What would you do?

[red05]

My 4 month old is in a good routine sleeping for 3 & 1/2 hours in total during the day and taking 5 8oz feeds (including 10pm feed) throughout the day. He goes down for his day time naps & bedtime on his own with no trouble at all (he does have a dummy). The problem is throughout the night he crys out and is only comforted by putting the dummy back in. I know he's not hungry as he hasn't had a night feed for a couple of months so I'm not sure what else could be causing it? Im wondering if the dummy is the problem?

Any advice or experience you lovely people may have would be greatly appreciated!

Xx

[NickyEds]

My ds went from sleeping through (so no night feeds just a dream feed at 10) to crying in the night at 6 months for milk. Two months is very young to give up night feeds altogether so i wouldn't think that it's impossible that he's hungry.

[nottheOP]

I wouldn't reintroduce nighttime milk. It sounds like the dummy is a bit of a sleep crutch/association which is a bit of a nightmare when they can't put it back in themselves.

I'd ditch the dummy, cold turkey. Try shush-pat or pick up/put down to get him to fall asleep.

[NickyEds]

God we're going to confuse the op here because I reckon 4 months is too little to ditch the dummy cold turkey!! They learn to put them back in themselves eventually and then they're ace (tin hat on!). I was just suggesting that, as the baby's so little it is feasable he's hungry disclaimer I fed my baby in the night until he was 11 months old.

[Needsweetstosurvive]

He is hungry I reckon, their needs change so much as they grow. I would either try to feed more in the day or introduce a night feed. It won't be forever and might help sleep. I gave both my boys a night feed until 12 months and 10 months.

[red05]

It's not a hunger cry, more of a moan! If he was hungry there would be nothing I could do other than give him bottle. It's just frustrating as his not fussed about the dummy other than when he's about to sleep. Anyways thanks for replying, I'm thinking I'll just have to keep going & up my coffee game! X

[widdle]

I agree with NickyEds - 4 months is still very young and he may very well be going through a growth spurt. Also some babies go through a horrible sleep regression at 4 months where sleeping goes completely tits up.

[red05]

I do a dream feed at 10pm plus 4 feeds during the day so in total he has 8oz 5 times a day? I thought that seemed enough but maybe I'll try offering him a bottle? X

[PotteringAlong]

Google the 4 month sleep regression! I'd go for hungry too.

[FATEdestiny]

Definitely don't ditch the dummy! Dummies are absolutely worth their weight in gold.

I'd try offering a nightime bottle for a few nights and see what difference it makes.

There are a lot of developmental leaps that happen around this age (learning to roll, discovering how hands work etc) and all of these extra skills need extra calories. My DD's milk intake increased permanently by 25% quite suddenly at 4 months old.

I can't remember if we were making 6oz or 7oz bottles at that age - but she was having seven of them in 24 hours - 2 hourly through the daytime reduced the need for night feeds.

[red05]

That's really helpful. Thankyou x

[Hillijx]

Just to throw a controversial opinion in here, please no abuse for my decision but I ditched my dd2 dummy at 4 months as she kept using her hand to knock it out and cry for it back and couldn't see her learning to put it back for quite a few months. The first night I shh patted her to sleep, it took about 10 minutes, did the same for the following days naps but took less time. By day 2 she was fine without and just sucked her lip instead. Is 17 months now, her sleep improved and she still sucks her lip when tired and going to sleep. I don't think many pick this option as the dummy is a great tool to help sleep but I had already got her in a good routine and read in a parenting book "baby bliss" to get rid of it between 4 and 6 months so went with it.