19 week old really fighting naps and bedtime

[Karenah86]

So I think my 19 week old ds has been going through the dreaded 4 month sleep regression for a few weeks now. Luckily it seems to only be affecting his daytime naps at the moment (hope I haven't jinxed myself there!) However, the past few days his nap fighting has gone up a level and now included bedtime fighting too. He screams and screams at the top of his lungs, even while I'm holding/rocking and trying to comfort him. It's so bad I feel like it must be hurting his little throat 😔 it can take a good hour at bedtime to settle him. Just wondering/hoping if this is just a phase and will pass? I find it so upsetting and exhausting! Any kind words of advice or stories of others who have been there and got through it are kindly welcomed! Mama on the edge here 😭

Have you tried him with a dose of Calpol to rule out pain or discomfort?

if that doesn't work, I'd try cracking the naps first. The No Cry Nap Solution is supposed to be very good

@BunnyRuddington I haven't tried calpol but that's a good shout! I think the screaming is most likely due to overtiredness though. He was a bit better last night at bedtime and has just gone down (in my arms) for his 1st nap of the day with no crying whatsoever 😳 could just be fluke but I'm hoping we're turning a corner!

Thanks for the link, will check it out. As ideally our goal is to have him settle himself in his cot for naps and bedtime. That's the dream!

Hi, my LO is similar. Daytime naps are tricky and much shorter than they used to be. Mine also cries at bedtime and now often wakes at 4am and is hard to get back to sleep.

My first tip is to accept this as a phase, and try not to stress too much. Difficult I know, but I realised that on top of extra work it was the worry and anxiety about it that was really getting me down. So now I just accept this is a normal phase for this age and get on with it.

The crying is tough but I think like this- baby is very tired, wants to sleep, crying because they can't sleep, so need my help to get there. Rather than focusing on the upset or thinking I've done something wrong. Also do you have a partner who can help with bedtimes? It's good to share the load.

Finally does your baby nap in the pram? I find this easier than rocking mine to sleep in a dark room. Always get at least two naps out in the pram to break it up a bit (mine usually has five short naps a day at the mo).

@Skyla01 that's reassuring to know your LO is similar! Although I'm sorry you're going through it too. I'm happy that you say it's just a phase, was starting to worry this would be the norm! Thanks for the advice, that's definitely a better way to approach the situation - he needs me to help him to sleep! I've always found his crying quite triggering and feel like I'm failing him whrn he cries but I think changing my mindset will really help ☺️

Luckily I have a wonderful husband who has been doing bedtime when he gets in from work! I think he finds it tough as well but I'm so grateful that I've got him to help out. At least we can navigate through it together!

Yes the pram is a lifesaver! He's also very good in the carrier but I haven't been using that as much the past week due to the hot weather! Definitely going to try use both a bit more this week for my sanity. We'll get through this somehow! Hope this phase doesn't last too long for you either!

@Karenah86 that all sounds good. Acceptance and not getting overly stressed / upset definitely helps. I do hope this is a phase (I'm sure it is but you never know until you get out the other side)! That's handy if you have the carrier as an option too. My OH also largely does bedtimes too which is a real help. It's nice to get a bit of a break in the evening.