To ask for help with my 15 weeks old sleep

[Napqueen1234]

Hello,

I know this will have been done to death and posting in AIBU for traffic really. My 15 week year old has been really difficult for naps and night sleep the last few days. Could be 4 month regression earlier (remember it well from my eldest 🥴) but seems a bit different.

Before the last few days she would go down for naps and night sleep ‘drowsy but awake’ at times, swaddled with dummy and Oli the owl (heartbeat noise). I know part of the 4 month regression is trying to remove sleep props but these seem to work for her. She would nap 4 times a day including a 2 hour mid day nap and wake 2 times a night for feeds (ff since 12 weeks due to struggles bf).

The last few nights she’s needed to be help and rocked in a specific way (lying flat held close) until deeply asleep and then can be put in the cot. If put down awake she screams, if put down not completely conked she wakes and cries. She also has been waking twice a night but for up to an hour (we tried a dream feed the last two nights but doesn’t make much difference despite her taking 5oz!).

What would you do? Obviously ride it out and I know she’s little. If it was a growth spurt ie just more feeding I wouldn’t mind at all but she seems distressed- lots of crying. You have to hold her really close or she will sort of go rigid and buck away from you crying. She was never a colicky baby really and hasn’t had problem with formula before.

Tonight we are going to drop the dream feed. A friend suggested continuous white noise all night has that helped anyone? Bit desperate as have a 3 year old too so exhausted isn’t even the word!

I was really lucky to have good night sleepers (never napped well but that was ok!). For my Toddler we had an Oli and a MyHummy. We used both and the MyHummy turned on during the night if she became unsettled. It really seemed to help when she was tiny. From around 6 months she didn't need Oli anymore but we still use the MyHummy and she has a Fisher Price seahorse she can turn on herself (at 1 and a half).

I would co-sleep. Unfortunately, one child being a good sleeper doesn't guarantee their sibling will be the same. It doesn't last forever; it just feels like it until it's over. Plus, it's a lot harder to reason with a non-verbal baby than a toddler!

Just hold her - she won't need it for long. Mine was the same but by 6 months I could put her down once asleep.

Do you have a sling so you can crack on with other things you need to do?

Thanks all. @laudete I’ve tried co sleeping but she’s the same has to be in a deep deep sleep and then doesn’t seem to matter where she’s put. She doesn’t wake less in our bed sadly. Yes @Boshmama we sling in the day it’s more the nights! Thanks though.

When you say swaddled, would it not be better to get a baby sleeping bag. I thought you weren’t meant to swaddle them as they approach the rolling stage, also allows them comfort of their arms over their face if they want.

@LouiseTrees we do have sleeping bags but I find if we don’t swaddle in her arms she will flail and knock the dummy out her mouth and immediately cry. She isn’t rolling yet but will be mindful of that obviously!

Man. I remember these days. I went 4 days without sleep with my second. The first few tines it happened. People asked em if I was sick. I looked dealthy unwell

Mine grew out of it around 18 months.

I use white noise all night, every night, works for me, we use a sleeping bag, he does take his dummy out alot and I just keep putting it back in (can take a few goes) he also sleeps with a muslin cloth to cuddle, which I take of him when he's asleep as I'm a bit paranoid about things like that! Think he just likes feeling the material. Feel your pain though 😔