4mnth old sleep getting worse...

[MonkeyChicken]

This is my 2nd child and I never dreamed it would be this hard second time round. DC1 was a bad sleeper and I followed a strict routine and walked for 2 hours every day with her in a buggy 'cos it was the only way she slept during the day till she was about 6months or so. Looking back I thought I was just a nerotic first time mum but no. My son DC2 has never been a great sleeper and in the past month or so he has got a lot worse. I never followed a nap schedule with him as my DD is now 2 and we go to sure start centres etc and she has 2 afternoons at preschool, but now I realise I HAVE to get him sleeping. His day naps are a max of 30 mins (sometimes just 5), wakes screaming and I can't get him back to sleep. (He will sleep in a moving buggy, but I only have a single and can't expect 2yr old daughter to walk for very long.) He spends most of the day grizzling and overtired. He wants to be held the whole time. (he's been like that since birth.) On a good day he may have 3 or 4 naps with a max of an hour and a half bewteen. On a bad day just 10 mins if that! He generally goes down at night between 6 and 7 and on a good night will wake every 2 -3 hours for a feed. On a bad night he will wake hourly and have long stretches of crying (my daughter was the same). He is 19 weeks, weighs a whopping 20lbs and is EBF. He sleeps in a cot in our room and when (!) he sleeps through he will share a room with my daughter. He seems to suffer a lot from wind, especially at night so I use infacol and also gripe water in the evenings. I do not believe in controlled crying at this age and I do not want to wean him early (especially as he is really windy anyway and has had bronchiolitus). At the mo he has a horrid cold and is teething, poor thing.

I'm a SAHM and I love my kids but in the past two days I've shouted at my baby twice and i just feel shit that I can't help him sleep. My husband is currently unemployed so at least I have another pair of hands, but I'm at a loss what to do. BOth my DH and I were terrible sleepers and our parents just had an awful time with us and can empathise but can't offer any solutions. I want my smiling, giggling baby boy back so daytime naps are my priority. any advice???

Hi MonkeyChicken,
I can feel your pain! I've got 2.5yr old DD1 and a 4month old DD2 who until about a week ago, only napped for 30mins (sometimes only 20mins!) at a time during the day.

Don't have any magic solutions but because DD1 had dropped her afternoon nap, I ended up putting her in front of the TV while trying to settle DD2 when she was between her 30 min sleep cycles (I think it's called nap blending). Took forever and she can now (90% of the time) do up to 2 hr naps which really helps me as it gives me time to do chores, play with DD1, fall asleep on the couch, etc. However, I have also re-introduced white noise (had stopped using that when she was about 3 months) so am not too sure what actually helps her sleep longer.
good luck.

Tis normal at this age. Look up 4 month sleep regression on here - you will find plenty of threads.

It will pass - just very hard to get through.

Have you thought about buying a second hand double buggy? You can pick one up for 30 quid.

I'm in exactly the same situation. DD started off quite a good sleeper but in the last week she's turned in to a 45 minute napper so she's knackered between naps. I've been doing the same as miragefr......as soon as I hear DD stir after 40 mins of sleep, I peg it in to the room, put her dummy back in, slightly adjust her position (not sure why, but this shifting seems to be essential in the plan!) and most of the time she goes back to sleep and sleeps for up to 2 hours.

Doesn't work at nighttime unfortunately and I have to feed her nearly every time she wakes but could help solve your nap problem?

have you tried a sling? haven't reached 4 months this time round (dreading it, but beginning to think dt2 is "advanced" in this area given lack of sleep last 5 nights). but daytime naps in a sling still work, and worked for ds1 till he was too heavy to carry. gives you a chance to walk your dd in buggy/go to playgroups and let your dc2 sleep?