Tell me about your baby’s sleep...

[Nelbert19]

Help.

My son is 20 weeks old and we’ve just come out the other side of the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. Before that, he was sleeping in his crib for 3-4 hours (so wakes at 10pm, 1am, 4.30am, then morning at 7). During the regression, we largely coslept because he was wouldn’t settle in the crib and was fighting sleep.

Now, he’ll fall asleep beautifully either while BFing or being rocked. He’ll go down in his crib when not quite asleep and then drop off while I pat and shush him. Lovely.

But he wakes up after an hour. Every hour. All night 😭

When he wakes, he grumbles to himself and fidgets around. If I feed him back to sleep at this stage, he won’t even open his eyes and settles back to sleep. For an hour. If I just leave him to fidget, he’ll eventually wake up properly and then is awake for 1.5 hours before I can get him to sleep again. He’s perfectly happy during this time - chatty and smiley - but just very awake

We’re going round the bend, I need him to sleeeeeep! Even when co sleeping he’s still waking wanting a feed every 2 hours max.

I have tried...
Offering extra feeds during the day and encouraging longer feeds
Adding sleeping layers/keeping the heating on overnight
Sleeping in a different room in case there’s some noise that’s waking him up in our room (both of us on a mattress on the floor of the nursery!)

I’m considering waking him from his long afternoon nap (which is usually 3-4 hours!!) but I always thought you should never wake a sleeping baby?? Should I wake him after 2 hours?

Please help - why is he waking so much??

What were your babies like after the regression?
If you had similar, how did it get better? Please tell me it got better!!

[Spookymum13]

Have you tried a swaddle?

[Harrysmummy246]

Probably not an option to swaddle now Spooky given he's 5 months

[rumandbiscuits]

The fact that he can sleep for 3-4 hours in the day is a good sign and shows he is capable of doing it (just doing it the wrong time of day!!!) but yes I think it's worth a try to wake him after 2 hours instead and see if that helps.
If it's any comfort my LG went through similar around the same age and it does pass but I know hearing that doesn't help the sleep deprivation at the time!

[user1493413286]

I would start by trying to wake him after 2 hours as it sounds like he’s doing his long stretch of sleep in the afternoon rather than at night.
I know it’s controversial particularly on MN but I had to sleep train both my DC in the end as neither slept well until after I’d done that

[lockdownpregnancy]

I don't believe in waking a sleeping baby. Personally I think you're asking for it. I did it once with my DS and my god did I know about it! Didn't do it again that's for sure!
HOWEVER! I agree with the pp's in your case as hopefully it will lead to your LO sleeping for longer in the evening.
Everyone is different and has their way of raising their child. I'd give it a whirl, you have nothing to lose!
My DS is the opposite to yours. Sleeps pretty much through the night now but he's a bugger when it comes to sleeping during the day! He really fights it!
I do hope things get better for you!
In the meantime, if you can, sleep when your LO sleeps during the day. Gotta catch up somehow! ❤️❤️

[surreygirl1987]

It sounds like you're still going through the sleep regression? Am in a similar boat with my 5 month old and it's driving me mad!

[Nicknamegoeshere]

I have a six month-old. We bedshare following the Safe Seven (as I have done from birth with all three of mine). She wakes every couple of hours or so for a feed throughout the night and I do wake, but only briefly when she latches on. It's been lifesaver for me and I wouldn't change it for the world

[UpsAndDowns13]

Mine is 7 months now and we've been on the hourly wake ups since 4 months too. It's a killer. I have no advice, just sympathy!

[Fatas]

3/4 hours nap is too long. Wake him for sure. At this age I wouldn't have them sleep any more than 3.5 hours total over the day to ensure they're getting night time sleep. Never wake a sleeping baby applies to newborns, not to older babies

[surreygirl1987]

I agree with @Fatas (although I did wake my newborn)

[FizzingWhizzbee123]

He’s still going through the regression and learning to link sleep cycles

[BeautyAndTheBump1]

Definitely wake him during that long nap. He may be grouchy at first but he'll get over it - it sounds like hes having his stretch of sleep during his day time nap rather than at night. The sleep regression at this time is horrible, but it does pass!!

[GlassLily]

@Nelbert19 and @UpsAndDowns13 I'd love to hear how this turned out for you. I have a 10mo who hasn't slept well since the 4m sleep regression. Finally things have settled down from waking every 15min, and now she wakes every 2 hours for a feed. Which isn't bad, really....but is there anything you did which made them go longer between feeds overnight??

I wasn't ready for this, it's been 6 months since I slept for >2h.
She would sleep for 10 hours in a row before the regression 🥴