Help - 4 month old and sleepless nights!

[febmummy]

Help!

My four month old breast fed baby, who we are just staring to introduce formula to at the 11pm feed, has started to wake up several times during the night.

We did have a blissful period of him sleeping for up to 8 hours at a time so we know that he can do it, but he now wakes up every couple of hours.

When he wakes, he does seem to be hungry and will feed for a good 15-20 mins from me before falling back to sleep again so I am not sure whether we should be leaving him to cry. Or maybe he has learnt that if he cries, he will get a cuddle and food from me so sleep training would help..

Does anyione have any thoughts on what is waking him up and/or any tips that would encourage him to sleep through the night.

Thanks!

Please don't leave him to cry,he's still so young.
There's nothing wrong with him learning that he'll get fed if he cries,that's what's supposed to happen.

He's not manipulating you. It's his only way of communicating with you and telling you what he needs, and if he's hungry he needs to be fed,not ignored.

4 months is also classic growth spurt time so it may pass and he may go back into his old routine.

LetThereBeRock speaks sense. At this age it is easier, kinder and more reasonable to adjust your expectations than it is to try and "train" a baby. If this is the classic 4 month growth spurt the more you breastfeed the quicker it will settle down. Ride it out, it will pass!

some info on crying that you may find helpful

I agree with those who say, do not leave your baby to cry.

ok thanks everyone. I have heard such conflicting advice from friends and HVs so was becoming quite confused about what to do. many, including a hv told me to leave him to cry but he does seem to be hungry during the night so I will keep feeding him and hope that it will pass with time.
I think that he might also be teething as he has a little bump on his lower gum at the front and is constantly drooling so that might be making him uncomfortable too.
Thanks
x

tribunalgoer is right, it'll be the infamous 4 month sleep regression. My experience of HVs is that they seem remarkably ignorant about growth spurts and developmental spurts, which is what causes sleep regressions.

It is totally normal and will pass. My DS started waking 3 or 4 times a night during his 4 month regression. I just kept on feeding him every time he woke up and at some point he went back to waking once or twice again.

Be excited - it's because your baby's brain is busy working on new skills, such as being more social and interactive with you.

More info on the 4 month regression here:

here, here, here and here.