my 4 month old is waking up and talking through the night

[HA78]

My 4m old has always been a really good sleeper and has slept through the night from 13 weeks, although we do often have to get up to replace his dummy. For the last few nights he has been waking up any time from 2 til 3am and chatting loudly for upwards of an hour. He is so noisy that it is waking us up, although he is quite happy. Last night I fed him after an hour and a half but he carried on chatting afterwards for a bit, then didn't want his morning feed, so I don't think he's hungry. We don't use a monitor, but have an angel care apnoea matress with an alarm and we live in a small bungalow, so noises are easily heard. My DH has gone in a few times to give him his dummy when he has been chatting, but I don't think this is a good idea, and think it might make DS realise that he can get our attention easily through the night when he doesn't really need us for anything.

My question is - has anybody else experienced this, is it a developmental phase, because he has just discovered his voice and chats a lot in the daytime too, and how long will it last? I'll be getting out the ear plugs tonight I think!

Hi

Think its a phase. DD (8months) has gone thru several phases of waking up and talking during the night.

She usually doesn't want anything and is happy just to chat away to herself and her comforters. And as funny as it is to listen to, it does get wearing after a few nights if interrupted sleep.

Her last chatty phase only lasted 8 nights and then it was all quiet. It seems to preceed a new developmental step each time. This time she started trying to crawl after the night chatting and at xmas she had a week of chatting and she suddenly sat by herself after.

It could be unrelated but still.

Also if you want to be freed from having to go and put dummy in during the night, you can get a comforter for your DS and tie the dummies to it and then he can put it in himself. We did that with DD from 4 and a half months and other than the occassional chat we don't hear from her at night.

It may take a few nights for him to get the dummy thing but you'll be happy when he does and so will your DS as my DD can put it in asleep now so she's more settled too.

Hope the nattering stops soon so you can get much needed kip....