HELP ME. IVE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY BABY TO SLEEP FOR HOURS

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Please help me.

My partner is away. I've been trying to get my baby to sleep for 5 hours.

He won't sleep. He goes from laughing/crying hysterically.

We started bedtime at 5.30pm. He was asleep by 6.15pm. Woke up 25 mins later.

I don't know what to do.

I'm at breaking point.

Help

And keep going- may take twenty minutes solid of humming but it did work for me

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate these messages. Going to try some of the tips.

Really needed to see these messages as felt like I was slipping into a dark hole and never to return!

Hand hold. It's so hard, but you're not alone

Well, look, if he's awake and smiling, maybe just stop trying to get him to sleep for now. Stick him in his bouncer or whatever and have a cup of tea and a biscuit, watch some shit telly for half an hour then see where you are.

Sounds silly but not gas is it?
My DD is a similar age and she can be really unsettled, if nothing else works I burp her. Few times she’s just had wind and once that’s out she’s asleep.

Good luck though, you’re doing really well. It’s tough when you are so alone.

I’m feeling your pain OP! 4 month old twins, one sleeps like a dream, the other was awake from half 11pm til about half 4 last night. Tonight she will not go down in her cot although she’s shattered. 4 month sleep regression sucks and I’m exhausted! I’m just doing what it takes to survive at the min - baby in bed with me if needed, keeping myself going by eating all the cake and chocolate and trying to convince myself it’ll pass! Good luck, hope he settles for you soon

Ah, right. If he's happy atm then I suggest you follow the suggestion of having him on your lap and ignoring him while you watch TV. Flickery images mesmerise eventually and send them off - may be a last minute demand for food but other than that it should work.

It’s the four month regression. It will pass, you don’t need to work it’s all gone wrong forever.

Don’t try and I still anything useful tonight. Honestly. Put him in a bouncy chair in front of the telly with you, drink tea and eat toast. Just survive till your husband’s back. You won’t die, it’ll feel grim but you will survive and fighting it will just make you more desperate.

Make sure he is safe with you on the bed. Make sure he isn't covered by the duvet. That he can't fall off the mattress. Then the two of you sleep there together. You fall asleep, then he will fall asleep. This will pass at some point soon.

It's awful when this happens and it's bloody typical it happens when you've got no back up! Does he seem to be in pain? Could it be wind? Teeth? Have you tried calpol? I'm assuming no temperature or anything to suggest he's poorly?

Have you checked toes, fingers and penis to make sure he doesn't have a hair wrapped round?

Is he any good in the sling? Could you put him in and just walk up and down the living room in the dark?

Just to say if this is very unusual for him and you're worried don't be afraid to call 111. I did this once when my DS2 screamed for 3 hours straight like he was being murdered. They took me really seriously and were great (turned out to be constipation, 1 glycerin suppository later he was sorted!)

We’re right here op. Support.

My son was like this at times. I can honestly say that in pure desperation the pram was moved into his bedroom and he was literally rocked to sleep in it... I used to try and move him to bed after half hour thinking he would be asleep enough..sometimes it worked usually it didn't and he would end up back in the pram... Does your pram have the carrycot bit..
White noise sometimes helped but it had to be loud.
Otherwise I would say if he's happy maybe bring him back down from bed let him kick about for a bit on mat baby gym whatever have a cup of tea and try again when you have had a break

He's just lying on the bed next to me laughing and smiling.

Honestly? Go with that. Stick your telly /iPad/whatever on, or grab a book, and just try to relax a little while he’s happy.

If you’re confident to, consider co-sleeping for tonight, to give yourself a break.

This too will pass...

Just seen he's happy and smiling, that's good! I agree stop trying, stick him in his bouncer, have a cup of tea, watch something funny. Try again in an hour. This too shall pass!

Honestly, it will pass. Just go into the living room, bung the telly on and pop the baby where you usually would (sofa / bouncer etc) she will soon get tired and want her bed. I know how hard it is but it's one night and she won't remember / be any of the worse for it. If your husband is away and you're happy to, I'd cosleep tonight so you both can catch up on your snoozing.

Pack it in for a bit. Take him downstairs, make a cup of tea, stick the tv on. He’ll go back off quite soon.

Dd was like this one night.
I put her in her car seat at 1am - beside my bed - and she conked out. We both slept until 1pm the following afternoon.
She is almost 20 years old now. I know car seat advice has changed.

Sorry OP, change my she's to he's! X

I've had this happen a few times with my lo, I normally find that when he wakes up screaming I try a bottle to make sure he's definitely full to the brim (he loves sleeping on a full tummy and always drinks lots more in the evening!!). The other night he started uncontrollably crying and it was wind- never had it like that before!! I led him on my lap in his bedroom and he had two huge burps, bottle and then back to sleep. I also use white noise, I found he loved the sound of our dyson fan but as this was too cold for his room, on apple music, there's actually a dyson fan track which I put on repeat every night. You poor thing though, keep going, I've read lots about sleep regression at 4 months so hopefully it's just a phase.

Solidarity OP. It’s twelve years ago but I remember DS being at this stage.

Definitely toast/telly/going with the flow/co-sleeping. I really hope some of that works.

[off topic but it’s just struck me that at the time, I didn’t have a smartphone (2007). I used to play monochrome solitaire on my tiny Nokia. I remember watching HardTalk on News24 during night feeds because there was literally no other option ]

I just found energy to bounce him and hold him tight and he's fallen asleep and in his snuz pod. I probably should have done that a couple of hours ago and persisted but I was just shattered.

Thanks for everyone's supportive message. I felt like I was in a dark place watching the clock go by and he's still awake.

I know his body will be flooded with cortisol and stress hormones as he has been awake for 14 hours now. Will be ok in the night?! Nothing bad will happen?!
I know how crazy I sound but I feel like I've lost my mind the last 3 days.

He will be fine
You may find him wakeful but don’t worry one bit

He’ll be fine. Quick, pop to the loo and then straight to bed.

I wish the internet had been around 20 years ago !!!

DD decided to do this the night we had friends round for dinner for DH birthday - also the 4 month sleep regression as it turned out. We just ended up bringing her down & passing her around between the 4 of us while we ate. She was smiling and happy and eventually fell asleep around 12:30 when we went to bed! Agree with pp suggestions of stopping trying to settle for now and grabbing tea/toast/book whatever - this stage will pass. DD now settles really well at the start of the night and we have our evenings back (although rest of the night can still be hit and miss!). Good luck