Sleep argh

[tallybee]

My lo is 4 months tomorrow. She's always been quite a light sleeper but it's getting unmanageable. The only time she seems to go properly into a deep sleep is when being pushed in the pram, she can go up to 4 hours like that. Other than that she fights sleep. She barely naps unless in the pram, just really short catnaps. She has a bedtime routine - bath (with bedtime bath stuff), massage with bedtime lotion, cuddles, boob (all with low lights) and it can take ages to get her down to sleep though she's obviously shattered. Ive tried doing bedtime earlier so she's not overtired but it made zero difference. Once she's down she might go 2-3 hours if I'm lucky. Sometimes only 1hour. Then wants boob. This continues all night she wants boob every couple of hours if I'm lucky. It can be constant. I co sleep with her once I'm ready for bed. She is genuinely hungry when she wakes, takes a good suckle. The last few nights she's been awake at 4-5 am had her boob then not been able to get back to sleep, it's been like she's pissed off she can't sleep, she cries no matter what I do. Took until the bigger kids time to get up for the day to get her back to sleep.

I cut all caffeine except one cup of weak coffee first thing in the morning. No difference

I'm so tired. I'm on my own so no help at home. Lo does feed well in the day. But always hungry. She's ebf. Should I offer some solids ? She's showing some signs of being ready like when I'm eating she watches me intently making munching motions with her mouth. She cant sit unaided at all but has great neck and body strength.

Sorry for the essay lol any thoughts appreciated xx

 

[noon_child]

If it is a recent worsening I'd say it could be the 4month sleep regression. It sucks but it does end.

There is also the possibility of a growth spurt round that time too.

Or it could just be normal. My LO was the same. She could go days without any naps at all from 2months old but she'd be a mess, screamingly tired but unable to settle and bedtime would take forever (in fact she only napped in the sling on me between 5months and 11 months because it was the only way to guarantee a sleep - or occasionally in her pram but only if I left it outside the door otherwise she woke up).

Oh and if anything, solids made my LOs sleep worse because digesting new things disturbed her and she got bouts of bad gas.

 

[iiTTCii]

I personally wouldn't look at weaning this early. She's watching you eat as its somethings new and is taking in everything around her. She won't know the association between what you're doing and it's something you do when you're hungry.

Do you express at all? It might be worth expressing a bottle and giving her that at bedtime.
How much sleep does she get during the day?

 

[lau86]

That must be hard! My dd doesn't nap well in the day but at least she sleeps at night. I agree it could either be a growth spurt or a sleep regression. I think an expressed bottle or dream feed might work if she genuinely is hungry. I also wouldn't wean as I believe milk has more calories than most first foods so that might not help much? Hope it improves soon!

 

[tallybee]

Thanks for your replies everyone

You're right weaning isn't really the answer, you know how it is though we get desperate! I was actually in Asda baby aisle looking at hungry baby formula for ages yesterday fighting with myself over whether to buy it. I didn't in the end as it would end up being the beginning of the end of bf and might not even help and I would regret it.

Last night was slightly less bad than some recent nights. I just going to have to get through it as best I can and hope it passes x

 

[Spudtastic]

This is exactly how my dd1 was. Unfortunately I can't offer much advice but I sympathise. Dd1 woke up to feed every hour after I'd got her to sleep and she woke up at 4 to 5am every morning. It was like this for a year.
I took her to an osteopath at a year and it did help. It could be worth a try? But frankly she's still a bad sleeper at 3. I am only just recovering from 2.5 years of severe sleep deprivation.