4.5 month old just doesn't sleep - help!

[WhyNotSmile]

My son is 4.5 months old, and has never slept well (apart from the first couple of weeks, when he just slept all the time). However, for the past couple of weeks it's got really bad.

I put him down for bed at 8pm or so (earlier if he seems tired). He falls asleep while I'm feeding him (he is bf). He usually wakes up 2 or 3 times in the first hour, and then settles for an hour and a half or so. After that, he just seems to wake every hour to hour and a half. He appears hungry each time, and takes a bit of a feed (sometimes lots, sometimes not so much). Husband does one formula feed each night, which doesn't make him sleep any longer (my nephew if the same age sleeps for much longer after a ff than a bf).

On a good night he might do one stretch of sleep that's 3 hours, but that's about it. He will sleep in my arms after a feed (he's a very cuddly baby anyway!), but when I put him down in his cot, he's soon awake and crying.

He doesn't nap much during the day; he will tend to have one long nap of a couple of hours around lunch time, and then a couple of half hour naps as well. He's generally in happy, smiley form and doesn't seem tired.

Is there anything I can do to improve things? I'm not willing to leave him to cry it out at this age. I'm exhausted, though - coping at the moment because husband is off for Christmas and can stay up longer during the night, but when he goes back to work it's down to me again.

Thanks for any advice!

[TheLondoner22]

It's the four month sleep regression IT WILL PASS

Also Google the 2/3/4 routine it personally worked for us

Obvs do what you feel best but that routine is their most natural one they fall into anyway.

I also found this website useful troublesometots.com - look at age appropriate methods.

To be honest DS wasn't it any good routine till six months, you'll get there I promise ..... x ps Merry Xmas

[milkjetmum]

It is quite common for sleep to deteriorate around 4 months (4 month sleep regression). If its any consolation it usually happens around a new development eg rolling over.

My advise is don't overlook swaddling (we used this with success when dd1 was 6 months). Minimize change in temp when putting to bed (use sleeping bag, age appropriate 'pillow' eg warmed muslin square).

Other than that just try to find a coping strategy - could be shifts with dh (I used to sleep 7-11pm while dh on duty) or daytime naps (for you!).

Merrychristmas!

[Eminybob]

I don't want to hijack but want to ask a quick question about the 4 month regression. We didn't really have one but DS is now 5.5 months and has taken to waking mega early and not going back down. It was 4.30 this morning we were opening presents by 5.30!
Anyway, could this be the regression just a bit late? He's just learnt to roll and it starting to sit up. Please say it'll pass?

[TheLondoner22]

What time does he go down for morning nap? If you try & string out to 9am & only max 1hr nap he will then be ready for 12:30pm long nap ...

Putting baby to nap to early in the morning causes early rising at this age!

Google 2 3 4 Routine .....

Merry Xmas

[sleepingdragon]

How long is your DS awake between naps? Anything much longer than 2 hours or so at that age and they start running on adrenaline, even if the don't seem particularly tired, which causes them to sleep worse when they do finally get to sleep.

[Eminybob]

I've been putting him down for a nap roughly 2 hours after he gets up, so it's been getting earlier! Oh dear that's where I'm going wrong. Thanks for the tip londoner

[WhyNotSmile]

Thanks everyone! The 2/3/4 routine looks helpful - that's not unlike his pattern when he does sleep during the day, so I think I'll try to be a bit more aware of it and try to build up that routine once Christmas is out of the way.

In the meantime, we're off to my parents' for Boxing Day, so hopefully they can enjoy some grandson time while husband and I get some sleep!