss the cuddles and forget the sleeplessness.  Kinda like how I look back on my pregnancy and feel nostalgic, but forget the aches and pains of it.  So just tell yourself that it will pass and in the meantime, hopefully you can nap!
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