Change in baby sleep

[Lolly17]

My baby is 6 months old tomorrow and since he has been around 4 months old, he's become a nightmare during the night.

He goes to be at 7:30 and has a good bedtime routine and naps twice during the day. Pre-4 months he was waking once, sometimes twice a night and sleeping until about 7.

Since hitting 4 months his sleeping pattern at night has gradually got worse. Some nights he'll wake and have some bottle then fall asleep during the feed and cry the second he's put in his cot, fall asleep again once picked up, cry when put in cot again etc....

Other nights he just wakes loads. Last night, 5 times. I thought he should be a good sleeper by now?

It's so disheartening when other mums tell me their baby "sleeps throughout"

What am I doing wrong?! I'm so tired!

Oh just to add. He used to wake and Just make gurgley baby noises through the monitor... now when he wakes he cries

Don't have any advice here but my daughter is 6 months and has suddenly become a nightmare during the night too. She sleeps from 7.30 then wakes regularly (at least hourly) all nighy before getting up at 6am.

Maybe a developmental stage?

First time mum of a 10 month old her....

You aren't doing anything wrong. Babies aren't really even meant to be sleeping through the night at that age. There's a nasty sleep regression at 4 months. We had to do some sleep training to get my daughter out of it but I'm sure others will suggest different things to try.

I've learnt though that baby sleep doesn't just get better. It has ups and downs.

Hope you get some sleep soon

Google sleep regression. There are big ones at 4 months and 6 months. Babies sleep is not linear as in it does not get steadily better, it improves and then gets worse.

Babies are suppose to sleep through the night. They have more shorter sleep cycles that adults so wake more frequently but unlike adults the are incapable of self soothing back to sleep so they need you durring the night.

Google ‘ Isis sleep’ for research by durham uni into baby.

Babies are NOT suppose to sleep through the night. Sorry I am too lazy to proof read.

My nearly 9 month old was up about 5 times last night as well. My eldest was the same. Some babies sleep through, some don’t. They will get there in the end though.

Babies can EASILY sleep through (11-12h) by this age. And certainly sleep a large chuck if the night (11pm-7am). It's just you don't tend to hear about those babies of Baby Sleep Help Forums.

That said, it's equally as normal to have a baby who isn't sleeping through. There us lots you can do to make progress towards learning though.

Some suggestions to help baby learn to sleep longer:

● develop an in-cot way up get gaby to sleep without picking up or feeding. I used dummy (so no crying) and my hand on baby's chest with lots of eye contact. Others shush or pat. Others ditch the cot and cosleep cuddle.

● maintain milk intake as high as it was pre-weanjng for this first few months of weaning. Baby needs these easy calories. Often baby wants more milk after weaning, not less. Don't replace milk feeds with food, it should be in addition.

● go all-out with weaning. Again, baby needs the extra calories. Ever increasing portion sizes, cover all food groups (inc protein and carbs). Don't forget drinks as well.

● the more calories taken during the day means less needed at night. It's perfectly reasonable for baby to have all their calories between 7am-7pm so none is needed at night. It means a lot of feeding (meals and milk feeds) during the day though. If you can't get enough calories in during the day, baby will need a night feed.

● night weaning is the first step towards sleeping through. If is not "The Magic Answer" that will cause baby to sleep through. It's just that baby cannot begin to learn to sleep through until enough calories are given in the day so none are needed at night.

● night weaning means having an effective way to get baby back to sleep without feeding (see earlier point). It does night mean baby won't wake up.

● as well as night feeding again night, developing in-cot way to get baby to sleep at bedtime and nap time becomes increasingly important. Baby needs to go to sleep where he/she stats asleep. Not be moved once asleep.

● a well rested baby sleeps much better than an over tired baby. Plenty of daytime sleep is important. At 6 months my average daily routine mostly involved feeding and sleeping in the 6-9 month phase - like having a newborn again. Here is an example:

7am milk feed
8am breakfast
9am milk feed
9-11 nap
11am milk feed
12pm lunch
1pm milk feed
1-3 nap
3pm milk feed
4pm milk feed
4-5 (ish) powernap
5pm dinner
6pm milk feed
8pm milk feed and bed