4 month sleep regression

tclayton53 · September 2014

Anyone?

LO was doing GREAT with her sleep (7-7.5 hours a night and going right back to sleep after her feeding). About 1.5 weeks ago it became really hard to put her to sleep and then the 7 hours slowly started creeping back. Now it's next to impossible to get her to sleep and if we're lucky enough to get her in the crib - she wakes up after about 10-45 minutes.

Anyone else dealing with this? Is this a sign that she's ready for sleep training.

Not sure how much longer I can do this!

Read247 · September 2014

No help here. My LO wakes up 3-6 times a night. Hasn't slept through the night at all.

flerlgirl · September 2014

We're dealing with it right now. I'm just trying different ways to get her to sleep. It's something different every night.

karing2 · September 2014

My LO was doing 6-7 hour stretches but for the last week and half he has been waking every 2-3 hours all night. Actually he is sleeping worse than he did as a newborn.

bigdreams24 · September 2014

We had a lot of sleep issues with my first daughter. My second one seems to be a much better sleeper but i think the trick is routine. The baby has a routine because the toddler has a routine.. Usually for us its bath/ teeth brushing (of course this does not apply to baby), 3 books, milk for toddler, boob for baby then bedtime. bed time for us starts at 9, they are usually asleep by 930. baby sleeps in the rock n play still and she does really well with that. We run a fan in the room, drowns out noise and supposed to reduce sids risk. When she wakes up in the night, I change her as fast as possible without turning on bright lights. Then put her right to boob to eat, then get her back to sleep. Usually now she falls asleep eating. I do not talk to her at all during the night. Pediatrician says make bed time/ night time as boring as possible and it works. They both wake up by 730 am. Baby has been getting up just once a night and going back to sleep with this. Hope this helps you!

nicolewhelan · September 2014

I'm worried if this is normal. LO is 11 weeks and sleeps through the night. It's soooo nice! I hope things don't change!

Savvy122 · September 2014

Ugh yes... the sleep regression hit us this week (LO will be 17 weeks tomorrow). He went from sleeping a solid 8-9 hours each night to waking every 3. I'm exhausted! I'm not sure what it says as far as their readiness for sleep training though. I am just trying to stick it out and try to remind him that night time is for SLEEPING. I usually feed him the first time he wakes up, but try to pacify him with his bink the second time (since I know he can go longer than 3 hours at this point). I also keep the lights off, refrain from interacting with him, and swaddle him and put him right back to bed after he's done eating.

M2M85 · September 2014

I read something about sleep regression actually being progression bc your baby is hitting milestones during this time. So much change going on that they are thinking of these things while sleeping and makes perfect sense! We have a very set routine with our LO and thats been what she has thrived on. She was swaddled which was great and now sleep in a zippy sleep sack that she loves (&we do too bc we all get good sleep!). Try to look at this time period as a phase and your stick to your routine and it will definitely help you & your LO get through it.

jenlynne0624 · September 2014

@nicolewhelan my LO just hit 12 weeks yesterday and his 11th week was ROUGH. He went from sleeping through the night to 2+ wake ups a night because of the wonder week.

@m2m85 I just saw that article today...

Found it: https://www.pinkymckay.com/the-myth-of-baby-sleep-regressions-whats-really-happening-to-your-babys-sleep/

tclayton53 · September 2014

I don't mind the multiple wake ups - it's the fact that she won't go to sleep (or fully asleep). Everytime we try to put her down she wakes up, no matter how long we rock her, etc. I'm not comfortable with co-sleeping but have resorted to doing so the past few nights just so I can try to get a little bit of sleep. I've tried putting her in the swing as well and she cries just like when I put her in the crib. Not sure what else to try at this point.

courtneyjean1980 · September 2014

I'm in the same boat, it's so frustrating. I keep telling myself it's a phase and it won't go on forever. Am trying as hard as I can to teach her to self soothe, but it's tough. Wish I had actual advice!

zolastele · September 2014

Yup. I'm tired.

irenewslee · September 2014

@tclayton53‌ Mine will also wake up and stay awake for 3-4 hrs before she will go down again. We are talking 12-4am and both H and I are beyond exhaustion. Is this really just a phase because it's been almost 3 weeks.

M2M85 · September 2014

yes @jenlynne0624 I think that is the one i read too! I knew some of that info but really glad i came across that.

mtrhomegirl · September 2014

going through the same thing but it hasn't been an every night things...well as of yet it hasn't. Some night she will get up and eat and fall right back to sleep..other night she is awake for 1-2 hours. I normally put her in her crib shut her door and let her talk to herself while i sleep. As long as she isn't screaming she can party alone in her crib..lol

chloephoebecali · September 2014

I specifically remember the 4month wakeful period with my two older ones. Dd3 isn't the best sleeper to begin with so I'm wondering what I am in for this time.

