5 month old sleep

[rosylouise]

Hello,

I have the most delightful wee baby, he is super happy and super chill. Up until 4 months he was sleeping from 8pm - 7am with one feed in the night and now for the last 6 weeks weeks it just got progressively worse where he is now waking 5/6 times in the night and I feed him back to sleep. I’m breastfeeding and do co sleep after his first wake where I then feed him back to sleep every time. I’m not overly exhausted and don’t need much sleep myself but I am worried that this is going to continue and the exhaustion will come. He won’t take a dummy and he does nap during the day but to no set routine.
I have a 4 year old who has always been a great sleeper and settled well with a dummy.

I know he is a small baby and it’ll surely get better but I guess I’m just looking for any advice from anyone who is in a similar situation. Thank you 😃

@rosylouise sounds like classic 4 month sleep regression. And maybe the start of teething?
The Happy Sleeper book might offer you some ideas to re-establish sounder sleeping.

Hi @Karmaiscool yes he has two teeth already and I suspect the regression too. My first went through the regressions quickly. He’s already awake after going down at 7pm 😩

I think 7pm is far too early for bedtime, if he has a reasonable amount of day sleep. he might less sleep overall than you are expecting him to have, so therefore he isn't tired enough for the night. You had it very lucky and unusual so far, this sounds like typical regression. I'd try a later bedtime, make sure you start his day by a set time each morning, try and get outside early in the morning and lots of floor time, avoid containers like bouncers, they need to burn energy,

Thank you @Peonies12 what do you think is enough day time sleep? It changes daily and usually he doesn’t nap beyond 3pm hence the early bedtime as he’s ready by then.

Sounds the same as my nearly 7 MO.

He was sleeping through 7-7 and then it all changed when the sleep regression hit. He was in his own cot but I had to start co sleeping at that point so that I could get some sleep.

He wakes 4/5 times to feed however I think if I really pushed through and tried settling him for some of those wakes he would settle without being fed but I’m just too lazy right now.

Im happy for now to be led by him and I’m just trusting things will change when he’s ready.