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Trouble with 4 month old frequent night waking but good day sleeper

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10:03 pm
March 3, 2010

Miriam

Australia

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posts 18

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Hi there. My 4 month old feeds about every 3-3.5hrly during the day and is able to stay awake for up to 1.5hrs mostly. In order to keep the sleep feed wake cycle, that then leaves about 2 hours for sleep. He takes 3 naps a day which technically is 6 hours of napping (although is usually a total of 3-4hrs). He has been sleeping well during the day but waking lots at night. I've tried cutting back his sleeps during the day but he just gets grumpy and it also throws the SFW cycle out of whack. He can go to sleep fine with no sleep props so it's not that he can't go back to sleep on his own when he wakes so I'm stuck. Any ideas? Thankyou!

11:56 am
March 10, 2010

Kimberly

Admin

posts 47

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Hi Miriam,

The 4 month old mark can be a confusing one indeed as they become more aware of their surroundings.

Have you taken a look at this sample schedule Nicole puts out for 4 month old? From what you've said and looking the sample schedule it seems like you might try adding a feeding and spacing them out to about every two hours. (If it works for baby, that is.)

The extra feeding during the day might help him to not wake as frequently at night if he's getting fuller during the day.

Is he sleeping in a crib or are you co-sleeping?

How often is he waking at night and have night wakings increased or stayed about the same?How long is he staying awake at night…just for the duration of another feeding?

Here is another post on 4 month old sleep that might be helpful too. Please post back and I'll try to give you some additional suggestions based on your situation.

Kimberly
The Baby Sleep Site (TM)

7:32 pm
March 10, 2010

Miriam

Australia

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posts 18

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Thanks for that. I've actually had a look at that sample schedule and have started putting him to bed earlier which has helped and I have squeezed in an extra feed early evening but if I feed him more frequently than 3 hourly (unless sick or growth spurt) he doesn't seem to take a full feed. He just doesn't seem hungry enough. When he wakes at night he doesn't necessarily feed. Just needs help to resettle. I do still feed him overnight about 70% of the time but the other 30% he goes 8-10 hours without needing a feed. Some nights he's really good with sleeping (may only wake once or not at all) and others not so. I have actually started thinking today that he may have developed reflux so am considering taking him to be checked for that but have also tilted his mattress and am watching what I'm eating (I'm breastfeeding). He sleeps in a cot and on a bad night might wake every 2-3 hours. Thankyou so much for your help…

Miriam

11:49 am
March 17, 2010

Kimberly

Admin

posts 47

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Hi Miriam,

I am glad to hear that you do have some good nights where he sleeps longer periods of time.

Certainly it can't hurt to get the reflux possibility checked and ruled out or treated.

I'm also a big believer in some babies being sensitive to what we eat when we are breastfeeding. If you aren't already you might try keeping a food log along with a sleep log and see if you notice any patterns.

Babble Soft is an online application you might try as a way to track this. You can do a free trial for two weeks.

Please post back with any changes or just to let us know how it's going.

Kimberly
The Baby Sleep Site (TM)

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