H&H2014 · September 2014

Another exhausted mama here. She's been waking every 45-60 min. For the first week she'd wake screaming. Now she's waking every 1.5 - 3 hours. Now she's getting harder to put down. I personally think we were lucky that she had been sleeping so well (6-9 hr stretches). I think we hit the four month sleep "regression" and leap 4 early. She's very distracted nursing now and is getting frustrated trying to roll over.

I'm hoping to at least keep the 2-3 hr stretches. Up every hour is torture and making everyone in this house a little irritable.

mrscbrad · September 2014

kaysa2 said:

H&H2014 said:

Another exhausted mama here. She's been waking every 45-60 min. For the first week she'd wake screaming. Now she's waking every 1.5 - 3 hours. Now she's getting harder to put down. I personally think we were lucky that she had been sleeping so well (6-9 hr stretches). I think we hit the four month sleep "regression" and leap 4 early. She's very distracted nursing now and is getting frustrated trying to roll over.

I'm hoping to at least keep the 2-3 hr stretches. Up every hour is torture and making everyone in this house a little irritable.

I think we're in the same boat with the early wonder week. Sleep regression is a bitch. Everything you describe is happening with my DD, too.

Another in this boat. Everyone thinks I must be underfeeding him or he has gas but I swear it's classic WW stuff. Today he would only nap if I was holding him. And at night I'm getting 1-2 hours at a time where we were getting 6. I'm so effing tired.

purtz · September 2014

Read247 said:
No help here. My LO wakes up 3-6 times a night. Hasn't slept through the night at all.

This. I joke my DH that I haven't slept since May 30 (DS's birthday).

amackattack · September 2014

LO is only 3 m 1 W but I swear we are going through sleep regression. She was up to 9 hours at a time and now wakes up just to be held 4 or 5 times a night. We are sleeping with her in the bed cuz it's the only way anyone sleeps. Her naps at daycare have also gotten shorter. I'm so bummed and worried she's not getting enough quality sleep. Wish I could figure out what we're doing differently and how to fix it

kks4471 · September 2014

I'm exhausted

He's never been a good sleeper, but last night was worse with two wake ups instead of one. He's almost 4 months old.

BMaidPlanner · September 2014

I feed her every time she wakes (once or twice a night, 3 if she went down early). Do you all?

amackattack · September 2014

I feed her whenever she wakes up, unless it's like 45 minutes after her last feeding. Then she's not even interested in eating. Lately she's been a terrible nurser....taking in huge gulps of air. I don't know if it's due to her stuffy nose? Anyone else having this problem??

mrscbrad · September 2014

My LO is 3 months as well. I'm assuming this is temporary regression and not some new habit. Dear God please don't let this be permanent.

Jenn111211 · September 2014

BMaidPlanner said:
I feed her every time she wakes (once or twice a night, 3 if she went down early). Do you all?

I'm so confused about whether or not to feed her. I was researching like crazy last night about sleep regressions and one source said not to feed because they aren't really hungry and by adding feedings they would eat less during the day and become hungry at night for real. But what if she's in a growth spurt is is really hungry? How do you know??? I'm at a loss!!!

Jenn111211 · September 2014

My LO is in a regression at 3 months. We were getting 8-9 hour stretches for a couple weeks. It took two and a half hours to get her back down last night and I ended up having to bring her to bed with me. She woke up again after a couple hours, side nursed and went right back to sleep. I never planned on bed sharing. I really hope I'm not starting a bad habit!

irenewslee · September 2014

I usually feed her when she wakes unless it has only been an hour since her last feeding. If it isnt really feeding time, i give her half a bottle just to help her sleep better. She usually calms down and stops moving around after the bottle so she can fall asleep faster. Lately she went from staying up for 3-4 hrs during the middle of the night to only about 45 mins. Thank God because I am so freaking tired.

izzetoot · September 2014

Were struggling at the 4 month mark too. Around 13 weeks we started a nighttime routine (bath/bottle/swaddle) and went into the crib around 10 pm and would sleep till about 3am. Then I would nurse him when he woke up and he went into the mamaroo next to our bed until about 7am. Now its impossible to get him into the crib - wakes about 10-30 mins later and has decided he hates the 'roo. Only way I can get him to sleep now is in the swing. He's 18 weeks today so sleep training is what we are thinking too. Any mommies with advice our there on sleep training lay it on me!

JmeJoLee83 · September 2014

The regression is striking us here too..so tired today. Once our colic
Seemed to let up now this. Hoping only lasts a few weeks cuz waking up
Every hour or two is not cool.

seb827 · September 2014

Our son just slipped back into this issue within the last week. He had just started sleeping through the night (at least 5-6 hours at a stretch, anyway) for 2-3 weeks and now he's up 2-3 times a night. We had to readjust his Zantac about 10 days ago so that may be part of the issue. But he may also be going through a growth spurt? That's my friend's theory, anyway. It's been a real killer because we JUST got used to getting more than 3 hours of sleep at a time! And now this! We're exhausted but we know it won't last long. Sometimes he'll wake up, fuss a bit, then go back to sleep on his own. But moreover, he wakes up, fusses, we change him, give him a bottle (he eats WAY more at night right now than he does during the day!), and he goes back down pretty well. But it's still hard on us getting interrupted sleep!

