What has happened to my sleeping baby?!

[user1471421772]

I wrote about a week ago about my nearly 5 month old waking between 1:45 and 3:30ish refusing to go back to sleep. Well now his sleeping is completely crazy.
I've had a horrendous head cold (fever etc) so DH took over for a while and now everything's gone to shit!
He decided that as he only has between 11-12 hours sleep every 24 that he wasn't sleeping enough, so has started putting him to bed at 6ish (previous time 8ish and would sleep til 5ish plus 3 half hour naps). Now he's getting up at half 12 and pretty much awake from 3ish, although will fitfully sleep until 5 before being up for the day. He now only has 2 half hour naps and it's just horrendous. I need more sleep! Is this a regression? Will he just gradually sleep less and less?! Please help!

[user1471421772]

Anyone?! :(

[Abby21]

4 month sleep regression?

[panad317]

It does sound likr it's thr change in routine that's affected his sleep. How long did it take for him to adjust to DH's routine? It may work just as well if you go back to yours.
Is he learning a new skill at the moment? I always found that when DD was learning a new skill she'd sleep less, was more clingy, needed to be rocked to sleep etc. But after about 5 nights of this she'd go back to her routine naturally.

[FlumptyDumpty]

My DD has never slept as much as we are told they need (guess she never read the manual). Three half hour naps were all she had at that age, though she did sleep 10 hours at night.

I would make his bedtime later again, so at least you are not up for the day at stupid o'clock. Over time his sleep should consolidate, so he is not waking for a period mid-way through the night. Does he need entertaining at that time or can you leave him gurgling to himself in his cot?

[sophiaslullaby]

I came on here to put my own message of help up but didn't want to read and run - offering my sympathies to you!
Sounds as if the head cold has knocked his routine out (again - sympathies - that's what my 10month old is going through, horrendous isn't?!) but could also have co-incidenced with a change in his sleep routine anyway.

I've always put my DS to bed at 7pm (6 would be too early and 8 too late), at 5months he would wake about 11ish and 2 or 3 for feeds. Then up at 5 or 6. Sad to say it but the night sleep is similar to what my DS was like (although loads better now) but wonder if it's because your DS's daytime naps are too short so he's therefore overtired at night and can't sleep well?

Oh and as i type my DS has woken after only 1/2hr (used to be a good 90min kip - I do feel your pain!)

[user1471421772]

Thanks all. He has learned in the last week to roll tummy onto back and is desperate to crawl - whenever I see him he is usually trying to practise this, hence not being able to leave him as he gets more and more frustrated. The early night thing has been the last 3 nights, will definitely be aiming for 8 or so bedtime. At least then although he was still up at 5 he slept through! I suspect like Flumpty says he doesn't need as much sleep - like a milder for of his brother (who at this age went to bed at 11, was up at half 4 and woke 3-5 times in between!) Was just hoping we'd been lucky this time. Will try and ride it out.

[user1471421772]

Thanks Sophia. Unfortunately if he naps more in the day he sleeps less at night - eg when he was having 4x45 min naps (those were the days!) He would only have 7-8 hours of night sleep. Just tired of hearing about my friends' babies who sleep 7-7 with several 1 hour naps.

[FlumptyDumpty]

I would think the cold and learning to roll are taking their toll, and hopefully things will improve in a few days (until the next milestone...).

I hear you about the envy of people who have babies who sleep the clock round. I wish my DD would go an extra hour at night, so I could get some downtime. Her needing less sleep than the norm, and me and DH needing a bit more than the norm for adults means we don't get any downtime after she's in bed - after we've tidied the toy carnage and had a snack it's off to bed for us. TV is a distant memory!

I console myself that she will find the daily grind easier and less tiring than I do if she needs less sleep as an adult....

[user1471421772]

Ha, I know what you mean Flumpty. I put him to bed at 8 and get up at 5 because I need the downtime in the evening - even if it's just til 9. Our 7 year old also stays up til 9 on Wednesday to watch Bake Off - he has never needed much sleep - he wakes at half 5 still come what may but will read quietly until 7. I had hoped that when DS2 was sleeping 10 hours at night that we'd got lucky this time, and all the associated feelings we had with DS1 are flooding back (he didn't sleep through until 3 years old and dropped all naps at 11 months).
At the same time I feel awful wishing he would sleep more - I just feel he needs it sometimes and I feel exhausted. I also wish I didn't feel insanely jealous of friends' good sleepers.

[user1471421772]

Well yesterday was better. I worked really hard on judging his sleepy cues so he could self settle for naps. Had to rock for the first one, but the next 2 he was asleep in minutes. He could have really done with a 4th at 4ish to keep him up til 8, but a big poo thwarted that. So he had 3 x 40 minute naps and went to bed at 6:45 and slept until half 3, got up for 15 mins for milk, then slept until half 5! Fingers crossed for today! Hope others got on well.

[MaybeDoctor]

Well done. If it is any consolation my son was never tired at 7pm - just seemed to work on a much later cycle. But it all sorted itself out eventually!

[user1471421772]

He never used to be. I want him to go later again - he woke from his last nap at 1:40 so had been up for 5 hours by bedtime. He's having his first nap today just now so will probably have 4 today and go to bed later - will see how that goes.

[user1471421772]

Yesterday he had 3x40 min naps again, same times as yesterday but could only stay awake until 5:45. He then slept through until 5:30am!