Baby won't go to bed early

[Lindah1]

Hi, my LO is just coming up to 4 months. She was sleeping quite well at a time up to now, 8 hours the odd time but usually 5/6 hours. Trouble is she will not go to sleep before 10 (11 before time change). We have tried bringing her routine forward (bath sleeping bag feed) but she just won't go down any earlier and becomes hysterical and then won't settle for hours , we try not to make a fuss of her then. The past few nights she has dropped off at 10 but woken around 1130, not hungry but crying and crying. We seem to be going backwards. No signs of teething symptoms. We try not to let her nap past 7pm.
At present she naps at various times during the day, in the car, walking, but not normally in the house unless after a feed. Not sure how to structure this better or if she is too young.so 2 issues really. Please help

[Lindah1]

Before the latest 11.30pm waking episodes she was sleeping 10-5/6 with a feed sometimes at 3am. Then napping in her cot til 9 on and off (still doing that)

[furryelephant]

My DD was the same, until about 6 months “night time” was around 11pm and she’d be up for the day between 9:30-11am. She’s almost 1 now and usually goes to bed between 8-9pm and up anywhere from 6.30am-9am depending on the night! Every baby is completely different, and 4 months is a hellish time for sleep (google 4 month sleep regression!). I’d advise to just go with it and by next week it could all change again. Not helpful though, I know.

[Rainycity]

Hi my LO is 9 months and not a good sleeper, so not really one for giving sleep advice (!) but sounds like the 4 month sleep regression. My LO was also going to sleep late at this age, but gradually got earlier so it’s now naturally around 7pm. I normally don’t attempt to put him down to bed if it’s been less than 2.5-3 hours since his afternoon nap as he won’t be tired enough. 7pm sounds late to be napping, if she is sleeping in the early evening could you try and make that her ‘bedtime’ and then dreamfeed when she wakes?

[amelie427]

This is pretty normal IME, just give it time.

If your LO is not going down until 10 and she isn’t napping beyond 7pm she is likely be chronically over- tired, which won’t help in the long run. If I were you, I would really encourage sleep at 7 after your bedtime routine, even if it does just end up being a nap.

At this age, My DS would have a nap at 7, wake for an hour or two and then go down for the night. One day, out of nowhere (around 4.5 Months I think?), this stopped being a nap and it was him going down for the night. I’m not sure you can force it.

The best advice I received on here, was that awake time between daytime naps at this age should be no more than 1.5 hours. This should avoid overtiredness which will help night time sleep improve.

[AssumethePerpendicular]

In exactly the same position here with my 13 week old. He never went to sleep before 9 but in last week or so has been much later. I’m trying to increase number and length of daytime naps after reading on here he shouldn’t be awake for more than 1.5 hours, he’ll quite happily be awake for 4
Not got any advice but sympathies!

[crazycatlady5]

This is really normal. It creeps up, at about 6 months it got to about 9.30 and now at 9 months she is asleep by 7.30 as she’s exhausted. Your baby will get there - it’s perfectly natural.

[Bluebelltulip]

My DD did this too and has gradually moved earlier and now at 9 months she is in bed by 8. Agreeing with pp don't let her get over tired.

[BellyBean]

I found getting dd up and starting the day earlier had strong effect on bedtime. Id regulsrly wake at at least 8am or earlier.

[Lindah1]

Hi everyone thanks a million for your suggestions.i was waiting to try out a few things before updating.
So we started the bedtime routine around 7 to be in bed before 8, and it went really well at first, she sometimes woke for a feed around 10/11 and other times slept til 3am or later before needing a quick feed. She was always good for going straight back to sleep after a night feed.
The naps were naturally becoming more regular, one around 10am one 1230 on the dot and one around 3/4. So all was well.

Then....we took 10 steps backwards. Naps still Ok, and continued to go down ok at the earlier time once fed to sleep, but now ALWAYS wakes about an hour in ( I'm guessing after a sleep cycle) and will not go back asleep in the cot, despite feeding, rocking the usual. She drops off no problem, but as soon as she hits the cot wakes immediately. Have tried putting her down "sleepy but awake" as they say, and rubbing her chest and shushing but it doesnt work at all have tried for up to an hour at times. To get any sleep I have had to move her into our bed feed to sleep then roll her over. Some nights i have been able to move her back into the cot after a subsequent feed, but last night she became hysterical again. Plus she's been waking every 2 hours (though last night was a little better). Strange thing is when she has her midday nap that's in the cot and she goes down ok.
She had injections last Monday which I'm sure didn't help but this started before then.
I'm at my wits end with her.

[SprogletsMum]

She's still so tiny I'd just go with it. All of mine still needed to sleep with me at 4 months. They were all ready to sleep in their own beds at different ages. The youngest was 6 months I think the longest was until 2. I've always just gone with what makes life easier rather than what is "right"

[userabcname]

There is a sleep regression at 4-5 months which I am currently in the depths of.....praying it will pass soon!

[Lindah1]

Katniss, how is it manifesting itself with you?

[userabcname]

It started with super early wakings. DS used to sleep basically 7pm-7am with 2-3 feeds in between. Then he started waking earlier and earlier until it got to like 3.30am! Now he fights sleep all the time. Naps are a disaster. Bedtime, which was very peaceful, is now an absolute battle. He wakes up 1-2 hourly and sometimes will be awake for hours at a time. The night before last, he woke at 1.30am and didn't fall asleep again until 4am. Last night was ok (woke every 2-3 hours but re-settled with relative ease). On the whole though it has been a nightmare!

[Lindah1]

My sympathies, sounds very familiar.

[2sly4you]

Mine was the same. She's 10 months now and I can get her down at about 7.30 pm but it means that she wakes up at 6am after letting me lie in until 8am for so many months SAD FACE

[2sly4you]

Oh, and my baby cries when put down in her crib if she needs a wee. As soon as the wee situation is dealt with, she's fine with sleeping alone. Babies are weird.