Am I making a rod for my own back?

[Chocoqueen]

DD is 5 months old, up until 3 1/2 months she was a lovely sleeper settled in her crib with a dummy and only woke up once a night for feeding, 2 or 3 naps a day of 1 hour plus in her carry cot.

Then she hit the 4 month regression and it all changed. Naps are now only 30 minutes (if that) and she either has to be absolutely exhausted to sleep or practically fed to sleep. Afternoon nap tends to be on me after a feed. She goes down easily at night, but again is so tired she mostly falls asleep as I'm feeding her. Doesn't sleep through but can generally be resettled with a dummy with a feed once or twice a night.

My question is - am I making a rod for my own back by continuing to feed her to sleep/not waking her if she falls asleep on me and letting her nap on me? In the one hand I worry she's losing the ability to settle herself to sleep, on the other it's so easy! And I'm enjoying the cuddles.

Let her nap she shouldn't be napping on you when she is 14 do what works for this stage till it passes!

Thanks - that was my gut reaction... and it's not like she can't fall asleep without me it's just quicker/easier when she does 😆

As pp says. Babies thrive on contact, it all sounds good.

Yes the rod got your own back thing is a load of bollocks, sounds like you're getting on fine!

Thanks all 😊

My DD naps on me during the day time at the moment. But she still can't do any longer than 30 minutes and she will often cry herself into a state and then fall asleep. She's trying to fight it all of the time during the day! Makes me so sad for her. She sleeps really well at nighttime so she's obviously undisturbed by getting less daytime sleep. She doesn't seem to be overtired and then fussy at night. Sometimes I just wish she'd sleep for a bit longer during the day; so I could try to put her down and have a few minutes to myself!

It's ok for babies to cry a little bit to go to sleep

www.facebook.com/LyndseyHookway/videos/the-cotcrib-transfer/154333652586552/

I feed to sleep and have been told it's biologically normal and not to worry about it if it works! Here is a link to a series of talks on sleep and feeding.

Do what is best for you and baby, nothing wrong with contact napping AT ALL. She is still tiny so this is all normal.

Only thing I can say is that from experience, my DS is now used to cuddles and now that is a sleep association for him and wants cuddles to settle him to sleep initially and sometimes when he wakes at night (he is 16 months). This is an issue for me as I have to constantly pick him up and hold him until he is asleep again, but that is him. All babies are different! My DD was very independent and I could just put her in her cot awake and she would fall asleep on her own right from newborn stage.

As I said before there is nothing wrong with contact naps, until it becomes an issue for you (as it is for me now!)

Doesn't sleep through but can generally be resettled with a dummy with a feed once or twice a night

If this is how the 4 month sleep regression is hitting you, you are very very lucky!

Really nothing to worry about.

I could have written this! Pleased to know most people think this is normal and will pass.

@Wnkingawalrus

Doesn't sleep through but can generally be resettled with a dummy with a feed once or twice a night

If this is how the 4 month sleep regression is hitting you, you are very very lucky!

Really nothing to worry about.

My thoughts too. After 4 months we were up 4-8 times a night, for a looooooong time. So since it sounds like everything is working and feels easy, I wouldn’t change anything. Usually at some stage feeding to sleep stops working and you need to consider what you do then, but just wait til that comes and enjoy the closeness, you will be helping your child feel secure in your relationship.

@Wnkingawalrus

Doesn't sleep through but can generally be resettled with a dummy with a feed once or twice a night

If this is how the 4 month sleep regression is hitting you, you are very very lucky!

Really nothing to worry about.

4 month sleep regression affects babies differently. My DS was up every hour all night for months until he discovered thumb sucking and sleeping on his front. Still not a great sleeper but has improved since those terrible nights!!

It's fine to let her sleep on you, ds used to do this during the day until he was about 8 months. He now naps in his pram during the day and sleeps around 10 hours a night (he's just turned 1)