Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Original poster

Come talk to me about the 4 month sleep regression.

83 replies

Neeko · 31/07/2010 08:55

DD2 was 4 months on Thursday. Since then (how did she know? ) she has started waking in the night and being awake for up to 2 hours at a time.This goes on all night.I think we had about 3.5hrs sleep on Thursday and about an hour more on Fri. She previously used to wake once, feed (BF) and go back to sleep.
When she is awake she's hyper, pumping her legs continually and shouting out. She does feed but isn't really that interested. She sleeps in a crib in our room in gro-bag and we have blackout curtains.

Does this sound like sleep regression? How long is it likely to last and is there anything I can do to help?

Thanks

OP posts:
koeda · 04/08/2010 19:42

barbie1 interesting re the doctor's comments. My DS had been trying to roll about a month ago, but has recently become bored of practising and now prefers to practice sitting and standing. So now he only practices rolling in his sleep. He is so impatient! I spent this afternoon rolling him around our bed to try to encourage him to get it, but no... he just wants to stand and sit up all the time.

Thanks for the reassurance sheeplikessleep. But WHEN?!!! Actually, maybe I don't want to know ;)

I wonder if being on neeko's thread will bring us all a touch of luck. I'm really clutching on straws now, eh.

lisajok · 04/08/2010 22:06

My son did exactly that at exactly 4 months .I was so tired I searched the net and got email support from Jo Tantum she said that he was having a growth spurt and also at 4 months babies become very aware of their surroundings.If they are in your room ,as my son was, they are distrurbed by you moving around as your sleep cycles clash .So we made the big decision of putting him in his own room and we never looked back ,he started sleeping so much better.Maybe try that ??

AsiMum · 04/08/2010 22:29

My DS is now 5 months old and, 2 nights ago, I just decided that I had had enough. He would nap for an hour around 7ish then wake and stay awake, needing to be held the whole time until 10pm. Then he would wake at 1, 3, 4, 5 etc. Luckily, I have had the Waddilove book to hand and chose to go for the quick shouting sleep training method. I did CC for DD. Last night, he cried for 2 hours and then slept through till 5am. Tonight he cried for half an hour. Fingers crossed!

koeda · 05/08/2010 05:36

Oooh another fun filled night for me and DS done and dusted! I guess at least it's one less to go.

I have to say even though I am shattered, sleep training / controlled crying / cry it out is not something I want to do. DS is still tiny and is definitely rested enough even with the night wakings (he stirs, I feed, he usually drops back off) so it would only be for my benefit at this stage iykwim. I just need a thread like this to have a good old URGH on, and share virtual coffees with others going through the same!

koeda · 05/08/2010 05:55

lisajok we only have the one bedroom I'd have to wheel his cot into the lounge/kitchen area! Then knowing my luck the fridge would wake him up every 30mins... But glad it worked for you!

koeda · 05/08/2010 06:28

Oh in my tiredness forgot to ask how everyone else fared last night?

catwhiskers10 · 05/08/2010 08:08

Ive apparently been going through it (according to HV) since DD was 12 weeks, she is now 22 weeks and no sign of things getting any better. HV advised me to start her on solids last week which she has taken to with great gusto as well as drinking more milk than ever (BF) but it hasnt made a blind bit of difference.

AsiMum · 05/08/2010 08:09

YES YES YES!!!!! DS slept 8 till 6. Took a BF then back down again. Woke up DD but with 8 hours uninterrupted sleep (apart from being woken up by DH's snoring) under my belt, I don't care. Sympathy for all those who were up in the night. Fight the good fight and we all shall win! .

Original poster
Neeko · 05/08/2010 08:45

Hello

Another good night here.
DD2 was sleeping for an unprecedented 7.30pm and slept until 4.30 She was then wide awake and shouting until we got up at 6, but you can't have it all. It will take a good few weeks of this before I'll believe though as apparently it's common for babies to sleep well after a growth spurt and then go back to how it was before the mayhem began.

Lisajok interesting what you've said about being in their own room. With DD1 we lived in a much smaller house and she was in her own room at 10 weeks and was a brilliant sleeper. I got a new mattress for DD2's cot yesterday but I'm not quite brave enough yet. It's a bit of a catch 22 because I'd rather wait until she was sleeping through regularly but she might not do that until she's in her own room.

