Sleep with 4 month old - need advise desperately

[tayroo]

Hi there,

My DD has been sleeping through from 8 weeks but for the last couple weeks has now been waking up between 3 and 5 most mornings. We switched to formula over a month ago (she was 70% bf and 30% bottle prior to that) so I really don't think it's that. I also decided to wean her about 5 days ago as I thought the waking up was her signally us that she needed solids. She's taken to the solids really well but is still waking up. She doesn't cry but just seems to 'babble' (rather loudly) in her cot until one of us goes and fetches her. We've tried leaving her but it just gets her worked up. When we give her a bottle it's gobbled up in no time at all.

I've felt for teeth and there are slight raises on her bottom gums - the doc says they're her teeth buds but the teeth may take a few months to actually surface. So could it be that???

I thought it may also be that I'm putting her down a little early (5.30'ish) as she's just too tired to stay up any longer. I tried stretching it to 6.30 last night but had dire consequences when she was very grizzly due to being overtired. I've also tried reintroducing the dreamfeed to help her go to her old wake time of 7am but that doesn't help!

I'm just so frustrated right now and don't know which way to turn. Any advise or likewise moms with babies out there with support or tips would be much appreciated!

lol
xxx

Possible dur to light mornings as well, my dd has been up between 5 and 6 am since just before clocks went forward. Does yours still nap in day?
Otherwise I would try to get bed time later try 1/4 hour later for a week and then again if till you get to a good time. THis worked in reverse for me dd never wanted to sleep before 10:30 and now it's 7.30 to 8 so much better. Good luck

I agree with gothicmama that it might be the light mornings, as my DS (6 months) was getting up earlier and babbling in his cot - we avoided picking him up by putting his mobile on or his teddy bear projection music box, which thankfully seemed to work until we figured out if we closed the door and ensured his black out blind was completely down he slept in to 7 as normal.

On the teeth front I would think if it was her teeth she would be crying in pain or chewing her hands as my little one teethed from 7 weeks and had a tooth at 4 months!

Thanks for that. To be honest it has started roundabout the same time as the clocks went back. She does nap during the day - on average about 3 hours. In fact she's been sleeping since 6am this morning and is still down. Does this classify as a nap or would this still be her 'nightime' sleep? Do you think I should wake her? It's been over 4 hours since her last feed?

If she is asleep leave her and enjoy the timeout, she will wake when she needs something just check now and then to reassure yourself she is ok

Hi there
I am soooo relieved to read your comments. My baby is 4.5 months old and was a great sleeper until a while ago (also round about the clocks went back) and now she wakes at 12:30, 3am and 5:30am.She used to sleep from 7 to 7 with one wake up around 2 or 3am so this is a huge shock for me.I am waiting for a blackout blind so hopefully that will work.I am also moving to solids but it is quite a slow process.Do you think she is hungry in the night because she does drink quite a bit...!?

Sounds like she might be try to feed just before bed and see what happens . my dd still wakes up hungry sometimes and she is now 3

Just to say that nothing is static with a baby in my (limited) experience...

My 6 month old dd slept from 7-6 from about 6 weeks old until three months. Since then, everything has changed at various points - Reasons for disrupted nights have included going away, colds, starting solids...you name it. Sometimes she sleeps well, sometimes she doesn't.
I think half the problem is that we think that's the end of sleepless nights when they start sleeping through but it rarely is. My impression is that it changes constantly and will probably continue to do so for the next six months.

I'm starting to accept that I should never get my expectations up regarding this issue - there's no such thing as having cracked it in the first year of a babies life as all sorts of things will interfere with their sleep at various points.

My dd2 is now coming up for four months, and sleeps pretty well, though I think that is luck/genes rather than anything in particular I'm doing.

I am a big fan of the 10/11pm feed, though. I've had the best results from waking her at 10ish for a feed, keeping her awake for an hour (nappy change, chat, play) and then feeding her again before putting her into bed about 11ish.

To get the desired result (ie. sleep through till 7!) she needs to be properly awake. I've found that if she only has a short feed, she will wake up again about 5ish.

Making sure she has a proper waking up time in the late evening is slightly counterintuitive, but was suggested to me by a friend who does the full Gina Ford thang (which is not really my bag), and it has made a big difference. I'm planning to carry on doing it until she's taking proper solid meals (she's fully bfed at the moment).

FWIW, I would wake my dd2 at 7am even if she was fast asleep, although others will disagree with this. She then has a little doze about 9ish and a proper sleep from 11ish to 2pm, and another little doze about teatime. Bedtime is 7, or a little earlier if she's really tired.

Of course none of this may suit you or your dd at all, but just thought I'd post it in case it was some use.