To be scared of waking him up?!

[Mississippilessly]

I have posted about a bajillion times in the last few weeks I genuinely believer that MN is stopping me from falling into full blown PND - but sorry if I'm boring people!

DS is 16 weeks. Was a pretty good sleeper until about a month ago and it has all gone to shite. Some nights he only wakes twice but others he is awake frequently. I'm never sure if he is hungry or not - and then if I feed him he then gets windy so I am reluctant to feed him unnecessarily but I don't want to keep trying to settle him if he just wants food.

He will nap in his crib for maybe 40 mins in the morning but doesn't like it. He naps in his sling or car seat like a dream. Today he had a 2hr 45min nap this morning and a 1.5 hr this afternoon. I don't wake him in the morning - if we have had a bad night and he wants to sleep to 9 then I let him because I am desperate for sleep!

It goes against my instincts but should I try waking him at say 7 and trying to limit his daytime naps? His best nighttime sleep has been when he has had the least sleep in the day and also the most sleep in the day so i feel a bit lost.

He is our only child so I don't have to make him fit into anybody else's schedule.

There will be people along soon to say something helpful about the living nightmare of 4 month sleep regression.

E.g., : www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/2012589-Sleeping-Problem-at-14-weeks

I have heard of the 4 month sleep regression. But I'm so desperate to get through it. I'm terrified of setting him up with bad sleep habits (but at the same time sleep at any price!) I tried co-sleeping with him last night, it didn't really make any difference, unless I let him sleep in my arms laying down.

This is normal - as soon as you think you have cracked it something changes!

This to shall pass!

Every baby is different but I found waking a sleeping baby never brings anyone joy!

In my personal opinion (mum of 5) they better they sleep in the day the better they sleep at night.

Keep routine and stick to it, nap time same , milk same, bath same and bed time Same.

If they haven't slept well all say they will get over tired through the night.

Good luck

No please dont wake him or try to limit his daytime sleeps. The better he sleeps in the day the better it will be in the long run. At the moment his body is working it all out and he needs practice. Dont co sleep it will make it worse. Try not to rock him to sleep or feed him till he drops. Settle him in his cot during the day before he is fully asleep and encourage him to soothe himself. Many babies this age have the best sleep in the morning and eventually they swing it round. Let nature help you. When he is old enough for solids a porridge supper is slow release and useful. Be patient it is still early days. I would advice against too much falling asleep in the sling it will slow the process down

confusedbut he doesn't sleep in his crib in the day! I can't follow all the advice at the same time. If he is in his crib he needs constant help and will wake up early - resulting in a crappy nap. If he is in the sling he goes off quickly, before being overtired, and sleeps well.

This is such a headfuck. I can't keep a bedtime the same if I never wake him. He naps 2hrs (roughly) after being awake. If I don't wake him in the morning then his naps will always be at different times.

Arrrrrrggggggghhhh