Barbie and Koeda hats off to you both. You're coping really well. Moan away on here cos I'm not going antywhere until we're all able to cover our dark circles with concealer!

OP posts:
Original poster
Neeko · 05/08/2010 08:47

P.S. congrats Asimum

OP posts:
curlyLJ · 05/08/2010 09:11

well in this corner, DD seems to be getting worse not better

Strangely her naps have been improving day on day and she was like a textbook baby yesterday in terms of naps. Night sleep on the other hand was awful... she went down somewhere between 8-8.30 (had to re-settle a few times so not sure of exact timing) and was awake at 10.30pm. Fed but would not go back to sleep. screamed when placed in basket. finally asleep just short of midnight. Awake again at 3.15 and again, wouldn't go back to sleep. Finally settled about 4.30. Awake again, and for the day at just after 7am. Fed her in bed so I could at least try and snooze a little...

The stupid thing is I know she can go through as she used to do it, and she did it once last week (albeit while dosed up on Calpol due to teething ) and was also going at least from bedtime to say 3am most of last week too. This week is just awful. I really can't see any light at the end of the tunnel yet. We are off on holiday on the 18th, I hope she is more settled by then (she will be 22 weeks) as I think we'll get kicked out of the apartments if she screams like she was last night

Congrats to all those who seem to have had a better time over the last few nights...but be warned - I thought we were through it and now it's worse.

Original poster
Neeko · 05/08/2010 09:18

CurlyLJ That's exactly why I'm not counting my chickens. You've still got time before the holiday and the different surroundings might tire her out. Get your feet up as much as possible today.

OP posts:
lisajok · 05/08/2010 09:30

catwhiskers10- I was told to wean early as well to help sleep,as were lots of my friends! It didn't work either .That's why I got In touch with Jo Tantum.She came to see me and 24 hours she left he was sleeping through! I think your baby has a sleep issue not a feeding issue .They need to be to be taught how to sleep just like anything else .Good Luck to all of you ,hope you get some sleep ! by the way if you do want to contact Jo (who is my saviour!!)her website is www.babysecretsltd.com.
Happy Sleeping

littlemissindecisive · 05/08/2010 15:20

Can you send a strong cup of coffee over this way?

DS no better after a few improved nights last week. He's up around 10pm now (better than 9pm i suppose) then every hour or 2 after midnight. Smiling and happy when you go in. I feed him back to sleep which i know is a mistake but what can i do? He's now not feeding in the day...I'm convinced cos e's stuffing his face at night! But how can i make a non-hungry baby feed in the day

He's 19 weeks and today gave him a few small spoons of baby rice. He'd not fed since 7am this morning. He's now been asleep for 2 hours.....he normally does 45min naps to the second!!

Prayng todays good nap helps with tonight!

Tea and sympathy to you all!!

curlyLJ · 05/08/2010 17:49

I went and put a jinx on things this morning - that's what I get for saying naps were improving. Today the little madam did not want to sleep. at all. She was up at 7am and I couldn't get her to go down for love nor money until 11am! Then she only had 35 mins - I was poised to do a bit of nap blending at the 40 min mark to get her to have a longer sleep and she went and woke early, before I got to the bedroom

Then, to make it worse she did the same thing for her next nap. Just lying there smiling and cooing, refusing to close her eyes. I gave up in the end and got her up again. She'd had only 35 mins sleep between 7am and 3.30pm so I took her out for a drive - usually fail-safe for getting her to sleep. SHe screamed in the back for 30 mins before finally dropping off for 1hr 30mins.

I hope tonight is better as I am feeling really fed up today. Lack of sleep obv not helping. DH working late most of this week and not coming in till she's gone to bed so that's not helping. He came in at 10.15 last night, so I barely got 15 mins with him before madam woke up

Original poster
Neeko · 05/08/2010 21:41

lisajok thanks for the link.

littlemiss They do say better naps make for a better night's sleep. Fingers crossed.

CurlyLJ I feel for you as my DH works similarly long hours. If it weren't for my mum I'd go crazy. Hope you get some rest tonight.

OP posts:
curlyLJ · 11/08/2010 09:07

how is everyone doing?

Just when i thought we might be coming through the other side, we have had 2 4.15/4.30am wake-ups and staying awake for 2 hours [so tired] when she does go back to sleep, it's only for another hour, so more like a nap. When will this end???!!!

