How to deal 4 month sleep regression + croup

[DobbyForever]

A is 16w +1 day. About 13 days ago, he came down with a nasty case of croup. Lots of days spent sleeping under the humidifier and waking only to eat. He starts feeling better enough to be awake during the day and sleep at night, gets back on schedule, and then we’re hit by DST. Luckily, didn’t phase him. Few days later his croup turns full blown cold and now I have it. His naps start getting longer, he’s sleeping through multiple feedings and my supply is tanking despite pumping more frequently, staying hydrated, making sure to eat. I can’t pump enough for daycare, especially since I am putting more in each bottle because his weight was slowing and I realized he wasn’t getting enough. Now, he’s stopped sleeping 7:30-6:30 (with one feed at 5/5:30) to going to sleep at 5:45/6 (used to be a nap) and waking at 11, 3, 5, and every two hours thereafter. So waking up two extra times.

The doctor says not to sleep train him at this age and gave me the green light to feed him. She thinks it’s a normal regression/his body making up for missing feeding while sick. I try the usual paci, rocking, white noise, not getting him until he’s crying... but nothing works until he eats and he conks right back out.

I’m just so lost and don’t know what to do and i’m Sick and won’y Get better until I get some sleep . All the Internet advice conflicts

But then I wonder he is eating 9x a day still just shifted by 4 hours so drbjogsscghb. Idk

 

[jessmke]

We are in the 4 month sleep regression as well. My opinion is that you need to just do whatever works and don't stress about creating "bad habits". If he goes right back to sleep with a feed then that's what I would do as soon as he wakes up, that way everyone gets as much sleep as possible. You can try all sorts of other methods of getting him back to sleep, but if they don't work and you just end up feeding him in the end then you just kept yourself awake for much longer than you needed to.

Sleep training isn't recommended before 6 months, and many experts don't recommend it before 1 year. Babies can start learning object permanence around 4 months old (they learn that you still exist even though they can't see you) and so they wake at night and cry out for you because they know you are out there somewhere and they are feeling some separation anxiety. This is a really bad time to try to sleep train, because what they need is reassurance that you will come to them when they need you, so it's important to respond to him right away. Once he learns that you are around and available to him then he should learn to feel more secure when he is away from you.

There's also a growth spurt around 4 months which could account for the increased feeding at night.

If I were you I would just feed him back to sleep when he wakes and remind yourself that everything is temporary and this too shall pass!

 

[DobbyForever]

Thanks, Jess. Misery loves company, but I hope the regression passes quickly for both of us. Thank you for the reassurance. I keep reading about creating bad sleep associations (like my rocking him and feeding him). I don’t mind the exhaustion. Just hate it started the week report cards were due (and i’ve only been off Mat leave for 14 school days!) and next week we have conferences so my work day starts at 7 and ends at 5. And then thanksgiving week off but then Tuesday I have my formal evaluation =|. Just so no ideal to be sleep deprived

Ty for the tea suggestion. I’m not comfortable adding things to his diet to get him to sleep though.

 

[sil]

Dobby!! I don't have any advice but wanted to say hi. Hope you are well!

 

[jessmke]

Thanks, Jess. Misery loves company, but I hope the regression passes quickly for both of us. Thank you for the reassurance. I keep reading about creating bad sleep associations (like my rocking him and feeding him). I don’t mind the exhaustion. Just hate it started the week report cards were due (and i’ve only been off Mat leave for 14 school days!) and next week we have conferences so my work day starts at 7 and ends at 5. And then thanksgiving week off but then Tuesday I have my formal evaluation =|. Just so no ideal to be sleep deprived

Ty for the tea suggestion. I’m not comfortable adding things to his diet to get him to sleep though.

I don't buy the whole sleep associations nonsense. My daughter self settled to sleep ever since the day she was born, I never nursed or rocked her to sleep, she didn't need a pacifier. We did everything "right" and she still woke up ever 2 hours until she was a year old! Now with my son I rock and nurse him to sleep and he only wakes 2-3 times a night, and that's during the sleep regression! The sleep regression has made it really hard for him to get back to sleep after he has woken, sometimes I am up with him for an hour trying to get him back to sleep, but it hasn't made him wake up all that much more.

 

[DobbyForever]

Ooo interesting. How long has he been regressing?

I’m fxed he sleeps well tonight. He’s napped like a champ and taken 32 oz + 8 tsps of oat cereal today and I actually managed his bedtime routine tonight. His last two feedings were formula instead of fortified bm since i’m not pumping enough so i’m Trying to catch up

 

[jessmke]

My DS has been in the regression for about 2 weeks now. I think we might just be coming out of it, last night he happily went back to sleep after both night feeds, whereas previously he would be up for an hour or longer after each feed. His naps are still short, but he is no longer fighting his naps so things are getting better. Now if he would only nap for more than 30 min we would be golden!

 

[DobbyForever]

Glad to hear things are improving!