4 month sleep regression- oh.my.god.

[hazel88]

So my DD has just hit the 4 month sleep regression hard. It sucks. It really sucks. for a short while she had been doing 6 hour chunks for the first part of the night followed by 1 or 2 wakings after. On the rare occasion she would just wake up once for a feed then that was it. BLISS. She's now waking up more times than I can count and I'm wondering if she'll ever sleep better again. I know about the 4 month sleep regression inside-out but would really appreciate experiences from others who have either gone through it or are going through it. I need some sanity restored...please?!

Thanks Zombie I love a bit of one born! I cry every time though. I have at various points of the night informed DD that she'll just have to be an only child but I'd like her to have a brother or sister really.

One step forwards. ....well that wasn't the best night ever but I kind of expected it after DD completely refusing to eat solid lunch or dinner and with her teeth. It wasn't terrible though - 4 wake-ups, 3 of those were feeds.

How is everyone else getting on?

Thinking of you especially Hazel.

Morning everyone,

Thank you all so much for your supportive words which I've taken on board. I felt so much better after just getting it all out and being able to write it all down, so thanks for listening everyone

Penguin that's how DD was yesterday and the day before off her food, but I'm not convinced it's teeth. I think that's what contributed to 1 or 2 more wake ups the past 2 nights. When she eats more solids she's more satisfied. Hope you see those teeth soon!

Zombie, RP and sycamore how were your nights? One Born still makes me broody too...how does this happen when we have DCs who don't sleep?!

We had 3 wake ups again last night at exactly the same times as the night before...12.30 for a feed, 3 for no apparantly reason, then 4.30 for a feed where she wouldn't go back to sleep so I left her chatting and occasionally dozing
until 6.

So much to do today so will be out and about and hopefully tire this LO out!!

Thanks again for everyone's support, it certainly helps.

Sounds like we're taking small steps forward

Ds was up 4 times, once for a feed. He is still having some nasty poos though and they stink!

I know I should stop watching obem!

Morning ,
Glad you are feeling better for writing stuff down , Hazel . I hope you are ok.
I had about 4 wake ups but she did settle well at 7ish until 1150pm so she had an ok stretch . I think she gets hungry after that . She has nearly doubled her birth weight so I a wondering if I should give her some baby rice . He has a constant moan at the moment so I think she is teething badly still . Ds didn't wand up until 8am and seems to have a temperature , hoping he is not getting ill , that's all I need .
One born was very good last night , I get broody too but I couldn't have another

Hello all :)

Well last night was a bit of a bastard in terms of settling but I persevered and put her down in the coveted sleepy but awake state about fifty squillion times till she self settled. Awake around 12, took into bed and fell asleep myself, tried putting her back in her cot at 3 but woke her up and had to refeed, then in bed with us from about 5.

So lots of co sleeping - bad - but only three wake ups - goodish.

Will keep plodding on!

Glad writing here helped Hazel. Hope Your DS got her appetite back today. My DD is still being really funny about food. Breakfast was totally fine but at lunch and tea time she cried both times when I put her in the chair to eat and refused to even entertain a mouthful. For both meals I resorted to handing her the bowl and plonking her down on a vinyl splash mat so she could have at it! She did actually eat some doing it this way but it's a fairly unsustainable approach as it is extremely messy! I am hoping just that little she managed to eat will help fill her tummy though.

RP that sounds like good progress. Slow and steady wins the race Hope tonight is even better.

I think I need to tweak my bedtime routine for DD and would be interested to hear your suggestions. We fell into bathing DD every night as she happens to love the bath and it fills in a bit of time before bed when she is grumpy I do keep lights down and try to make the bath relaxing but DD loves it and excitedly splashes. I would love to do a relaxing massage with her after the bath but despite my best efforts she just does not enjoy it. After bath she is dressed, brought to bedroom for a last feed and then put down in bed awake with dummy and bunny and zipped into sleeping bag. I used to read the same short book to her after feed but before bed but sometimes it seemed to aggravate her so I have fallen out of the habit. Previously she would drop off really easily usually rubbing bunny's ears etc but lately she is finding it harder to go to sleep and seems a lot more alert. Oh I also play the same lullabies she has had since around 1-2 months old, dot lavender essential oil on her bedding and say a key phrase I conditioned by saying it while she was falling asleep. Just curious to see if anyone has any suggestions for making the routine more calming? I find it hard to think of calming pre - bed play as DD doesn't really enjoy staying still and looking at books. Sorry for mammoth essay!

How old is she now sycamore? Tbh food made no difference at all to ds, I think it actually made it worse!

Sounds like your making a bit of progress rp 3 wake ups sounds good!

Penguin, no idea about the routine, ds is a splasher too, he loves baths but we try to stick to every other day as I'm too lazy!

I'm in shock, ds had his pajamas on, last bottle and fell straight asleep after with no dummy when I put him in his cot he woke up. I then held him and he went straight out without a dummy again! That was about 8ish, not a peep from him yet I get scared to say that though. I know now that how well he goes down is no indication of how well he will sleep! He had some
Good naps today though

Still not a peep! Had to go up and check on him as I started to get worried! He's fast asleep.

Wow Zombie that's fab! Well done you. I must admit I have put off the dummy battle for another day Did you actively try to put him down without? I've come to the conclusion that the one time I managed to get DD down without must have been a never to be repeated fluke although I have noticed fewer dummy runs lately instantly jinxes self to 50 dummy runs tonight Sounds like a pretty awesome start to the night so I hope your DS is preparing to repeat or better his recent performance

No penguin, I actually tried to give it him as he was drowsy and he spat it out and went to sleep without it he has never done that before.

I just jinxed it.... He just woke up!

He went straight back to sleep after I typed that before I got in there.

