Baby cannot stay asleep alone - is this a feature of the 4 month sleep regression?

[UserNameAngst]

Am getting really frustrated with DS2's so-called sleep! It's never been very good but in the last few days its got to the point where he cannot stay asleep unless he is either latched on, being held, in the sling, or in bed with me.

Rubbish napping I am used to as DS1 was the same and I can sling DS2 to muddle through - although typically his daytime sleep is less than 1.5 hours which I know isn't enough for an 18 week old. But I just want an hour or so with DH in the evenings to eat dinner and chat at normal volume and I thought by now this would be a possibility! We are co-sleeping (which I didn't do with DS1) and he wakes several times in the night but this is no problem.

I guess I'm just asking if anyone experienced this inability to stay asleep as part of the 4 month sleep regression, or has any advice? I'm not keen on cc and to be honest I don't think it would work. Thank you for reading!

[Chocolateisinmyblood]

So sorry to hear you're having a rough time...DS is 7 months old & a rubbish sleeper too...it's absolutely exhausting, but I remember he was beyind awful for about a fortnight when he was 4 months old...hourly wakings, no naps at all in the daytime, but it did pass...no real advice, just wanted to reassure you that you are not alone...

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I had my first hour alone with my DH in the evening this week since DS was born eight months ago. Such is your lot with a crap sleeper unfortunately!

And yes, during the four month sleep regression he would only sleep on (not next to, not near, only ON) me for a fortnight. I was beside myself so we did gradual withdrawal to break it. No idea how much longer it would have gone on for otherwise. It got him down to three wake ups a night for one blissful fortnight then it all went tits up again when he got a cold and has never really improved, even after a subsequent attempt at CC when he was over six months. Sigh.

[UserNameAngst]

Thank you both so much for replying. I am seizing on you both referring to a "fortnight" with hope! I've had a better 24 hours so fingers crossed this is a short phase.

[Chocolateisinmyblood]

Good Luck! Hope your improvements continued....