Still in the 4 month regression 5 weeks later 😢 GP or wait it out?

[NovemberFlush]

I've posted about this before, but our LO who has just turned 4 months has been going through what we believe is the 4 month regression for 5 weeks. We are so exhausted, every night time and every nap can be so hard. At night he does his first stretch of sleep which can be anywhere from 1-3 hours usually. Then after this, he's awake every 1 hour or every 40 minutes. It takes multiple attempts to get him down in his next to me, as he wakes up loads. My poor dh insists on being the one to soothe him as I breastfeed, and he still feeds quite a bit. And my dh is up with him every hour of the night after the first stretch of sleep, over and over again. 😢 We've tried bedsharing, which doesn't really make a difference anymore. We can't swaddle anymore. He enjoys rolling onto his tummy and tends to sleep best like this, but doesn't always do it. He turns onto his side and usually within a couple of minutes rolls onto his back and cries. This happens multiple times through the night. Daytime naps are hard, he only sleeps 30 - 50 minutes usually. I worry he's not getting enough rest. When I've googled, it says to ask a gp if it goes beyond 6 weeks, should we?? Or do we just wait it out? We have a bedtime routine every night which we try and stick to. Just feel so helpless and tired all the time 😢

Mine never learned to roll back really, they started crawling and stopped rolling. So he likes sleeping on his front but then rolls back by accident, wakes up and isn't happy?

4 month sleep regression lasted till about 11 months. 2 breastfed babies..sorry!

The gp can’t help. Mine lasted 9 weeks and I was on my own with a toddler. I thought I’d lose my mind. Just keep reminding yourself that it is just a phase and it will pass soon..
.. it will!
Sleep deprivation is horrendous and really do empathise.

OP I wouldn’t recommend your HV or GP, niether will understand breastfeeding I’m afraid. Just feed your baby when he wakes and trust that this phase will pass. Had it wity both mine. Honestly it’s completely normal especially for breastfeeding babies.

Totally agree with this. The NHS isn't clued up at all on breastfeeding norms.

@Rowen32 so when he sleeps on his tummy, he sleeps deeper and when he wakes, he uses his hands to push up. This is usually his first wakeup. Then he tends roll just onto his side through the rest of the night and this is when he rolls onto his back during his sleep. I hope that makes sense?

Oh goodness, that sounds so hard! Thank you, we just keep hoping the end is in sight! Did you feed every wakeup?

Yes I do agree tbh, the advice I've been given about breastfeeding so far has been really outdated.

I would just feed him back to sleep. Whatever gets the most sleep for the most people!

I don’t know how I did it actually when I look back, but I do remember crying a lot! I breastfed and fed at every wake up. I’m not sure what’s right but my instincts said to ride it out and keep feeding. He sleeps very well now, you’ll be pleased to hear!
It will just pass. Make sure you nap whenever you can.

My DD didn’t get over the 4 month regression until the 8 month regression - which sorted her sleep right out!

I relate, I cry loads too. Sleep deprivation makes everything so hard. I'm so pleased about your little boy, it gives us hope! 💕

@NovemberFlush I understand. It's a pity he doesn't just stay on his tummy, he would probably sleep loads!

I know, he more than likely would! 😭

I want to cry and laugh at your post! Lol 🙈 throwing himself out the cot! Oh no 😅😭

How does your little one fall asleep as the beginning of the night?

Do you put him in his bed awake and he falls asleep by himself?

Been a few years since this stage for me but I remember my son had silent reflux which peaked around 4 months (when we realised) - would scream a lot after feeds and couldn't be laid down until he'd burped a lot (if he fell asleep on the boob he'd wake screaming 10 mins later). I was breastfeeding and fairly quickly had to try to reduce night feeds as it just took so long to get him back down again afterwards that it reduced rather than increased total sleep! He adjusted fine (was already a real chunker by then anyway so I wasn't really worried he needed to eat all night) but sleep stayed fairly broken until around 7.5 months then massively improved (for a few months anyway ;)).
Also, worth saying that, although they have to learn to transition sleep cycles, it's not something you can really teach them - they get it in the end - I think just making sure they feel secure and loved (and so as relaxed as possible) helps.

Just updating if anyone is interested. My LO ended up sleeping on his tummy which helped him sleep longer for a couple of nights, but the other day had his 16 week vaccines. I'm not sure if this is the cause, but he's started waking more frequently again. I've tried the last couple of nights feeding more, but I don't think it's made a difference. He's still waking frequently. 😔

@pinkcow123 he can't fall asleep independently. He gets gently bounced until he's asleep and then into the crib.

Sorry to hear he's waking frequently again. It definitely could just be an annoying side effect from the vaccines.

Babies do be babying too, unfortunately. It's normal baby behaviour to go through phases of sleeping well and then phases of being unsettled at night. Mostly you just have to wait it out, especially so young.

@NovemberFlushI would think it’s probably because he can’t link his sleep cycles. So everytime he wakes up he needs to be bounced to sleep and transferred.
I don’t imagine it will change until he can fall asleep independently…

I disagree about feeding more frequently. He’s working things out, developing, practicing skills - feeding more now will just cement the need to feed to sleep and it will go on for eons

my Oldest did the same, and eventually I only fed at 3am onwards once, and at 6 months night weaned entirely and put him in his own room. From then on he slept 10 hours straight. It all worked out well (he’s now 14, almost six foot tall and very happy, if anyone wonders 😁)

@pinkcow will this come with time?

@bge That's good to hear about your son 😌
I also think its a developmental thing as opposed to hunger.
I honestly feel so clueless with it all though!

Personally I’d put him down on his front. My baby rolled and slept on her front exclusively from about 4 months. I’m also an advocate of sleep training, which I appreciate some people are against, but I’d get a sleep consultant to help. It’s easier with support. They will also direct you to the gp if they think there is something out of the ordinary.