Baby needs boob to sleep - help!

[Tui]

My 4 month old goes to bed around 9pm and will sleep till midnight, then he wakes about every hour or two till morning!

I can get him back to sleep with a grumble and a cuddle, but he wakes up anywhere between 5-60 mins after I put him back to bed. Every time.

He is capable of going several hours without a feed so I know he isn't hungry every time he wakes, but the only way I can get some sleep is to nurse him in bed.

Trouble is, he now seems to need boob to sleep! So I nurse till he is asleep, sometimes I fall asleep for 30mins or so too as I'm shattered, then I put him to bed. Cue the 5-60 mins later, awake, repeat.......

I've tried leaving him in his bed but he just grumbles louder and louder and eventually cries till I get him. I don't like doing that as he gets upset and no one in the house gets any sleep.

I guess I'm asking if anyone has had this problem, and if he will grow out of it in time, or do I need to sort this out before it becomes a habit? I don't like the cry it out methods so I don't want to do it that way if possible.

He is a happy healthy boy in all respects and doesn't need boob to sleep during the day. He will fall asleep anywhere with little or no fuss. I've tried putting him for naps in his bed during the day and he will cry a few mins then go to sleep. Just night time seems to be an issue.

Oh and it's not the 4 month sleep regression thing, he has always been a bad night sleeper, but the boob thing is more the last 4 weeks or so.

Any thoughts?

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Still could be some form of 4 mo SR just manifesting itself with extra need for cuddles and comfort. Possibly could be teething and suckling helps with the pain of teeth moving around in the gums.


Talking to his pedi could shed some more light on what may be going on too eg developmental leaps

 

[Tui]

His teeth are definitely moving. He loves chewing on his/my fingers, and we have much dribbling going on. Don't think it's sleep regression, unless it started at 3 months and lasts for weeks, lol.

We don't have pedis here. Just Plunket nurses, but they weren't much help. I mentioned it yesterday.

I don't mind if I know it will pass and he will grow out of it. I'm just worried I'm creating a long term problem/bad habit.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

NAK sorry for abrupt responses... Makes sense that you don't want to create a bad habit. Could be the milks composition at night ie more tryptophans it could be 1,00,000 things. Does he nurse more often in the day, like he is increasing your supply?

Is there a way OH can try to soothe baby back to bed to maybe put off a feed and slowly break the habit?