4 months old: cranky, clingy and poor sleep...

[Mae34]

Hello - I just wondered if this rang a bell with anyone - my almost 4 month old DD who was formerly sunny tempered and contented little girl seems to have morphed into waking up every 3 hours at night, refuses to be put down for naps, crying inconsolably when I put her in her cot or take her off the boob. Nothing else has been different although she has had a bit of a cold but this has been going on for about 2 weeks now...

Any ideas how to best manage this phase? I feel like I'm being rubbish at responding as I feel like if I hold her lots more, let her sleep on me etc we're somehow regressing? (I know this is probably silly - first time mum)...

Thanks

x

Aw, she's still tiny. I don't believe you can hold a 4 mo baby too much. Have you thought about using a baby carrier or sling? That should help calm her down and you'll be able to get on with things if you want to.

It think the best way to manage things would be to listen to your baby and your instincts (ignoring all the things that 'the books' would say) and just keeping repeating 'this too shall pass'

It could be a million and one things that she's going through that just means that she needs her mum around more.

a, beginning of teething
b, growth spurt
c, Brain development phase e.g. beginning to join up the neurones that allow her to sit unaided
d, start of development of 'sense of self' and consequently the concept of mummy being separate from her - a BIG moment and a very unsettling one for a littlun
e, feeling grotty with the cold
f, being affected by the change in the weather (is she cold at all?)

Lots of things - just keep cuddling and remember there is no such thing as regressing. the 'progress' from baby to adult is an unstopable forward force.. it's just that to our adult eyes sometimes it looks like a step backwards because we don't understand...

could it possibly be teething? Some babies are inconsolable when their teeth start to come through. DD gets quite cranky but a friends little girl has a complete personality transplant.

i know what you mean about regressing. I would also be wary of setting up behaviours which are unsustainable in the long term.

if it is teething, some teething gel might help or some judicious use of calpol.

Growth spurt would be top of my list, but also developmental burst. I'd cuddle and feed her until she can't take any more! Don't worry about 'too much' cuddling or being obliged to literally put her down for naps - it's very easy to go back to that stuff later when she needs the physical contact less. You could feed to sleep as well.

Thankyou guys! As usual - sound and reassuring advice...I know a baby cant be clingy, I sort of meant clingier, ifyswm...and yes, its confirmed my gut feeling that I should be trying to respond in a more flexible way and not worry about "progress"! :)

x