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Original poster

Come talk to me about the 4 month sleep regression.

83 replies

Neeko · 31/07/2010 08:55

DD2 was 4 months on Thursday. Since then (how did she know? ) she has started waking in the night and being awake for up to 2 hours at a time.This goes on all night.I think we had about 3.5hrs sleep on Thursday and about an hour more on Fri. She previously used to wake once, feed (BF) and go back to sleep.
When she is awake she's hyper, pumping her legs continually and shouting out. She does feed but isn't really that interested. She sleeps in a crib in our room in gro-bag and we have blackout curtains.

Does this sound like sleep regression? How long is it likely to last and is there anything I can do to help?

Thanks

OP posts:
compo · 31/07/2010 08:58

Sounds like a growth spurt
this is why people used to wean at four months instead of six because they misguidedly thought solids would improve things
keep going as you are
it's just a stage, keep feeding as much as possible
good luck xxx

Original poster
Neeko · 31/07/2010 09:05

Thanks. Obviously she's had several growth spurts before but they've never affected her (and our) sleep like this. I don't mind being up several times to feed but struggle with the 1.5-2hr stint of not feeding but awake and wanting to play...

OP posts:
curlyLJ · 31/07/2010 10:24

I feel your pain.

My DD is 4.5 months and we have had this on and off for a couple of weeks now, as well as bedimes being horrendous, more frequent wakings, and of course the being awake for 2 hours kicking the legs. In fact I was up from 4.15 - 6am today and am bloody shattered! Although DD did go back to sleep until 9am in the end, but it's the broken sleep that's hard isn't it?

I am just going with the flow in the hope that she will go back to how she was fairly soon...

littlemissindecisive · 31/07/2010 15:51

This happened to us from 13 weeks to 18! Lots of daytime naps and good feeds and now we're only up every 4 hours....hoping this lasts. It was a killer!!

amyboo · 31/07/2010 16:03

Wow - this could be me typing this! DS turned 4 months yesterday, but since Monday he has been an absolute nightmare with sleeping! We had 2 nights of him being awake and laughing and squealing in his cot for 2 hours, then we've had 3 nights of having a fight to put him to bed. First night it took 2 hours, last night it took 1 hour. He used to be so easy to put to bed. Thankfully, the last couple of nights he's woken once, had his feed and gone back to sleep, but has still woken earier than normal.

I'm beginning to dread bedtimes, as it ends up almost being a battle, with my and DH taking turns to try and stop him screaming and get him to bed. It's not helped by the fact that he's obviously teething. Sigh. We're just trying to battle on through and hope there's an end at some point.

Original poster
Neeko · 31/07/2010 19:57

Sorry I've not been back on, RL took over. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Knowing it's not just me this is happening to really helps.
DD2 has slept a lot today (lucky her) and went down easily tonight. Don't think it'll be too long until I join her.
If anyone works out anything to help, please share I'm convinced that she's teething too but she won't take anything except my boob in her mouth so no hope of calpol or even someone else giving her a bottle. I'd got used to her being my velcro baby by consoling myself with how well she slept at night...

OP posts:
hettie · 01/08/2010 11:31

oh god - the 4 month growth spurt..... I feel your pain. Only lasts a week or so though. Dd went from one night waking to 3, just had to feed her (fed lots in day too) and get through it......it does pass

whereisthemanual · 01/08/2010 21:25

No advice to offer I'm afraid, just solidarity... My DD's 5 months old (4.25 adjusted) and has gone from sleeping through the night to waking every couple of hours, sometimes for a feed, sometimes just to nibble and smile at me (adorable but infuriating at 3am).

Let's hope this phase passes quickly!

Off to bed now...

Original poster
Neeko · 01/08/2010 21:31

Helps so much to know it's not just me. The adorable smiles do help too. Up 4 times last night but just to feed and then back down. Fingers crossed for more sleep tonight.

