Signs of 4 month growth spurt/nightmare?

[Siuan]

What signs did your LO's give so you knew they were going through the 4 month growth spurt? When did it start, how long did it last?

I've been dreading this particular one because it looks sooooo long on the chart thing that someone posted up here.

The past week has become a bit of a nightmare for us (still easier than some have it I admit, but so hard for what we're used to) and I'm wondering if we've hit it already?

1) She's started to HATE her baths (this is probably the one thing that really has me upset 'cos she loved them before. Now she's in for less than 30 seconds and she's screaming blue murder. I've tried just plain water, I've tried different temperatures, I've tried moving the bath earlier and earlier (it used to be around 8 with bedtime at 9, but tonight it was 6:50pm and LO still screamed and is still not asleep 1.5 hours later

2) Bedtime was 9pm. I've tried moving it earlier and earlier and it just seems to be becoming a huge struggle

3) Feeding - she used to be ok with this. Now she feeds, unlatches, cries, feeds, unlatches, cries rinse and repeat. Makes feeding in public a nightmare.

4) When she does feed it's less time (despite the above rigmarole) but more frequently, say every hour or so.

5) She screams whenever I change her nappy now. I am trying not to feel that it's 'cos we're now cloth nappying instead of using disposables.

6) When she does eventually settle at night she sleeps really well still (so far) last few nights it's been from between 8-9 for bed and awake around 4am for a 10 min feed before sleeping until the alarm goes off at 7:30am

So what do you ladies think? It's the bath and bed time that have me at my wit's end. She's 3 months 15 days now, according to the chart I mentioned above, she could be in the middle of the 4 month spurt (going by due date) going by birthdate it could be the beginning of the "fussier" period... I just don't know what it means though.

 

[Siuan]

Anyone?

 

[lauraclili]

We're pretty much at the same point. We have the following:

Fussy feeding (although not if I feed her a little, stop and then come back to it about ten minutes later when she's properly hungry).
No napping in the day. And I mean none. She's impossible at the moment
Waking up a strange points in the night. She used to go 7 to 1.30. Now, it can be anything from 11 onwards with a variety of times waking up. Hard work.
I've not noticed a difference in her bath times but have noticed her wanting more feeds that are shorter rather than fewer longer feeds although that could be the weather. I was finding she wanted to go to bed earlier too which bearing in mind her normal bedtime is 6.30 meant she was begging for bed at sometimes 5pm! I've put in an extra feed here and that seems to have helped a lot.

I'm hoping the regression doesn't last for long.

I hope this helps some.

Xxx

 

[flippityflop]

My LO started a fussy period at 3.5 months and sorry to say we're still in it. He didn't do exactly what your LO did but here's a little list
- screamed the house down for 2-3 hours every night from 8pm onwards, would not go to sleep. I cut his late afternoon nap (5/6pm ish) and started putting him to bed for the night at 6

Gave him bath at 5.30. Hated baths till 4 months then stopped hating them but if he's tired he hates them.

Stopped feeding in the day, would go 8 hrs without anything despite me constantly offering. He'd drink for a minute and do the unlatch/latch thing. I stopped BF in public because of this.

I can't offer any real advice as whatever we repressed to has stuck as normal now. Bedtime isn't a huge struggle anymore but it was for months. I still have to rock him to sleep but generally for 5-10 minutes rather than 2 hours. He wakes hourly and naps terribly. Hopefully your phase will be shortlived!

 

[floofymad]

Ach can sympathise and say think we're in it at the moment. Last 2 weeks it's become worse and worse. Not feeding properly any more, pushing it out with her tongue, only drinking small amounts, making weird screeching noises, random crying and screeching, waking LOTS at night, sleeping fretfully and shuffling, being grumpy, etc etc!!!

Please let it end!

 

[Siuan]

Hmm, sounds like it is the dreaded 4 months then. Thanks for sharing your experiences ladies. I just hope it doesn't get any worse!! I've checked on her a couple of times since she finally settled at 8:30pm and each time she's been shuffling around/moaning in her sleep. I sense a tired Mummy tomorrow!!!

Bed time I think to try to catch some sleep if at all possible.

 

[michellle1980]

Poor you. My lo loves her baths too and it's a great way to cheer her up if she's grumpy in the evening so I hope she doesn't get like this. What charts are you referring to that wall about a fussy stage etc? I haven't seen these and they sound really interesting

 

[Siuan]

Yeah, bath time used to work like a charm

The charts are here: https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/baby-club/642342-wonder-week-info-chart.html

She is 15 weeks now, but according to that thread she may be at the 17 week stage as she was two weeks late

I'm just not sure that she's followed that for the last few spurts or not!!!