H&H2014 · September 2014

@wareagle1220 I think you just ride it out. I'm pretty sure we're about 2 weeks into it and things have started to improve. She no longer wakes screaming.. I can put her down for naps... she started falling asleep on her own again in the swing for naps... she's hit 4 hours at night without waking.... I hope I'm not jinxing myself.....

karing2 · September 2014

@ugabamafans‌ I would try to put LO in the pnp, our regression lasted 2 weeks and we still are only getting a 4 hour stretch.

tclayton53 · September 2014

izzetoot said:
Were struggling at the 4 month mark too. Around 13 weeks we started a nighttime routine (bath/bottle/swaddle) and went into the crib around 10 pm and would sleep till about 3am. Then I would nurse him when he woke up and he went into the mamaroo next to our bed until about 7am. Now its impossible to get him into the crib - wakes about 10-30 mins later and has decided he hates the 'roo. Only way I can get him to sleep now is in the swing. He's 18 weeks today so sleep training is what we are thinking too. Any mommies with advice our there on sleep training lay it on me!

We discussed sleep training in great length with out pediatrician after LO refused to be out down and go in her crib (we maybe would get 45 min and she would wake up screaming wanting to be held. It also was taking 2+ hours to rock/bounce/etc. her to sleep).

We started on Sunday night and did our bedtime routine at 7 (bath, massage, feed and then book). I had to wake her up for her book and then I rocked her and sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star until her eyes started to get heavy. We put her in the crib and stolid her it was time for bed and that we loved her. She spent 20 minutes talking to herself and playing with her hands and feet and then the crying started. Overall, it was 90 minutes from when she went into her crib until she fell asleep. We went in every 10 minutes during her crying and rubbed her head and told her that it was time to go to bed and we loved her. She slept until 3:30, I waited 5-7 minutes to see if she would resettle and then went in to feed her. She ate and I out her back down awake. I thought for sure we would be in for another hour of crying but she fussed for 10 minutes and went back to bed.

Night 2 it took 50 minutes for her to fall asleep and she slept until 7 am.

Last night it took 20 minutes and she slept until 7:15 am.

She's been so happy every morning and every day since she stared getting good solid sleep. I honestly think this was the best decision for all of us.

ELC252011 · September 2014

Same here! I'm hoping this sleep regression passes soon cuz momma is tired!! (:|
Hang in there ladies.

JmeJoLee83 · September 2014

Up every two hours, night 3. Almost worse than newborn phase. Ftw.

AbbySeiden · September 2014

@tclayton53‌ I want to start sleep training soon too. Is the bed time set no matter what time your LO naps or eats? Mine is on an on demand feeding schedule (however that mostly translates to every 3-4 hours). Also when I do my bedtime feeding post bath mine is like impossible to wake (I try to wake him to eat more usually).

tclayton53 · September 2014

@AbbySeiden‌ we start bedtime at around 7 every night unless she's showing signs of being tired sooner (it's easier for her to fall asleep when she's not over tired).

I burp her and then sit her on my lap for a short book. That usually wakes her up enough to be put down drowsy.

irenewslee · September 2014

Omg I really need some help! I will take any advice at this point. It has been over a month that LO would not sleep well. She naps twice to three times at daycare (one long and two short) and then one other short one in the evening. Bedtime is around 9pm after a bath and bottle. Then she pretty much wakes up every 30mins and sometimes even more. If we dont go running to put the paci back in or rock her back to sleep, she wakes herself and stays up for a few hours before she can go back to sleep. Her eyes would be close but she just cant seem to fall back to sleep. She gets frustrated and starts to cry and then wakes herself. This goes on until about 6am then she sleeps really well after that. H and I are dying because we get no more than 4-5 hrs of sleep every night, sometimes less. We were so desperate once that we actually took her out on a car ride and she loved it so much that she cooed the whole time. It's very cute but not at 3am!

H&H2014 · September 2014

Have you tried an earlier bedtime? We've been putting her to sleep between 6-7:30 and she's waking up every two hours... Not ideal but better than it was.

irenewslee · September 2014

H&H2014 said:
Have you tried an earlier bedtime? We've been putting her to sleep between 6-7:30 and she's waking up every two hours... Not ideal but better than it was.

We have tried everywhere from 7-1030. So far the 1030 works the best but sometimes she gets overtired by then so we pushed it up a little. We think she got used to us rocking her. People have been telling us to do the cry it out method... But it's so hard... She can easily cry over an hr.

amackattack · September 2014

How is her activity level? I mean like when you play with her do you do lots of exercises/games? I'm sure you do. ... just trying to think of any ideas. Or could you put a wubbanub in her sleep sack/swaddle? @irenewslee Or let her sleep in a vibrating swing? ? Anything for some sleep at this point. Is it toots waking her?

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