4 month old query

[Jayprice1985]

Hello All

To cut to the chase we have a little boy that weighs around 17.5 pound and 19 weeks old so he's a good size baby.

Since birth he has been a very good sleeper and we have a good night-time routine.

Bath at 6.30, bed and asleep for half 7. Usually wakes up once around 3-4 and then back to sleep till 6, so cannot complain.

However…. For the last couple of weeks he has been very fussy on the boob day and night, not really sleeping in the day and then is now waking up around 1am for a feed, then 4am for a feed and back to sleep. He is also a bit fussy in the night and moving a lot and doesn’t appear to be in a deep sleep.

Loads of poos and wees and generally happy in himself so clearly getting fed.

This is not a whinge, as I know this is still really good that he only wakes up twice in 11 hours on a night, but why all of a sudden this extra waking in a night? Why this sudden fussiness?

Thanks.

Four month sleep regression. Totally normal. We are also going through it at the moment.
Their sleep changes at this age to be more like an adult's so they have lighter sleep and are more likely to wake after a sleep cycle.
There's also a big growth and development spurt around this time which can disrupt sleep and mean they will want to feed more - they need the energy for all the growing.
It will pass!

thanks for your help. What about the increased feeding in the day also? Is this normal too? fed for like an hour this morning. worried about not having enough milk. He has the biggest poo though.

could he need weaning or formula throwing in?

All normal - he is having a growth spurt so feeding more to support that. He'll be building up your milk supply to meet his growing needs as well, hence the long / cluster feeds. No need for formula or weaning - just keep giving him boob whenever he wants it and it will settle down soon enough. In fact formula is counter productive as giving it means he will feed less from you and your milk supply will reduce accordingly. And weaning before 6 months isn't advised as their digestive system isn't ready for it and there's a real danger they might choke. It does feel a bit like having a newborn again I know, but hang in there!

Thanks for your reply it’s helpful. Slept from 7.30 last night woke at twelve then slept till 5 before waking again 7am. My partner wasn’t in room last night though and we wonder if it’s his snoring that might wake baby and makes him fussy with him sleeping lighter as you say. We are just reluctant to put him in his own room yet with not been 6 months but my partner thinks it might help as he won’t wake at our every movement and vise verse?