Last night she also woke at 11.30pm too - so I had only been asleep myself for an hour. The only way we have a better night at the moment is if i have given her Nurofen for her teething. She then wakes about 2am, but goes back off till 7 - which i prefer.

She's 5 months on Sun so am hoping the end is nigh!

koeda · 11/08/2010 20:56

Well, more of the same from DS. I have almost resigned myself to the fact that it's unlikely to be a sleep regression. I just have a baby who doesn't sleep well!

2hrly until around 1am, then hourly until 6/7am, with a couple of nappy changes thrown in (I feed him back to sleep A LOT) which can result in 30-60min pacing sessions to get him back down again if he's too wide awake. YAWN.....

Right, off to bed myself! Sorry to hear about the early mornings curlyLJ, hope things are a bit better for everyone else!

barbie1 · 12/08/2010 08:57

koeda im still here Smile

DD is now walking...yes thats right 5.5 months and cruising the furniture one handed Shock

We are back to hourly wakes Sad im losing my mind....and i seem to be crying lots with it. Only so many times that i can tell myself that tonight will be better.

We saw another doctor yesterday, told to feed her 4 x solids per day as she is so bloody active...tried it yesterday but still cluster feed her between 10pm and 2am.

I am going to try her on a bottle again, and dont mid admitting that if she takes it im going to try some formula, im thinking that she feeds so much and so often that the fatty part of the milk isnt coming and she is genuinely hungry.

Keep me company!

curlyLJ · 12/08/2010 09:06

Barbie I have thought the same thing about formula... Am really torn because I always said I wanted to EBF until 6 months and now cos DD is waking up lots, I feel guilty/selfish for wanting to try her on formula. I also wanted to maybe see if some solids would help, but again I was planning on doing BLW and this goes against everything as she's too young and can't feed herself so i would have to spoon feed her.

Last night was awful again and I am also getting tearful. Sat in bed in tears at 11.30pm last night while DD was feeding Sad

I'll keep you company!!

barbie1 · 12/08/2010 09:23

thanks curly

The doctor doesnt see it as a problem to mix feed, after all its more of a problem if the baby is hungry!

Totally with you on the sitting in bed at night crying thing, me too! It doesnt help that im in dubai with no family to help, quite pleased with coping so far but have to put my hands up and say its all getting too much now Sad

Scarlett175 · 12/08/2010 09:33

can i join all you sleep deprived mums here!!

posted in general sleep- DD has had disturbed sleep for 3 weeks now, is 16 weeks old and is bf to sleep at night and for naps... naps are taken on me or in sling, or on the move in car seat... gone from great sleep from 5 weeks to 13 weeks, averaging 6-8 hours to now waking every 90 mins if she settles at all...

last night in bed with me from 12 after her 4th waking which although cosy is not ideal as dh does not support this and cannot relax with bub in our bed.

i have gone from being very relaxed mum to stressing over every decision and thinking i have mad rod for my own back about 10 times a day. just reading ncss but think its probably best to wait a while before even trying.... at any rate she did not appreciate her relaxing panpipe baby music last night or recognise her sleep cue!! hehehe!

x

wizbitwaffle · 12/08/2010 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

barbie1 · 12/08/2010 16:58

Well its bed time here in Dubai, as usual she went down at 7.30 like an angel....she missed her last sleep this afternoon so is very very tired, hope she stays awake longer than 45 mins....im going to try a bottle if she does wake though...wish me luck! I have a very head strong little madam!

Welcome to the newbies....chocolate brownies here for those that need it, matchsticks also available to keep eyes open!

koeda · 12/08/2010 19:11

OMG barbie1, cruising at 5.5 months Shock. On the flipside maybe she'll speed through all her sleep regressions and be done by 6 months???!

I have stopped hoping that each night might be the night that DS turns the corner as I invariably get thoroughly depressed come the morning. I have accepted my fate and resigned myself a whole new type of scatty nighttime sleep from now on in. It's that or feel absolutely miserable at 1,2,3,4,5am and worse, feel anger at my poor DS Sad.

I'd be really interested to know how the weaning/formula goes. I know some people say it does make a difference whilst others report no change, but it's always worth a shot just in case your DC is the one it works for!

Virtual triple expressos all round!