 

[floofymad]

Siuan - my LO would be 17 weeks according to the WW chart as well, and that's a stormy period! Also there's weeks of 'fussing' there too. Hope it passes soon!

 

[Siuan]

Me too floofymad!! needed for us all going through it I think!!

 

[erikab922]

Your baby is 9 days older than mine and I find you usually ask questions around the same time I am starting to have the same things happen. Her naps are ALL over the place, today she would not take breastmilk in a bottle, totally refused, and then gulped down formula (made me feel awesome ), pretty much everything you have mentioned we are just starting to go through. I have just had to put her down in her baby hammock and let her whinge-it-out, maybe half the time she does eventually fall asleep. I won't leave her if she's flat-out bawling, but if it's that irritating grunt-whinge I just have to walk away and have a cuppa or I'll go mad!

EDIT: I stopped swaddling her about six weeks ago and just for the heck of it tried it again when I put her down for a nap just now, and she LOVED it, really calmed her down.

 

[Siuan]

It does sound very similar to what we're going through Erika. I have just found that looking back at the last week of bedtime notes I've made on my phone, she's been going to bed at around 8/8:15pm most nights (except once when it was 9pm) so I'm going to stick with that for now and see how things go.

She'll be getting a bath in the evenings still 'cos I really want to make it part of her bedtime routine. Even if she's only in there for 30 seconds, it's better than nothing and she'll end up screaming when she's taken out anyway, so I guess we're not losing a huge amount.

Naps today have been so sporadic (despite my best attempts) She woke at 9am today, 11:48 she had a 40 min nap so that wasn't too bad going by the 90 minute "rule". Then she didn't (wouldn't) sleep again until 4pm!! That was only 25 mins too.

She's sleeping now in our Mei Tai (it's been around 30 mins now), so once she wakes we'll bath her and I'll try to get her in bed by 8pm... wish me luck!

Interesting regarding swaddling. It's not something we've ever taken to. I don't even know how! But I might give it a try.

 

[staralfur]

We're going through this, too. Her sleeping is AWFUL, naps are especially bad.

She usually is great in public places, too...she loves looking around at everyone and everything. But the past week or so she just screams when we take her anywhere, she gets overstimulated so quickly.

Hoping this doesn't last long for any of us!

 

[yumosh]

Mine just hit 15 wks & nightmare started tonight. Has been screaming, sleeping, waking screaming, feeding ever half hour! Very moody. Normally lovely chilled baby.

Good luck to us all ) x

 

[Siuan]

Well, fingers crossed we've had a good evening so far (now I've jinxed it haven't I?!)

We managed a 10 minute bath before she got upset and I even got her dried and almost dressed without too many hysterics. It then took me an hour to get her down, but she's been asleep for 20 mins now. Please send us some sleepy dust!!

 

[floofymad]

Uh, naps have been terrible here last two days as well. Managing max of 45 mins, with most around 35. She's so tired when she wakes as well. Grrr. Totally moody and grumpy. Like a hormonal teenager!

 

[Mummy Bean]

My little guy doing the exact same...suddenly refusing food, waking numerous times at night, generally more grumpy...hope this is just a stage...

 

[floofymad]

Forgot to add keeps rolling teat around in mouth and won't drink more than 4oz although usually has 7oz!

 

[AngelUK]

My boys are 17 weeks but were born at 37 weeks so 3 weeks early which makes them 14 weeks. So nothing is supposed to be going on there but we are in for it in a week or two. Well that will just about kill me! Dominic is REALLY hard to settle since about 10 days. He used to be off in the land of nod after about 15 minutes cuddling. Now he keeps waking ever 10 to 30 minutes screaming his head off until we rock and cuddle him some more. He used to sleep from midnight till 4, now he wakes every hour or half hour screaming though he is not hungry or cold or hot and hasn't pooed his nappy. So if this is his sunny side then I want to cry! Now, if I don't adjust the weeks according to their due date, everything would make sense. Though of course my Sebastian is as angelic and easy going as always.

 

[Nat0619]

Oh dear god, we might be just going into this LO is 14 weeks old tomorrow but is 15 on chart as was a week late! The past few days she has got increasingly grumpy Today she's been pretty bad. Just wasn't happy at all. Has been fussy feeding and only napping for 25/30 minutes at most.

But she slept 12 hours straight for the first time ever last night!! She's been STTN for several weeks, usually doing 9/10 hours straight. Praying this spell doesn't disrupt this as I can put up with some grumpy days if she continues to sleep well at night x