XP from babies 3-6 - Sleeping schedule?

Rabitt313 · December 2012

This is probably normal, but I need to check with other moms. DS is 4 months old, he goes to bed between 8:30-9:30 every night, and he is up every three hours like clock work. The longest between feedings (breastfeeding) he will go is one 4 hour stretch but he's not asleep the whole 4 hours. I get up, I feed him, I change his diaper, and then DH will rock him back to sleep. Usually takes about 40 minutes total. He's up for good between 6:30-7:30.

DS had his 4 month checkup on Friday. The pedi. said he is biologically capable of sleeping through the night. That he is ready to start solids and that will help him sleep longer at night. And that he is most likely only nursing for comfort at this point.

I know I'm in good company here, but I AM EXHAUSTED!!! I just need to know if I'm doing all I can to promote sleep at night, or if I'm doing something wrong. Every night I go to bed hoping that this is the night he'll sleep all the way through, I know someday this will end, but dear lord, when???

Any suggestions or opinions is appreciated. Thanks as always!!

99frontier · December 2012

I have no advice...I'm just in the same boat (except we have scattered bedtimes right now) so I would love to see what others suggest!

lupineaura · December 2012

When he nurses, is he all business and taking in a lot of milk, or is he only sucking for a little bit and falling back asleep? If he is seriously sucking and swallowing, he still may need those MOTN feedings. If not, I would think it's fine to drop a feeding or two.

This book (https://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Ladys-Good-Night-Tight/dp/1593155581) recommends only one MOTN feeding for a four-month-old, so that is what I am aiming for. My daughter was just waking up enough to suck for like 2 mins and then back asleep, so she didn't need the food. Last night she still woke up a lot, but I only fed her at 12:30 and 5:30. The rest of the time I was able to get her back to sleep without nursing VERY easily. I didn't even have to take her out of her crib (I was surprised!).

Also, unless she poops, I don't do diaper changes in the night anymore. Wakes her up too much. I figure if she was STTN her diaper wouldn't be being changed. Pedi is fine with this. I slather on the butt paste right before bed.

BTW, I would kill for every three hours- my daughter has been doing every hour/1.5 hours recently

Rabitt313 · December 2012

It's my impression that he's eating, he nurses like he normally does during the day. And if I don't get him flipped to other side fast enough he gets frustrated with me and starts to yell. Last night I tired to just rock him back to sleep he wasn't having it.

And I don't think his diapers would hold a full night so I'm considering getting nighttime diapers, thoughts?

What is 4 month wakeful? And how does someone wean a feeding?

lady_tytah · December 2012

Saltylove:
4 months is a really rough time for sleep. It amazes me that pedis do not factor in the 4 month sleep regression when they start telling moms their 4 month olds should STTN. Babies will STtN when they are ready. I think 4 months is pretty early for a BF baby to do so. There is something called night weaning that you can do to promote STTN, but I don't think the 4 month wakeful is quite the time for night weaning or any sleep training, really. If a few of those night wakings your LO is not eating much, you could try the paci and or rocking them to see if they will go back to sleep. Whenever DD fusses at night I try and wait a minute to see if she will settle on her own. If not, I try the paci. If she still fusses then I feed her. I never let her cry at this point, but she will sometimes sleep for another hour or two when I do this. Kelly mom and troublesometots.com both have great info on sleep issues at 4 months. Also, I believe it is old school to say that eating solids will help with STTN. i don't think solids help until baby is getting more significant calories from solids, which would be 8 months or so?

All of this!!

bigbootyjudi · December 2012

I just have to ask what your bump name stands for...313 as in the Detroit area code?

stever · January 2013

That sounds just like DS1's schedule for his whole first year, even after starting solids at 6 months

No advice, but big, sleepy hugs.

Andreabks · January 2013

our sleep regression hit for naps more than night sleeping. i don't have any advice as to how to get them to sleep through the night. we've only done one motn feeding since about 2 months old, but aparently i have an odd baby who likes sleeping at night.

i also don't change her diaper unless she is really wet. i do a little J&J cornstarch powder before bed and just leave it on otherwise she wakes up way to far and it takes forever to get her back down.

there are other mom's i've seen on here talking about starting to let their kids cry through the feedings that they're not actually eating, but we are EP so again, no real advice. just wish you the best for sleep. i think we all still struggle to get as much as possible.

MommyMelRN · January 2013

lady_tytah:
Saltylove:
4 months is a really rough time for sleep. It amazes me that pedis do not factor in the 4 month sleep regression when they start telling moms their 4 month olds should STTN. Babies will STtN when they are ready. I think 4 months is pretty early for a BF baby to do so. There is something called night weaning that you can do to promote STTN, but I don't think the 4 month wakeful is quite the time for night weaning or any sleep training, really. If a few of those night wakings your LO is not eating much, you could try the paci and or rocking them to see if they will go back to sleep. Whenever DD fusses at night I try and wait a minute to see if she will settle on her own. If not, I try the paci. If she still fusses then I feed her. I never let her cry at this point, but she will sometimes sleep for another hour or two when I do this. Kelly mom and troublesometots.com both have great info on sleep issues at 4 months. Also, I believe it is old school to say that eating solids will help with STTN. i don't think solids help until baby is getting more significant calories from solids, which would be 8 months or so?
All of this!!

this, and to add that the most recent aap recommendations are not to start solids until 6 months. I get that some kids are ready before that, but it boggles my mind that so many pedis are pushing everyone to start at 4.

Rabitt313 · January 2013

anbeck4:
I just have to ask what your bump name stands for...313 as in the Detroit area code?

No its my birthday

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XP from babies 3-6 - Sleeping schedule?

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