Sleep Regression and comfort nursing

[Gemskiola]

Hey,
I am currently in the middle of the 4 month sleep regression (two and a bit weeks, let’s hope it ends soon!) I was wondering if anyone has some advice on how I can help my baby nap. I try all the usual methods (dark room/white noise) but, if he does nap it only for about 10 minutes, except in the afternoon where he will nap on me until I finally need to pee (about an hour) and he inevitably wakes up if I even attempt to put him down.
My other, related problem is that he doesn’t ever seem to be comforted by anything other than nursing. If I rock him, give him a dummy or sing to him he just cries until I nurse him. Now that he is waking every hour at night, I do t want him to expect more frequent night time feedings once the regression is over. It’s also annoying because it’s hard for my husband to settle him. Any advice (or just experiences that show us that there is a light at the end of the regression tunnel) would be nice

[EL1984]

Hi, I had a very long 4 month sleep regression so I hope yours is over soon!
Millie Poppins Instagram massively helped me, she has quite a lot of free resources and masterclasses you can buy, I used the moving away from breastfeeding to sleep one which tells you how to transition to shh pat in the cot which I was able to use during the night and for naps. The 4-6 month webinar is also worth purchasing. Is basically all about consistency, always try to nap in the cot, same routine etc.
If/when you are ready to look at having baby self settle I used the gentle method in the little ones programme where you use interval crying and can use boob to soothe. I also introduced a comforter a 5 months and by 6 months following very minimal interval crying (literally 2 or 3 lots of 3min periods of crying/comforting) he was happy to fall asleep in the cot with his comforter.
Good luck xx

[BunnyRuddington]

It does get better but if you need a break or you DH wants to settle him, get DH to put him in a sling and either go fir a walk or walk around the house.

Have you tried using a T-shirt that DH has worn as the sheet in his Moses Basket as well? They usually find the smell comforting.

[Gemskiola]

Thanks for replying, I’ll look into the instagram page. My beautiful little man is quite fussy and very inconsistent so a sling and buggy are difficult. He gets annoyed at being restricted but will occasionally fall asleep.
Yesterday, defying all odds he fell asleep with my MIL. I popped out for a bit, came back and she had sung him to sleep. She even managed to put him safely on the floor (carpet and clean blanket) he stirred and went back to sleep!

[FATEdestiny]

If I rock him, give him a dummy or sing to him he just cries until I nurse him

With the dummy, sounds like it's just passively in baby's mouth. For a dummy to be useful (and they very definately are) it needs to be actively sucked. It's physically impossible to cry while simultaneously sucking - that is the aim with the dummy.

So some pointers for getting active sucking in the dummy.

• don't just put it in baby's mouth. Use ways you get baby to latch. So tickle baby's cheek with the teat so he turns and reaches for the dummy with his mouth. Or tickle upper lip with dummy so again baby actively reaches up to "latch" on the dummy.

• aim dummy upwards towards roof of mouth, not towards back of throat. This again triggers sucking

• once the dummy is (actively) taken, tapping on the outside of the dummy triggers the sucking reflex.

• if after this baby still isn't actively sucking, remove dummy and start again. It's helping no-one to sit limply in babys mouth

• if baby is old enough to have started putting toys/objects from hand to mouth, put dummies in baby's hands to self-explore.

At times when you are desperate to settle an over tired and hysterical baby, remember the 4 S's

• side ways
• swaying
• sucking
• shushing

Cradle hold baby on their side, facing you, head higher than stomach. Sway side to side, rhythmically, evenly and consistantly. Keep the sucking going with the dummy. Have a good shushhhhhhh sound going (Or white noise, which serves the same purpose).