Early 4 month regression?

[MissHoney85]

My DD is 14 weeks old, though was a little early so is 10.5 weeks adjusted. She's pretty much stayed on track with her actual age for most milestones though so I'm never sure how relevant that is.

When she was very little it took a long time to get sleep sorted. Her digestion gave her lots of discomfort and she'd spend a lot of the night squirming and grunting with wind pain.

For the last month or so that's settled down and she's been in a pretty regular nighttime rhythm - she'll sleep for 3-4 hours, then feed, then 2-2.5 hours, then feed, then 1-2 hours. So not an amazing amount of sleep but I could cope with it as it was predictable.

However the last two nights it's all gone a bit wrong. She's woken about 40 minutes into her first sleep and then proceeded so wake upset at 1-2 hour intervals through the night. I've fed her back to sleep each time (she's breastfed) but more to calm her than because I think she's actually hungry. But she's very squirmy then, which is how she gets when she feeds too little and often, so I don't know if feeding her is the right thing to do. The squirminess reminds me of how she used to be when she was younger (minus the copious farts) so don't know if there's maybe a digestive element? I've noticed that when I change her nappy overnight she hasn't pooed, which is unusual for her as she normally poos a lot. So she's constipated or something?

Could this be the 4 month regression? It seems early, especially given her adjusted age. Any tips? My DH has an eye infection at the moment so he can't even take her for me to give me a break 😭

Thw squirming and all of that is more likely just baby trying and struggling to go to sleep, then being frustrated and upset when unable to. It's what all babies do and just means baby needs more help to get into a deep sleep than you are giving.

Did you use a swaddle when younger? Because these are great for calming and soothing baby (yes, newborn fight against a swaddle - that's when they need it most as a way to calm down). If you've used a swaddle then I'd suggest continuing. If you didn't, it's now too late to introduce one safely.

A tightly tucked in sheet over baby can give similar calming effects. Or placing your hand quite firmly on baby's chest, holding hands/arms/legs still If needed. It's all about drilling flaying limbs so baby can be calm enough to relax and sleep.

Dummy next.

Sucking is nature's way to sooth a baby (as you've found with feeding to sleep). A dummy gives thus soothing sucking effect without the added issues of feeding when not needed, or giving wind etc. Plus a dummy allows for baby to go to sleep independently of you.

It's not usual to need to work and put effort into getting baby to take dummy. Worth it a million fold though. Dummies are ACE.

As for timing - you're about right for the 4 month regression (It's actually a progression). It generally happens after the Fouth Trimester ends, so around 13 weeks.

It's a progression because sleep will never go back to the womb-like way it was as a newborn. Baby is now developing sleep cycles and having to actively get to sleep, whereas before sleep was the passive state. The way that you get baby to go to sleep and stay asleep becomes very important now.

One last thing. No reason to change baby's nappy in the night unless it has been pooed in. Nappies hold 12h of wee for tgis very reason. Night times are not for nappy changes unless unavoidable.

@FATEdestiny thank you! Lots of useful information. I do swaddle her so will continue that. I tried a dummy a month or so ago but found she spat it out after a minute or so. I wasn't particularly keen on using one anyway so didn't push it. Maybe I should try again. Any tips for getting her to keep it in her mouth?

Use similar tactics to getting baby latched on the breast.

So never just 'stick the dummy in', you want to get baby actively seeking the teat. So similar methods to baby reaching for the nipple. Tickle top lip of cheek with teat so baby turns and seeks it. Aim teat upwards to the roof of mouth to encourage sucking. When it's in the mouth, tapping on outside of dummy triggers the suck reflex, dumny doesn't want to just sit passively in mouth (until baby is asleep, when it will), baby should be actively sucking.

When dumny is being sucked - as opposed to being passively in the mouth - then it won't fall out because suction keeps it in. Plus crying is impossible when simultaneously sucking.

Try at different times of the day, different points of hunger and tiredness. Movement (swaying/rocking) with dummy is often soothing when baby is very worked up.