OP posts:
barbie1 · 03/08/2010 07:06

waves to neeko
I hope that your dd doesn't follow mine and keep going until a nearly 5.5 month old.
Re the calpol, ask at the chemist for a dropper, so much easier than trying to get a spoon and a very sticky liquid into an un-cooperating baby!

koeda · 03/08/2010 08:43

Ahhh... barbie1 - thank god you said yours went on until 5.5 months. I thought my DS was the only one who thought sleep regressions were permanent. I'm 10 weeks in and still counting.... give me strength!

barbie1 · 03/08/2010 10:50

koeda we are 5.5 and still going! Even took her to the doctors yesterday to see if anything was wrong .....

missytequila · 03/08/2010 11:10

i am joining in with sympathy only.... my little girl hit the 4 month mark and has also decided to wake 3 times a night, laughing, kicking, babbling, crying..full awake mode. I too am dying for help to get her back to the way she was...she had been sleeping through since 7 weeks! I feed her, but she is not even that interested, its like she just wants to play, wants attention at 2,4,6am..... am soooooo tired!

sheeplikessleep · 03/08/2010 11:31

DS2 is 21 and a half weeks and we are (touch wood!) just coming out of the 4 month regression / growth spurt, I think! It's been going on, for what feels like forever, but probably about 4-6 weeks.

He was waking up every 1-2 hours, particularly between midnight and 6am. BUT, the last two nights, he's gone back to his waking at midnight, 3am and 5am wakes. He's 5 months old on Saturday.

I got so fed up with people saying 'have you tried going cold turkey and not feeding him?' or 'just leave him to cry'. Not helpful!

grin · 03/08/2010 11:38

Can't talk. Too tired.

koeda · 03/08/2010 13:36

How do people go on to have more DCs?! I couldn't imagine going through this with a toddler in tow. Hats off to any of you who are - that must be seriously hardcore. Right, off to nap with DS for 30mins. Bliss.

sheeplikessleep · 03/08/2010 13:40

DS1 is also going through a spate of waking at 5.15am too.
All that is keeping me going is the bliss of feeling a full nights sleep again ... zzzzzzzz

grin · 03/08/2010 17:36

koeda you just get on with it, same as you do with 1! No naps for me though... (manic tired eyes emoticon) Oh and DS1 had major colic from practically birth to just over a year, so for me, by comparison, this is fine (not belittling it for anyone else - the pain of sleep deprivation must never be underestimated)

Original poster
Neeko · 03/08/2010 21:18

Hello fellow-sleep deprived (and a large cup of black coffee to Barbie)

We had a better night last night and were only up twice but not counting my chickens yet.

Hope we all get some sleep tonight.

Koeda v of the nap

OP posts:
Original poster
Neeko · 04/08/2010 09:07

Wow! DD2 slept from 8.15-6am! Probably a one-off but at least I'll be better equipped to deal with wakenings tonight.

OP posts:
koeda · 04/08/2010 10:42

Yay neeko - fantastic!! Wish I could say the same here but I fear that koedababy has regressed beyond return

barbie1 · 04/08/2010 15:06

koeda here is my hand...dd has also gone to far over to the dark side i lost count after the 6th waking last night

koeda · 04/08/2010 16:19

Yup, it's practically hourly from 2am onwards with DS. I just plod on blindly, with only the tiniest glimmer of hope that it might get better anytime soon.

sheeplikessleep · 04/08/2010 17:38

Koeda - it does, it does, I promise! As I say, DS2 was exactly like that, midnight onwards was awful. He's been so much better last couple of nights (frantically touching wood), waking just twice, before his 5am start to the day.

barbie1 · 04/08/2010 17:53

koeda dd has been waking 30 mins after being put to bed, then max of 1 hour 30 mins continuous sleep for the rest of the night, at 5 months the doctor said she shouldn't be crawling and standing like she is and that her mind is way too active to relax and sleep!
However tonight we gave her teething powders for the first time and so far she has been asleep for almost 2 hours! This is amazing since its been 2 weeks now that i have had to cook dinner and shower in the 45 min gap in order to bed ready to get into bed with her and get her back to sleep.

It will get better, and if i can believe that then it must be true .... well lets be honest it cant get any worse!!!

neeko if you werent so nice i would be very at you! ...hope dd does the same tonight x