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Is this the 4 month sleep regression, and what can I do about it?

7 replies

Bella30 · 09/07/2012 19:17

I know this has probably been covered elsewhere, but was hoping for advice on how to deal with what (I think) is the 4 month sleep regression for my DD (4 months exactly today!).

Up till a few weeks ago, she usually woke up twice a night - maybe 1am & 4am. Now she seems to be waking every hour, maybe two - sometimes she'll go to 1 or 2am before the first feed and then wake regularly after that, but more often it's between 11 and 12. She's going down in her cot at night anytime between 7 and 8pm - this had been getting easier but the last two nights have been hard work and past 8pm. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when she wakes up for the first feed - when she's been restless at 10.30 when we go to bed, I'll feed her, but she'll still wake up two hours later. But sometimes she'll go through to 2am although her last feed was 7.30pm. She's ebf by the way. And although I end up feeding most times she wakes up I don't really think she's hungry for some of those feeds - they're pretty short. But settling her down without food takes more energy than I have in the middle of the night. Oh and around 5am I usually end up taking her into our bed where she sleeps on my chest.

Anyway the more frequent waking pattern has been around for the last few weeks but it feels like it's getting worse - last night was grim and I think I was up every hour.

So, does this sound like a sleep regression? And is there actually anything I can do rather than wait it out? Is this a good time to try things like putting her in her own room (because I think we sometimes disturb her)? DH is muttering about sleep training - but what would we tackle - going to sleep in her cot on her own?

Sorry, this is long and rambly - I blame my sleep-deprived brain... Smile

OP posts:
llamallama · 09/07/2012 19:21

Sounds exactly like my DD at the same age! It's the 4 month sleep regression.

Ride it out. It will pass. We didn't want to sleep train so I just fed her when she woke & co-slept, gradually she started to sleep longer on her own and now at 9 months she often goes through from 7pm to 5am, no training required.

Bella30 · 10/07/2012 08:21

llamallama - thanks for your response. Dare I ask how long it took to get through the worst of the regression? I'm not sure how long I can wake up every 1-2 hours for and stay sane!

OP posts:
Crimebusterofthesea · 10/07/2012 09:02

Yep - sounds like the regression to me! Things were only unsettled with my DS for about 10 days I think, then we went back to normal. It will pass!

Mitsouko · 10/07/2012 09:54

Marking my place here as DD was 16 weeks yesterday and her already poor sleep has worsened the last week or so. Started bedtime around 7 last night but we couldn't get her down til 11. She then woke at 1, 3, 5...settled down about 7 and slept til 8. It's hard work! Op, can your DH help more with the nights? My DD is bf but fortunately good with a bottle so I express, and DH does the first feed around 1 and then settles her back down afterwards. I slept from 12-3 last night then co slept and fed lying down til the morning. Still shattered though. Guess I'm used to it.

Mitsouko · 10/07/2012 12:31

Oh, and she's definitely hungry when waking! And is growing like mad. Babygrows that fit well 2 weeks ago are now way too small. I try to tank her up on milk during the day but it's not impacted the night wakings. Only plus side is that she's been going down for naps easier. Days and nights are a little mixed up right now!

Bella30 · 10/07/2012 16:49

Crimebuster - now 10 days I could do. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Mitsouko glad to know I'm not alone! My DD has also been growing loads - I just met a friend who hadn't seen her for a couple of weeks who commented on how much longer she was looking! And really growing into those 3-6 month babygrows now too. DH hasn't been doing any night feeds or any of the settling during the week because of work. However, this routine was put in place in the good old days when I was only getting up twice a night and felt quite good! I haven't been expressing, but have decided to start today. Next thing is to see if she'll take a bottle and then persuade DH to take on that first feed between 12 and 1.

Also we went to the doctors today about a rash DD had on her feet and apparently she has a hand, foot and mouth virus. Although she doesn't seem to be feeling that unwell, I'm thinking that this probably isn't helping the sleep situation.

There seem to be so many variables - growing, developmental stages, illness - it's hard to know what might actually make a difference to her sleep patterns. Maybe she'll just grow out of them!

OP posts:
Mitsouko · 10/07/2012 19:52

Oh, poor baby! Illness definitely contributing to the wakings i would imagine. I hope she feels better soon.

Expressing is a pain, but for me its worth it just to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. I hope you can get your DH on board to help out. It seems that a lot of guys use work as an excuse to avoid any night time parenting. But honestly, unless he is a surgeon or bus driver or operating heavy machinery there's no reason why he can't cope with a bit less sleep. He may be the wage earner but all day baby care with an unsettled infant and frightfully little sleep is also very hard work.

Hope things improve for you soon!

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