Baby awake for long periods of time (6-7 hours)

[FeeFee832]

My 4 month old baby is staying awake for up to 7 hours a night before falling asleep.

We try to incorporate 3 naps a day, we do bathtime routine and he may fall asleep for even 25 mins but then he's wide awake and won't go back down.

I can spend hours and hours trying. Winding, feeding, putting him down. He laughs when I pick him up after he starts crying.

He is quite happy in those 7 hours - clearly shattered and is a really happy baby. He just will not sleep.

I am my wits end.

Please - any helpful advice. I'm so tired.

(When he does go to sleep, he's a waking frequently through the night, he was previously sleeping 8-10 hours a night).

The 4 month sleep regression is a bitch. The only thing to do is accept you can’t change it, it will pass of it’s own accord.
It’s all normal development, it just affects some more than others. There is nothing wrong. But it is hard.

I get through by bed sharing so no getting up required, just feed to sleep.

Ok, but is it normal to be awake for 6/7 hours?! Surely that cannot be good for him?

He gets little red eyes and I can tell he's exhausted! But he just fights it!

Also none of the big guns works anymore - I've spent hours with the sling on, rocking in a dark room, white noise, pushing the pram round the house, even the bloody car!!!! He just won't sleep!

I'm driving myself insane

My daughter was the exact same. I used to dread the evenings as I knew it would be hours just trying to get her to sleep. No advice but it will get better!! When my daughter was 5 months we put her in her own cot in her room (I know they say 6 months but we have a video monitor) and she suddenly started sleeping longer stretches and going to sleep more easily. It is a normal part of their development (look up 4 month sleep regression) and it will pass!!

Ok, thank you! I think he's teething too.

Good to hear. I don't even mind him waking every 3/4 hours - it's the hours on end to get him to sleep.

My MIL just keeps saying let him him cry it out!! But no chance!

How is he fed and what is happening when he wakes? Does he cry straight away or he is he fidgeting around

He is breastfed.

Tried a formula bottle at night but it makes no difference to sleep.

Usually when he wakes from a nap, he fidgets round and talks to himself.

When he wakes in the evening it's full on meltdown and crying.

Could his body clock have gotten a bit confused, if he's awake all night?

During the day, try and ensure he gets plenty of day light?

He isn't really awake all night. Just waking frequently (2-3 hours). It's more that he won't go to sleep...

We walk for an hour every day in the light. Weather being crap doesn't help tho

Are you feeding him to sleep?

Oh FeeFee832, this probably wont cheer you up but it has been such a relief for me to read this thread.
Mine is EXACTLY the same (but 5 months so I cant even blame the regression ).
I just started my own thread because I feel like the biggest failure!
Like you, I wouldn't mind 2 hourly wakes but it's the inability to get her to sleep at all which is killing me.
I dread bedtimes, I'm becoming obsessed with sleep. It's all I can think about.
I have absolutely no advice whatsoever I'm afraid but hopefully just knowing that you're not alone might reassure you a bit that it is a version of normal and that maybe we've not irretrievably messed up their sleep?