Not a peep until, you know when something wakes you up and it takes you a couple of seconds to realise what it is, his breathing alarm just went off. He's ok. false alarm. But it's the first time that has happened. I was terrified.

I shot up out of bed so damn quick, there's a bookshelf by our door and everything on there ended up on the floor, I ran into his room and just grabbed him and flipped him onto his back which was closely followed by dh coming upstairs and doing the dh thing of putting the main light on it was followed by him saying loudly 'wow your really bloody quick'. Ds was then fully awake and upset as his sleep had been disturbed, so it's took me a while to settle him

Phew, just glad my boy is ok! I'm all on edge now too so can't sleep

Oh my goodness Zombie how absolutely terrifying. Well done for reacting so quickly even though it turned out to be a false alarm. So glad your DS is ok. I hope the rest of your night was less eventful and you actually managed to get some sleep. No wonder you were so shaken.

3 wakes here so equal to our recent pb . I still can't settle DD in cot but I know I need to persevere.

Osteo appointment this afternoon - excited! Trying not to get my hopes up thighs and failing massively

How were your nights?

Oooo penguin what time? Let us know how it goes!

He's till wasn't asleep at 2 am so I ended up feeding to sleep then he woke up at 5 so I fed him again

Not till 4.45 so just in time to prepare for 12 hours sleep at bedtime.

Sorry your night was so disrupted but I bet you are just so relieved DS is ok. Have you had any news re your appointment by the way? Hope you don't have to wait too much longer.

No not yet I don't know if it's delayed as I know my files are currently at a different hospital as I'm meant to be having surgery soon too

Oh zombie , that must have been scary ! Glad all is ok.
Penguin , I hope the osteopath app goes well.
Sorry I am a bit lost on the thread now . Had an awful night and the last couple of days dd constantly moaning and crying all day long with hands in mouth . I feel like a broken women today , desperately need some sleep.
Zombie - she is 20 weeks tom.
Three wake ups is very good , hope you are all having good nap days . Dd is currently in the baby bjorn for her nap , I can't put her down and she cries when I leave the room !

Oh no sycamore, have you been giving her anything for her teeth?

Oh zombie that sounds awful :(

So last night was pretty bad. She settled okay but then needed to feed around eleven - so fine - then again and then at 2.55 just woke up and decided to,practice rolling over and shouting for an hour and a half

We had houseguests with small dc in the next room, poor people

I tried taking her into bed but then she tried rolling onto,her front in our bed which isn't safe as our mattress is too squishy and she can't reliably get her face away from it. So I put her back in her cot and she howled but then at least I could soothe her to sleep.

Today, poor little thing is so tired. Got her to sleep in the buggy for 1hr 20m for midday nap but it is filthy weather here so I thought I'd try cot nap for thee afternoon nap. She woke after 15min :( but clearly tired out of her mind.

So.... I cracked and did cc. I know it is bad as its not part of a consistent approach. I know tonight I need to go back to gentle soothing. She is still so little and obviously a lot is going on in her little brain developmentally. But she NEEDED sleep, really needed it and couldn't seem to get there. So far it's all quiet in there. I think she's had about 20m. Feel guilty as hell but really hope it works just for today cos she was reaching the end of her tether.

Will check in properly soon and reply to people but just to say osteopath was good. Don't think it will be a miracle cure but was really interesting. The journey home after was absolutely bloody horrendous and DD screamed the whole way !!!! DD is now down to sleep so hopefully won't be a terrible night.

Sorry to post and run but have been reading in snatched moments.

Will you continue with cc now rp?

Hope it's worked penguin!

Ds has been tired and I have been trying to get him to sleep since 6. Absolutely no sign of him sleeping yet though He's that tired he's been pulling his hair and scratching his face

and fucking h just dropped my bottle of wine on the kitchen floor smashing it to a zillion pieces I was tempted to lick the kitchen floor

Now he's doing his screaming if I hold him screaming if I don't, this is when I start to feel down

That sounds tough Zombie.
Dd has been up so many times and now won't settle. She is clingy and grizzly all day , cries when I leave the room and now won't be put down in cot . It's so hard and I am starting to feel ill and depressed with exhaustion . Not convinced this is going to get better without any form of sleep training . Hope you are all having good nights !

Sorry couldn't post again last night as DH sent me to bed with no phone! Felt like a teenager but actually it was a good thing as I didn't get distracted by 'oh I'll just check Facebook quickly'. ...2 hours later oops! He did the first wake at 11 too so got a good chunk of sleep till 2.20. She then slept till 6 so just two wake-ups! We're getting there slowly!! Think it was probably just coincidence that it was after CO treatment but who knows?

RP don't feel guilty for doing what you needed to to get DD to sleep. Sometimes you just have to do whatever you can. How was the night?

Zombie and Sycamore it sounds like you're both having a horrible time at the moment. Can't believe DH dropped your precious and much needed bottle of wine Zombie!!! Hope he at least cleaned it up! I don't have much practical advice to offer but sending hugs and coffee/tea to both of you.

So for those of you interested in CO. She took a really detailed case history including pregnancy, birth and DD up till now before manually feeling for any misalignments, imbalances etc. DD doesn't have anything major but has a slight compression of some nerves on one side of the base of her skull. It's not something that would classically get amazing results from CO it's more just not quite moving as it should. Interestingly she did ask if DD was unusually alert, which she was from birth - we never had that lovely sleepy newborn thing going on, which she said can be caused by this. I'm going to have to read up to understand better but it's something along the lines of her fight/flight response being switched on more than it should be. Treatment was some very very gentle manipulation which is characteristic of CO. Anyway very interesting and bar lots of unhelpful wriggles and grabbing the osteo's hands DD seemed to quite enjoy it