4 mo is getting worse & i'm at the end of my tether!

[girlynut]

After co-sleeping DS2 for the first month and then moses basket at bedside I put him in his cot in the nursery at 3 mo. Switched to formula at this time too as I returned to work.

He was having 6oz bottles at 7am, 10am, 2pm, 5.30pm and 10pm but continued to wake for a feed around 3am which was fine.

But for the past couple of weeks he's been waking frequently at night - every couple of hours at least, sometimes more. I've avoided feeding him as I don't want to make a rod for my own back and I think at this age he shouldn't need more than one night feed. I've tried leaving him to sort himself out but he won't settle by himself and ends up screaming after 10 mins. He'll go back off if i cuddle him but as soon as i put him down he goes rigid and cries. I've taken to lying him on his side with a dummy in and gently rocking his hips which settles him but doesn't stop the frequent waking. Worried that rocking & dummy are becoming props...

Any ideas please? He naps poorly during the day with my mum and is always shattered at bedtime at 7pm - could this be cause? Thinking about controlled crying..? I can't rest during the day as I work fulltime, study part time and also have a 4 yo!!

[hellsbelles]

I really feel for you - DD went through a similar thing at 4 months - it seemed to me to be a growth spurt that just went on and on (I did feed her when she woke up). Then she suddenly slept through again after about 3 weeks of this.

I don't think they advise controlled crying until 6 months.

[ilovespagbol]

Perhaps he is hungry, (growth spurt) or thirsty? Controlled crying is not recommended under 6 months. Hope its getting better.

[ilovespagbol]

just seen gave practically same advice as hellsbelles....

[thisisyesterday]

i would imagine it's the classic 4 month growth spurt, it can be a killer.

he is very little still and if he is waking he is probably hungry. this may also be contributing to poor napping during the day.

you may think he only needs one feed, but HE knows when he is hungry, and tiny babies don't just wake for the fun of it.
he really is far too small to be left to cry.

[pookamoo]

My DD still has 2 night feeds at 11 months...
(not much help, sorry!) Controlled crying is definitely not recommended for babies under 7 months or so.

Could you go back to co-sleeping? He's only so tiny still, I wouldn't worry about the props, and I think they say about 10 months old is the time to wean them off the dummy, so plenty of time left for that!

Other things, could it be that he's teething? Also, now the nights are getting colder, maybe he's cold, especially in the big cot which is less cosy than the moses basket iyswim?

[pookamoo]

oh yes, what thisisyesterday said, too. Could your DP help out at all in the night?

[Rycie]

I agree with what everyone else has said about him obviously needing the calories, babies don't wake on purpose.

What about also putting him to bed a bit earlier, I used to put my dd to bed at around 6.30 but she wasn't a great day sleeper either and always so tired, so now she goes to sleep at 6 (and even a little earlier if she's exhausted) and she actually sleeps better. As the saying goes, sleep begets sleep.

[pleasechange]

4 months is a frequent turning period for sleep. DS's sleep deteriorated terribly at 4 mths, and he was frequently waking and feeding, sometimes every hour or so. I cut out the night feeds at 8 mths, but his sleep was still really bad until about 10mths. Hang on in there, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hope things get better for you