4 mo sleep regression question

[Ecoden]

Does this sound like 4 mo sleep regression? WILL IT END? Is there anything I can do or do I just ride it out? It's confusing because she's so happy during the day. So here's the whole picture:

The My LO is 4 months and 1 week and since 6 weeks she slept great with just one night waking at 3ish. But for the last week she has been waking all night long almost every hour. She isn't waking up screaming or anything. She is just kind of is restless and whimpery until I cuddle and re-settle her which doesn't take too long but every hour adds up quick and I have such a hard time falling back asleep. She will nurse twice now at night. So last night for example she slept 6pm-6:30 am like that. We don't put her down awake but she goes down quickly and we like putting her to bed, it takes like 5 min or so. She was in her own room in the crib before this hit but now she's back to rock n play next to bed and co-sleeping because I am working and it's really the only way I can survive. She cat naps every 2 hours or so during the day (she's always been a cat napper).

Any insight or HOPE that this will end appreciated!!!

 

[Button#]

Definitely sounds like the 4 month sleep regression and she's having trouble transitioning through sleep cycles. It will pass and like you've said, it's about survival at the moment. All I could suggest is co sleeping but you said you're already doing that. I'm not looking forward to this, my LO is 4 months this weekend.

 

[Ecoden]

Oh man it's brutal! How long did it last for your first LO? It sounds like you've been through this. I'm freaked out because I have a friend whose 5.5 mo old has been doing this since 3.5 mo! Another friend's twins went through it for 6 weeks! I wish I slept better cosleeping because I generally like it. It's just so hard for me to sleep with her in my bed. The U.S. really needs longer maternity leave because even though it would still be so hard, having to work the next day is almost impossible.

 

[Button#]

My DS was a bad sleeper generally which from the sounds of it yours was pretty good so hopefully it will pass quicker for you. My DS seemed to roll from one sleep regression to another without much of a break. You'll get better at sleeping when you co sleep as you get used to it.

I don't envy you having to go to work after a bad night though, it must be very hard.

 

[Literati_Love]

For me, the regression never ended. She is 12 months now and still sleeping just as poorly. However, she wasn't a great sleeper to begin with... And I do think babies who slept better before sometimes get over it sooner. I hope that is the case for you.

 

[kellyc1987]

For me the regression was short, DS has always been a good sleeper (slept through from 8 weeks) and it wasn't a bad regression plus he was cutting two teeth too, it started a week before 4 months he started waking once a night for a feed, and for about a week now which is 4 months and 3 weeks he has been sleeping through again

 

[Ecoden]

She seems a bit better so I am hopefully optimistic. The every hour thing was killing me. Last night she did every 3 hours and we didn't have to cosleep which is 3x better. I think I got 8 hours of (interrupted) sleep vs. the 2-3ish I had been getting.

Literati_Love: How often does LO wake up? I was so happy with the 1-2 (1 would be ideal) nightwakings. I actually enjoy a night nursing because she always falls right back asleep again and it's sweet bonding for us.

Thanks kellyc, that does give me hope. My sister who has 2 kids told me that once they're 6 months and they're still waking constantly you can either sleep train, cosleep or live with it. I don't want to do any of those!!

 

[Literati_Love]

My dd is unfortunately up every 1-2 hours still! Oy! I'm glad to hear you had a better night last night. Hope it goes back to normal ASAP!

 

[Ecoden]

My dd is unfortunately up every 1-2 hours still! Oy! I'm glad to hear you had a better night last night. Hope it goes back to normal ASAP!

Oy is right! At 1 year? Are you working? It would still be hard but again I think I could do this if I weren't working. Plus I work from home so I am like half stay at home mom and half working mom which is a blessing and a curse. Have you done any sleep training?

Last night she was up every 30 min and would only nurse to re-settle. Tonight, DH is going to do all bed time and night duties. She'll cry safely in his arms but I can't keep doing this.

 

[Literati_Love]

I am back to work, yes, so it is difficult! I don't believe sleep
training (at least anything involving crying) is right for our family, so I have not. I have tried and failed gentler methods before but they do nothing. Ah, well! I will eventually have to night wean and hoping she will sleep better then.

I hope your DH doing the wake-ups tonight will help. Mine was never that willing to help so hopefully that will work out for you!

 

[Ecoden]

I am back to work, yes, so it is difficult! I don't believe sleep
training (at least anything involving crying) is right for our family, so I have not. I have tried and failed gentler methods before but they do nothing. Ah, well! I will eventually have to night wean and hoping she will sleep better then.

I hope your DH doing the wake-ups tonight will help. Mine was never that willing to help so hopefully that will work out for you!

Man that's tough, sorry! My friend just night weened and it totally solved the issue for her. My LO is too young still for that. I am not 100% sure where I stand sleep training (mostly I really hate the idea of doing it) so I totally get that. I absolutely won't consider it until after 6 months. Honestly, some kids nothing works but we are just at the beginning of working on this. My nephew just started sleeping good around 14 months after they tried EVERYTHING.

Yeah DH was staying at home with her until this week so in hindsight I wish we would have done it sooner. It's just she was so easy at night before until a week ago there was no reason to wake him most of the time. Here's hoping something will change. Good luck to you too!

 

[Literati_Love]

Those are both positive stories about your friend night weaning and your nephew suddenly sleeping better at 14 months. There may be hope for me yet! hehe.

Yeah, you're definitely still in the early stages but hopefully this regression will pass and you won't even have to think about sleep training!