6 month old baby

[DannyWallace]

I'm not 100% sure where to post this....

My DD is 6 months old. Generally she's a very relaxed, happy baby and has always fed well (EBF). Never slept through the night but would wake once or twice for a quick feed then back to sleep.

The 4 month regression/leap hit...she started to wake up more and has started to really fight going to sleep. It's basically been 2 months and has gradually gotten worse. She screams and screams when it's time for bed. Then she will wake up every couple of hours (all night) absolutely distraught. The only thing that will comfort her is a breast feed. She won't settle at all for DH and will just get increasingly upset until I feed her.

I can no longer put her down "drowsy but awake" she will now only feed to sleep. I've tried making her bed time earlier or later-no change. We started weaning 2.5 weeks ago. No change. She's still in our bedroom.

Any ideas? If it's just comfort she's looking for or it's just a phase that's absolutely fine. I'm managing ok so if the best thing to do is just to stay close to feed her then fine. I just don't want to be doing anything wrong.

I used to take the dogs out for a walk in the evening when she was asleep, but I don't feel comfortable doing that anymore as we have no idea when she'll wake up, and she gets so upset.

She doesn't appear to be in any kind of discomfort during the day-it literally all starts when I put her in her sleeping bag or when i place her down at night (if she's awake).

An example so far tonight is she had her bath etc and fell asleep around 7.15 (slightly early for her, but we've had a busy day). She then cried again at 8 so I settled her again. She then got up again at 9.45. She was absolutely screaming and rolling around, lifting her head up, but her eyes were still shut. I tried to just lie next to her, touch her, comfort her, talk to her etc but no change. I picked her up for a cuddle and no change. She will literally only stop crying when I put her to the breast.

Any advice?

Sorry OP, I have no advice but my DS is exactly the same. It started slightly earlier with him at 8-10 weeks and is still going now at nearly 7 months, so if it's a phase it's a long one! Up until recently I'd tried most things except putting him in his own room, which I was reluctant to do, but I finally did it at the weekend and it hasn't made any difference unfortunately If you find anything that works please do share!

No, but following with interest. My 6 month DD also suffered from the 4 month sleep regression - she used to sleep so well, now wakes every 1-2 hours through the night. She will calm down with a cuddle and doze back off, but won't go into a deep enough sleep to be put back down again without breastfeeding. Like you, I'm fine with that if it's the right thing and just a phase!!

We're going to move her into her own room this week as she usually sleeps fine 8-11ish but the hourly wakeups start when we go up.

My inclination is to just do what works though - if breastfeeding works to get them back to sleep quickly, it works! I wouldn't worry yet about it being "a rod for your own back". Would she take a bottle at all to give you a break in the evening?

Thank you both for the reply.
Even if there's no fix, at least I'm not alone.

@EyeDrops we gave her a bottle occasionally when she was younger, and then at around 2 months she started refusing it (and when we've tried it for this it's just made her more upset). We're trying the cup alongside weaning. She's definitely drinking something, but it doesn't seem to be enough to comfort her.

@rottiemum88 we were considering her own room, however when she first goes to sleep I go back downstairs so even by herself in a quiet room she wakes up. The wake ups are the same whether I'm next to her or not.

I hope it passes for you soon

My first DS was quite similar and to be honest has never been a good sleeper. He does now generally sleep through the night in his own bed (he is 3!) He woke every 2 hours for at least a year and didn't sleep through at all until well past 2.

DS2 is only 14 weeks but is sleeping through 8-6 off his own back. DS1 would never, ever have done that. 4 month sleep regression might knock it all out but I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

My firm belief is that some babies sleep and some don't. It's not anything you're doing or not doing it's just who they are. I would just do whatever it takes to get by, bf, co-sleep, shifts with DH/DP, whatever works for you. Don't worry about it causing problems down the line, things don't stay the same for longer that a few months with babies anyway, illness, teething, leaps etc shift everything about.

With DS1 I found the thing that worked best was for DH to take baby in the mornings to give me a bit of a break. At the weekends I had long lie ins on both days to try and catch up a bit.

Good luck OP, I know it feels impossible when you're in the thick of it but this too shall pass!

I thought I cracked the sleep thing with my DD but now 10mo and still co sleeping, still suckles for a big portion of the night and some nights will not let go of booby at all without waking up so I end up going to bed at 7 o'clock... No advice im afraid just a fellow sufferer! Seems very common with BF babies, in told after 12mo gets easier....

DD (now 4.5) was like this. 4m sleep regression ruined her! We had a double bed in her room (as well as her cot bed) and so when she woke in the night I would get into bed with her and BF her back to sleep. I didn't work for a long time so this suited me perfectly, we both went to sleep as quickly as we could, DH not much disturbed so fresh for work.
She stopped feeding around 20m, and we still went through and got into the big bed with her when she was ill or having a problem.
One of us probably went through to her every night until she was around 2.5ish, and this gradually dropped off to only when she's ill.

It is hard and feels never ending but if you don't have to worry about work I would definitely recommend feeding to sleep and just everyone getting as much sleep as possible.

Good luck!

I have to agree with sunshinegirl82, I think some babies are naturally good sleepers and others need that little bit more reassurance through the night.
I dont think it anything you do, I just think it's part of who they are.

They go through so many phases when they are trying to get to grips with the world, it will settle down when they are ready.

It may be exhausting now but it will get better ,💐

I'm glad it's not just me. Even if there's nothing to help, at least I know it seems normal.

She was such a good sleeper until 4 months!! 😫. But hey, if my girl needs me, then so be it.

Thank you everyone