Our DS is 19 weeks old and has started waking every 60-90 minutes all night every night. I suppose that the poor mite has had a lot of change in his life, we started off after he was born living in a short term rental, went to the UK when he was 8 weeks old until 16 weeks old and have now moved back to Australia to live in our own home for the last 3 weeks. Therefore he has never been a great sleeper which I was fine with but we at least got a decent stretch of sleep from putting him down, usually about 6 hours after which he would wake several times before morning.
Over the last week or so he no longer has the long sleep period when we put him down and he wakes constantly. We have a set bedtime routine, feed, bath, book then rocking/patting/dummy to sleep, we have kept this consistent since birth. We co-sleep and I BF him lying down when he wakes in order that I can get at least some sleep.
I have the Pinky sleep book and whilst I have found it great to reaffirm that we are doing the right thing with him, I don't feel that it actually offers any solutions. Maybe that's because there are none, i'm not sure. Thought about ringing child health nurses or family centre but they advocate controlled crying/ comforting or whatever garbage label they chose to use and I would rather be awake every night till he is ready to sleep than risk using their barbaric techniques. I have tried family and friends too and their best advice is that I am bringing it on myself for not letting him cry or that he is obviously hungry and needs solids or a bottle of formula before bed
He was a terrible day sleeper too but since his night time sleep has gone to pot he has become a better daytime sleeper and we are getting longer sleeps with him. I think that at night he is waking at every sleep cycle, are there any gentle techniques for helping them transition? He has managed to resettle through one yesterday afternoon but I have no idea what was different.
Last night he went down at 19.30, up at 20.30 tried to resettle in cot but to no avail so got him up and he fed and fell asleep on my knee. I know that he wasn't really hungry, but wouldn't settle by any other means. We went to bed at 21.30 and he came into our bed asleep. Woke at approximately 23.30, 01.00, 02.30, 03.30, 04.30, 05.30 then had a long sleep till 09.30. I am trying the dummy when he wakes but he won't have it so the boob goes in and we both go back to sleep.
I now that he is having a growth spurt as well as a wonder week and i'm sure that it will pass on its own, but i just wanted to get it out there and see if there were any suggestions. He is a great baby, so happy, sociable, chatty and loveable that I suppose the sleep thing is only a tiny part of him but it feels so huge!
is he teething at all? babies often go thru changes in sleep patterns especially during wonder weeks! i dont like controlled crying/crying it out as it has never worked with DS. i find he gets more upset and takes longer to calm down. keep going with what you are doing tho. if its working then thats great. maybe ride it out and see how he is in a few days. sorry not really much help.
It's tough work sometimes. I just wanted to let you know that 4 months is a VERY common age for sleep to regress. Google "4 month sleep regression" and you should find lots of info. I went through it with all three of my bubs at the same age. It does pass, I promise!
Oh yhun the sleepless nights really test the gentle parent in me...and I think is this the right thing to do! But you know whats in a few weeks ( I know that seems like ages away) It will settle and it will pass and you will be getting more sleep!
Have you tried co sleeping? My DS1 was a sleeper like your bub and once he came into bed with me we both got way more sleep? Or even use the cot in your room agains t your bed with one side down so bubs isnt in your bed but within reach? And let bubs suckle if he has to...i know it is so uncomfy sometimes but its only for a short time!
your doing a great job and please try to sleep when he does! Good luck xxx
My little one is 20 weeks and at the moment is much the same as your little one.
The others are right in saying that 19 weeks can be a doozie wonder week. But also, it sounds like he's had a lot of upheaval of late so might just need a few weeks to get back into a pattern that you're all happy with.
The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley offers some wonderful gentle solutions to help night time sleep. Would totally recommend that book.
Sue xxx
Sounds like you already have a good idea how to cope - co-sleeping.
We talk about sleep problems in babies like there's something wrong if babies have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, but the truth is that it's just normal. They're all different and go through phases of better or worse patterns, but the real problem is that parents (and particularly) mums are not well supported to deal with the lack of sleep.
So the other thing I would suggest to get through this current phase is getting whateve help you can so that you can take time out and rest, and just generally making life as easy as possible for yourself.
That might sound really unhelpful, but this will pass, your baby will sleep better (one day) - don't spend the early months tearing your hair out making your life harder by trying to force them to do something they're not ready for.
It sounds like he's a wonderful child - the sleep really is just a small thing. It's huge now, because you're tired! But one day (and in the greater scheme of things it won't be all that long) you'll look back and think, That wasn't so bad! In fact, we've been really lucky. Sure, he didn't sleep much, but he's so lovely and wonderful and that doesn't change, even as the sleep improves.
I'm exhausted, please help!
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