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Is loads of sleep normal after the 4 month regression

10 replies

SunshineYello · 21/11/2020 23:20

My first post 😁
Just that really; after 21 weeks (feels like years) of hourly waking, the little darling has started to consistently sleep for 13 hours, with a couple of night feeds. Now I'm certainly not complaining, but should I be concerned that this is too much sleep?
I've googled, but although I can see more sleep can be the happy outcome of the regression, it feels a bit excessive? The guidelines suggest 8-12 hours at night is usual.
(If anyone has experience of this and it's a prelude to them suddenly refusing to sleep ever again, I don't want to know! 😂).

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SpillingTheTea · 21/11/2020 23:43

I wouldn't say so.
Your DC obviously needs it. If you are concerned speak to your HV for proper professional advice though.

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FTEngineerM · 21/11/2020 23:46

I’ve noticed ours sleeping way more since 4m regression. He’s just over 5 months and sleeps 10-12 hours at night (wakes for feeds) and 4-5 hour long naps in the day.

I’ve managed to demolish the crown series on Netflix after not watching any tv for weeks because he was awake almost all the time.

Enjoy. Let’s hope it lasts.

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FTEngineerM · 21/11/2020 23:46

That is 4 or 5 x 1 hour long naps **

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TheBabyAteMyBrain · 21/11/2020 23:50

If the child is happy, feeding well, gaining weight, interacting appropriately for their age, reaching milestones, alert, pooing and peeing frequently and all is the right colour and consistency...enjoy the sleep!

Some children need/like more sleep than others. I'm a firm believer that we should be guided by the child not the books.

If you fancy popping your wee one around to have a chat about 13hr sleeps with my toddlers...now that would be grand Grin

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SunshineYello · 22/11/2020 00:08

Thanks all!
Yes; I was thinking of contacting HV but worried I was being a paranoid first time mum. All the usual checks are fine (nappies/feeds). I will keep an eye on it though, as it's so out of character!
@TheBabyAteMyBrain I am terrified of the toddler years, watching my poor friends go through it! They seem merciless!

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TheBabyAteMyBrain · 22/11/2020 00:24

Don't be terrified, watching your child become a person with a marvelous personality is just fantastic. It's exasperating at times but there are too many wonderful or funny moments that makeup for it.

Toddler tantrums are nonsensical, they are frequent, but they are your child learning to communicate and learning social rules. We've found makaton a god send. My eldest has SN and it's his only way of communicating, for my youngest it alleviates the frustration of lack of verbal communication.

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misselphaba · 22/11/2020 15:19

Why witchcraft did you use to achieve this? Tell us your secrets.

Seriously. I'm in the thick of the 4 mth sleep regression and can see I'm making the same mistakes I did first time round with DD and she certainly didn't sleep through any time near 4 mths. This time round, I would prefer an outcome similar to yours. How did you handle the wake ups during the sleep regression?

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SunshineYello · 22/11/2020 16:39

@misselphaba I'm not convinced it's going to last!!! It's only been a week so far, hence I was a bit concerned something might be amiss with him generally, although he seems well..
But for what it's worth.. I've always just picked him up every time he cried and offered feed/shushed back to sleep with a dummy. That's literally it; I've had a lot of 'making a rod for my own back' and 'the baby is spoilt, that's why he cries so much' comments 🙄(I know it's BS). And the previous 20 weeks have been so so tough as he was up every hour every day without fail..
Only other thing is refusal to take him out the bedroom/play/turn the light on before 7am but nothing clever or insightful! 🤷I imagine it's a lot harder to stick to any kind of plan when you have more than 1 child...
I feel your pain btw! The 4month regression is no joke!

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misselphaba · 22/11/2020 20:42

I don't think there's anything wrong with your baby by the way. Sleeping for 13 hours with a couple of night feeds sounds normal and healthy. I think you can't quite believe your luck after weeks of sleepless nights and think it must be too good to be true.

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SunshineYello · 22/11/2020 23:13

@misselphaba you might have just hit the nail on the head! If I have another, I bet I'll laugh my head off at being worried because my baby started sleeping! I'll enjoy while it lasts! 😂

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