Tips for implementing self soothing during the 4 month sleep regression

[TheCaretakerNadine]

Hi. Im a long time lurker and took the plunge to ask yall for some tips. Id like my baby to slowly start settling himself to sleep with less intervention from me.

Baby boy is 17 weeks. Formula fed. His naps and bedtime requires him to be rocked and bounced by me (can take up to 30 mins sometimes) to enable him to fall asleep, at which point I lay him down in his crib.

He has reflux so has to be kept upright for 20mins although he still gets a little spit out.

Basically, I know its recommended to start sleep training from 6 months, but wondering if anyone can give me some tips to help bubba self soothe himself, so when the time comes to sleep train, it isnt a huge shock for a baby who is so used to falling asleep in mummys arms/shoulders.

Id like to introduce some good habits now slowly. Start getting ready for bed between 8-9pm. I cant push this earlier as his dad gets home then and gets his cuddle time then. During nights, he wakes up around 3/4am for a bottle and then asleep til 9/10amish. But the night is toing and froing between the crib, my chest, next to me in bed.

Any tips much appreciated
X

Oh and no cry it out methods please- I dont think I can manage that.

Have you tried popping lo in cot however they go to sleep with a dummy (which helps reflux and helped us and a plus helps self soothing) then with some white noise and darkness and seeing if they go sleep? I'm not saying cry it out, just to see what happens? See if they drop off.

You could try seeing if you could put lo in cot drowsy but awake in bedside cot? See if that works? Never did for us but every baby different.

Another way pop lo awake in bedside cot and see if you can settle lo asleep in there. Hand on chest,, shushing every so often and tapping dummy to teach them to use to self soothe. Then reduce over time......

Solid bedtime routine so lo knows it's bedtime and time to go sleep. Nothing wrong with that bedtime. Every lo changes sleep needs but if continues sleeping that amount of time it might not suit in future.

That’s just life with a baby. If it has reflux then any sleep is a miracle. Grab sleep while you can and good luck.

I did habit stacking with my little boy. For around 2 weeks I started patting his chest and shushing him as I was rocking him to sleep then eventually tried placing him in his crib when he was starting to look sleepy, patting his chest and shushing. It took a bit of practise but after around a week of this I was able to put him down awake and he now goes off to sleep without needing any support.

Hey! I'm curious to know if you have come out of the other side of the regression yet? My LO just turned 4 months and we have been having 30 minute day naps, several night wakings and 4am wake ups / 5am starts for past 2.5 / 3 weeks, absolutely shattered and feel like it's been 3 Months of this, he's never been a great sleeper to be honest due to silent reflux but it's the day sleep with 30 minute cat napping and screaming/fighting to sleep which is slowly making me lose my mind 😫

Ferber method at 6 month - highly recommend reading the book - I downloaded it on my phone.

My DS went from being rocked to sleep, with dummy and specific music (and then waking every 30 minutes all night) to sleeping through with 2 feeds. Over the next month we reduced to one feed and then no wake ups.

Its amazing that we just put him in his cot and he goes to sleep. 15 months now and still doing it… our friends spend hours every night and nap time settling their babies/toddlers/3 year olds.

If I had a 4 month old again I would really not bother about good habits yet because they’re just not developmentally ready to do it. Just count down to 6 months and prepare for your life to be changed.