DS (4mos) is getting up eleventy thousand times a night. He was sleeping 9hrs or only getting up once, but the last week or so have been a nightmare.
He's not even hungry! He just sucks a few times and goes to sleep. I don't even letdown because he doesn't suck enough!
I did do some breastfeeding laying down last night, positioned him really well so there was no way he could suffocated, and we slept for a bit longer.
It gets better. I promise. I had one of those and it was debilitatingly exhausting... last night he slept 7.30 to 4, had a proper feed and then slept 'till 7.15. He's 14 months (I think it was getting heaps better by about 10/11 months).
It takes time, and a 2am, it certainly seems like it takes waaaaaaay too much time. But it gets better.
I know it's just a phase, but DD is going through a sleep regression as well. DH and I are exhausted.
I've been told to put him on solids to make him sleep through the night (because apparently ALL 4 month olds should sleep all night, lol), but I'm not. He's not ready and we are doing BLS this time.
Cosleeping is fine, but it's not a long term solution for me. After having kids on my boob or on my leg all day, I like to sleep by myself!!
Have you tried not letting him fall back asleep so quickly? I would be inclined to sit up in bed, turn a dull light on, feed him and if he dozes off again before he has really fed, wake him up again. Tickle his feet, his jaw (just under his ear), unwrap him slightly, talk to him. Anything to gently rouse him enough to take a decent feed. Change his bum, then offer the other side and resettle him off to sleep then. You can also try dream feeding him before he wakes, this worked between about 4-7 months with DD1, pushed out her waking another couple of hours.
All 4 month olds certainly do not sleep through the night! I think there is a sleep regression phase around the 4 month mark, hopefully that's all it is and he settles back into his 9 hour one wake up routine again soon. Big , it can be so hard but hang in there!
Sounds like the dreaded four month sleep regression. It hit us really hard.
Do you think he definitely wants to feed when he wakes? Ignore me if you've already tried, but would it be worth giving other settling methods a crack first before offering boob? Cuddles, rocking, bouncing, singing - or get Dad on the job, so little man doesn't smell your milk? For the last six weeks I was feeding DD every two hours overnight but realised that we'd both got into the habit of doing it; I started stretching the night feeds out again and try other techniques first if she wakes under the three-hour mark.
Ignore the 'solids make them sleep longer' idjits.
I'm sorry Charlotte, it's really rough - especially with two. I hope his sleep settles down again soon hon.
I'm not sure if it's an option, but we put our DD's cot directly next to our bed, with the side off so she was sleeping abit further away from me. (We had the cot against the wall, the side next to our bed off, then our bed right against the cot) that way if/when she woke i still had easy access and didn't have to get up to feed her, etc. it seemed to work in that i think she couldn't smell the milk as much so it didn't wake her, and i wasn't right against her when she fell asleep, ITMS? she was next to me, but not against me, so i wasn't waking her when i moved during the night, or she wasn't startled when she woke and wasn't against me, and the smell of my milk wasn't waking her as much.
I feel your pain. I've been there. It will get better, I promise. DS was a terrible sleeper when he was littler. My rock bottom was 11 wakeups in 8 hours overnight.
What worked for me was to give in to his desire to be with me 24/7. I co-slept for 7 months solid. Do whatever it takes to maximise your sleep. I was getting desperate for proper 'sprawl face first on my stomach blissful deep alone time sleep', but it wasn't going to happen. If he wasn't in my arms, he'd wake between 45mins and 2hrs all night every night. So I surrendered, and my mantra was 'Co-sleep or no-sleep'. It wasn't perfect but we both got more rest this way.
When he was ready, he went into his cot without a fuss. The transition was smooth. At first just the first half of the night, and when he woke I'd brinb him into my bed for snuggles. By 8 months I was able to resettle him back in his cot, and at 10 months I wouldn't even pick him up. Just offer a bottle, turn on his music and tuck him back in.
Now at 19months, he's miraculously been sleeping through the night 9 times out of 10. Stay strong, and go easy on yourself. Relinquishing control helped me so much. Adaptability will be your best weapon to fighg sleep deprivation.
Stay strong, and focus on maximising your rest times. And steal naps whenever possible! xo
BellyBelly Member
Tell me it gets better (4mo)
It does get better. Promise.
It wasn't perfect but we both got more rest this way.
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