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AIBU?

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Getting so frustrated with 4 month sleep regression

28 replies

Boymumtobe09 · 26/01/2025 02:05

My 16 week old baby has gone from being a pretty good sleeper to waking up 4+ times a night - it started to get worse around Xmas but has completely deteriorated in the last week. Every night this week he has done
less sleep then the night before.

I know it’s not his fault at all, but I can’t help but feel so frustrated by it because I know he can do much longer stretches of sleep. The only way I can calm him down is by feeding so I’m starting to feel really sore - it feels worse than newborn days!

He’s also incredibly grouchy and has started doing the most blood curdling screeching - I had to leave a baby group this week because it was just so awful and embarassing.

All I keep reading online is that it can get even worse and some babies never get back to being good sleepers so I’m feeling like there is no end in sight. I’ve got a consistent bedtime routine for him & he goes into his crib awake so I don’t know what more I can do to get him through this. The only tips I’ve seen is either to co-sleep or split the nights with a Partner, neither of which are an option for me.

I know IABU as he can’t help it but it’s just so tough. I’m dreading going to bed every night.

OP posts:
minnieot · 26/01/2025 03:58

Just wanted to say I'm also in the same boat with my 19 week old. It's really hard. We've resorted to cosleeping which helps a little. I also noticed a first tooth has cut through so wondering if teething may be a big factor x

02tryingfor02 · 26/01/2025 03:51

I am in the same boat. 15 week old not sleeping for more than 2 hours every night, it's so exhausting.

Here in sympathy ❤️‍🩹 I've took to having a long nap of a morning but it's really getting to me that the house is upside down and I have no energy. I have DS aged 5 too so I feel awful on him as he's not getting as much time with me.

Hoping this gets better for us both very soon

Maxorias · 26/01/2025 03:40

Hey OP,

Yes it's tough but there absolutely is an end to this. It may take weeks or months but he'll get there.

When he wakes up what do you do ? Make sure to keem lights off, no talking, no changing unless he pooed or nappy is bursting, and milk only if it makes sense (ie, not if he had some twenty minutes ago...)

Cosleeping if perfectly acceptable if you need it. I am usually not keen (simply because I don't sleep well then as too worried I might harm the baby !) but I did it with DC3 and it helped 100%.
Cosleeping doesn't have to be forever, either. Coslept with DC3 for maybe 3 months (there were other reasons for that too), and transitioned to her own room when she was 8 months old. She's now 11 months old and sleeps through the night pretty reliably.

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