4 mo wakeful: tell me more about it

agfox92 · March 2014

My Lo turns 4 MO next week and last night slept terribly so I think we are hitting this but don't know much about it. Is there anything I can do to help her sleep during this phase or is it just going to happen?

roo1oo · March 2014

I'm not entirely sure LO went through this or if it was a growth spurt followed by a nasty cold, but it lasted about a month. He was getting up 2-3 times a night to eat where he had previously been STTN. And he was often waking at 4am for the day. It was rough because I was sick while he was sick, but we got through it. Also, he would have a couple bad nights in a row, then a couple of good nights where he'd get up 1-2x a night, then he'd STTN one night, and go back into the cycle again. So for my LO, it wasn't a month straight of night wakings but a lot more frequent night wakings during a month.

Try all the usual tricks for better sleep. Swaddling, white noise, humidifier, dream feed... Just know that it doesn't last forever, and get DH to help with 1 or 2 night wakings so you can get some rest too.

sekenn0 · March 2014

Going through this now but also found he's getting a tooth. He's almost 5 months. So putting a little orajel on the gums before bed helps a bit but he just gets up about every 45 min from 2-5 a.m. and needs his paci put back in or reswaddled. I tried feeding once and he didnt' wake up again but I'm so hesitant to start that since he's not needed it since 9 wks. I have started giving him more bottles/nursing from 5-8 pm. to keep his belly full. It's been two weeks. I'm so tired. Everyone says it's temporary. I'm counting on it. Hang in there.

roo1oo · March 2014

I forgot to mention. I feed LO larger amounts and more frequently in hopes that he doesn't need a bottle during the night. I also gave LO a chance to fall asleep/fall back asleep on his own. I think that's a big part of the 4 month wakeful, that they're learning how to fall asleep on their own. LO has been in his own room since 6 weeks old, and I make sure that he's actually crying, not just fussing, before I go to him. He still wakes every night at 12am, 2am, and 4am, but at least two of those times he'll fall back asleep on his own.

Colada584 · March 2014

My LO started the 4 month wakeful about a week before she turned 4 months. Before that she was sleeping about 9-10 hours without waking. She turns 5 months tomorrow and we are still in it. She wakes about 3 times a night. Sometimes she wants to eat, sometimes she doesn't. I think you just have to ride it out. I haven't tried anything in particular to get her to sleep like she used to. She's still so little and if she needs her mommy that's what she gets. Even if it means I don't sleep much. Good luck! Hopefully it will pass fast for you!

agfox92 · March 2014

Thanks everyone. I tried feeding more often today but it was a bit difficult because we traveled a couple hours to see the in laws. We'll see what tonight looks like. I'm just tired but I will get through it.

eblom · March 2014

Ours woke every 45min-hour and a half for two weeks; nothing I could do really, she ate every time (not just a quick comfort suck back to sleep). We just had to ride it out; two weeks on the nose she started sleeping 6+hours straight again.

agfox92 · March 2014

We'll hopefully we will only have two weeks of this. That would mean only one more week.

2010weddinggal · April 2014

Its hell my little one wimpers in his sleep through out the night and he is up between 4-5 for the day. Try to rest when you can and have your SO take some night shifts it is the only way im surviving.

eggmankate · April 2014

Is it inevitable that all babies go through it or do some parents luck out?

tisunge602 · April 2014

@eggmankate Our 4MW wasn't too bad. He was a little clingier during the day and woke up a little more at night -- like 3x on average -- but he's over it now. We also just recently put him in the Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit so I'm not sure if his improved sleep is because of that or because he's just over the 4MW (or both).

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