how do you get your 4 month old to sleep?

vkj73 · Oct 20th, 2010, 23:59 PM

recently our lo has been taking longer to get to sleep.
tonight it was an 1.5 hour process, last night it was 2hrs.

for a while, i'd been able to feed and rock her to sleep, then put her in the crib.
but now i set her down and she cries. i don't feel comfortable doing the cry-it-out method. with that said, i let her cry for a few moments at a time, come back in to shhhsh, pat, calm her. i leave, she cries. after this goes on, i pick her up, rock her and the cycle starts over. part of me feels like i may need to just let her cry it out, but i'm not completely comfortable with that.

she only takes short naps during the day (like 3 or 4, 45 min. naps) and i wonder if this is affecting the nighttime.
the great news is, is that she sleeps through the night...and, i was able to move her bedtime from 10pm or later to 9:00pm or earlier!

wondering if anyone else had a hard time putting your lo down and then it got better. what did you do, not do?

thanks

happygirl666 · Oct 21st, 2010, 02:18 AM

omg my son is the same sleeps not much during the day but he sleep well at night what I tend to do is take him for a walk he loves it he nods off in his pram the fresh air knocks him strate out most times

or just rap him up walm and hope for the best a nice walm bottle sometimes hellps

kc1980 · Oct 21st, 2010, 02:22 AM

We have just started the shush and pat method. Last night took 45 of her howling to go to sleep.

but I am quite determined to keep going as don't want a toddler that I have to lie with to get to sleep

during the day she has 3-4 naps total sleeping time is 4-5 hrs. If I am out, she sleeps in pram. At home, I am stArting pat and shush. On tues it took one hour of howling to get her to sleep.

NeyNey · Oct 21st, 2010, 03:08 AM

We read a book called Save our Sleep by Tizzie Hall, and started Dylan on the routines she recommends. ... Worked a treat, Dylan is now going to bed at 7pm and only waking once during the night (until 7am) for a feed. He now goes down with minimum fuss and doesn't wake up and not go back down now...He self settles.

louise1986 · Oct 21st, 2010, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kc1980

We have just started the shush and pat method. Last night took 45 of her howling to go to sleep.

but I am quite determined to keep going as don't want a toddler that I have to lie with to get to sleep

during the day she has 3-4 naps total sleeping time is 4-5 hrs. If I am out, she sleeps in pram. At home, I am stArting pat and shush. On tues it took one hour of howling to get her to sleep.

is that shh pat with lo in cot??

ouchwithNo.2 · Oct 21st, 2010, 05:22 AM

we have always put LO down awake, sleepy (not overtired) and left to settle.
she has always been very good at this, only needing the occasional shhhh or pat on the bum (in bed) or even a muslin over her face, she likes to suck on it but wont take a dummy.
what I would say is try and get those 45 minute naps to last longer and you may find life easier. 45 minutes is never enough. My 18 week old does a long 3-4hr stretch every day from 10am and after 45 minutes she wakes, every single time. It is all to do with sleep cycles.
to start with I would quietly go in and start shhhhing again, maybe you could try a little cuddle, pat etc... and if you haven't left them to cry they should nod off again quite fast.
I have always found good quality sleep in the day works wonders for them and that break after 45 minutes when they are still drowsy might be a good place to start with the self settling...

vkj73 · Oct 21st, 2010, 13:30 PM

thanks everyone! i think i need to give her a "lovey" (tiny blanket). i keep hearing about it, but haven't used it yet.

i think i may be putting her down too late, missing her cues. i've heard that at a certain age, they learn to hide their cues, so you have to go by time.

maybe i should try earlier tonight.

i'll see if that book is available here in the states.

cheers ladies!!!

Oct 20th, 2010, 23:59 PM	#1
vkj73 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: california Posts: 1,116	how do you get your 4 month old to sleep? recently our lo has been taking longer to get to sleep. tonight it was an 1.5 hour process, last night it was 2hrs. for a while, i'd been able to feed and rock her to sleep, then put her in the crib. but now i set her down and she cries. i don't feel comfortable doing the cry-it-out method. with that said, i let her cry for a few moments at a time, come back in to shhhsh, pat, calm her. i leave, she cries. after this goes on, i pick her up, rock her and the cycle starts over. part of me feels like i may need to just let her cry it out, but i'm not completely comfortable with that. she only takes short naps during the day (like 3 or 4, 45 min. naps) and i wonder if this is affecting the nighttime. the great news is, is that she sleeps through the night...and, i was able to move her bedtime from 10pm or later to 9:00pm or earlier! wondering if anyone else had a hard time putting your lo down and then it got better. what did you do, not do? thanks

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Oct 21st, 2010, 02:18 AM	#2
happygirl666 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: london Posts: 1,692	omg my son is the same sleeps not much during the day but he sleep well at night what I tend to do is take him for a walk he loves it he nods off in his pram the fresh air knocks him strate out most times or just rap him up walm and hope for the best a nice walm bottle sometimes hellps

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Oct 21st, 2010, 02:22 AM	#3
kc1980 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Switzerland Posts: 1,053	We have just started the shush and pat method. Last night took 45 of her howling to go to sleep. but I am quite determined to keep going as don't want a toddler that I have to lie with to get to sleep during the day she has 3-4 naps total sleeping time is 4-5 hrs. If I am out, she sleeps in pram. At home, I am stArting pat and shush. On tues it took one hour of howling to get her to sleep.

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Oct 21st, 2010, 03:08 AM	#4
NeyNey Trying to conceive (TTC) BnB Addict Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 8,600	We read a book called Save our Sleep by Tizzie Hall, and started Dylan on the routines she recommends. ... Worked a treat, Dylan is now going to bed at 7pm and only waking once during the night (until 7am) for a feed. He now goes down with minimum fuss and doesn't wake up and not go back down now...He self settles.

Status: Offline

Oct 21st, 2010, 05:22 AM	#6
ouchwithNo.2 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: EAST HANTS Posts: 2,625	we have always put LO down awake, sleepy (not overtired) and left to settle. she has always been very good at this, only needing the occasional shhhh or pat on the bum (in bed) or even a muslin over her face, she likes to suck on it but wont take a dummy. what I would say is try and get those 45 minute naps to last longer and you may find life easier. 45 minutes is never enough. My 18 week old does a long 3-4hr stretch every day from 10am and after 45 minutes she wakes, every single time. It is all to do with sleep cycles. to start with I would quietly go in and start shhhhing again, maybe you could try a little cuddle, pat etc... and if you haven't left them to cry they should nod off again quite fast. I have always found good quality sleep in the day works wonders for them and that break after 45 minutes when they are still drowsy might be a good place to start with the self settling...

Status: Offline

Oct 21st, 2010, 13:30 PM	#7
vkj73 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: california Posts: 1,116	thanks everyone! i think i need to give her a "lovey" (tiny blanket). i keep hearing about it, but haven't used it yet. i think i may be putting her down too late, missing her cues. i've heard that at a certain age, they learn to hide their cues, so you have to go by time. maybe i should try earlier tonight. i'll see if that book is available here in the states. cheers ladies!!!

Status: Offline

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