16 week old screaming when waking

[imisschocolate]

Hi

Up until about 2 weeks ago we didn't have muxh of a problem with baby's sleep except wouldn't be put down during day. She would sleep about 6 hours, wake for feed, back down within an hour for another 2-3 hours. Would also happily bable away when woke.

Now will only sleep 2-3 hours at a time and we struggle to get her back in her basket. Guessing start of 4 month sleep regression.

Thing is she now wakes up screaming. Anyone have any idea what this could be?

Waking up hungry?

I think you've been very fortunate to have her sleep 6 hrs then another 2 or 3 so far.

She's very little still, they change their sleeping and eating patterns all the time.

I second the poster saying hungry, 6 hours is a long time without food for a baby. Maybe try dream feeding?

Ear ache? Hungry? Scared?

At night I would:

• hear a noise from baby, reach over and put into baby's mouth (from sidecar cot I wouldn't even open my eyes for this)
• if not settling, cuddle up to baby in cot, tap dummy
• if not back to sleep within approx 5-10 minutes (guesswork, I wouldn't actually time it), feed
• after feed lift baby to shoulder, cuddle wind for a minute or two. Put down with dummy

"..reach over and put dummy into baby's mouth"

Don't think its hungry as she feeds to sleep for 30 min to hour. Shes woke up reasonably happy after 6 hours before.

I know how lucky we were the first months . Its not her waking that worries me, its tje screaming.

Could it be teething? I feel like I'm being used as a dummy sometimes.

Whats dream feeding?

Came on to suggest teething. My DS did this , it stopped when his teeth came through and it's starting again now he's getting more.

I keep teething gel by the bed and on the nights he's screamed a lot given very low doses of calpol (0.5 to 1ml)

Dream feed is feeding them while they are still asleep. Boob or bottle in mouth, some babies will just take it

she feeds to sleep

That is likely to be the crux of the problem.

Have you got an alternate way to get her to sleep that does not involve feeding? If not and you hope to aim for independant sleeping, it's time to introduce a method.

Dummies are the ultimate no crying sleep solution in my view.