Does the 4 month sleep regression ever end?

[lizziimayy]

Gabriella used to be such a good sleeper at night where she'd go 6-8 hours undisturbed and then a feed and another 3 hour sleep. This was perfect and I was able to get a decent nights sleep.
Now she seems to be only able to go 2-3 hours longest sleep and then pretty much wakes every 1-2 hours. I'm absolutely exhausted! She refuses to nap in the day time and by the time it's bedtime she gets herself in a overtired state. I feel like she's a new born again.
Will she return to her old sleep?
Will this get better?
Will this ever end?

 

[Niknaknoo]

It gets better.
Zach didn't go back to the same but it improved after about 3 weeks. We now are battling with teething/growth spurt /leap at 5 months old!!
Good luck! X

 

[lizziimayy]

It is a constant uphill and downhill battle!

 

[kitten2014]

Lizzimay ditto, every 3hrs in our case, mostly one bottle at night but she has had a couple of nights where she took two bottles, she has gone from always taking 950ml to 1000-1100ml on some days, teething doesnt help either, she's also just learned to blow rasberries which is very cute but not at 2, 3, 4, 5 in the morning lol...

 

[lizziimayy]

I think it's a big growth spurt which causes the regression and increased feeding, god knows how it makes the babies feel!

 

[Rooster30]

Dreading this. Really dreading it as mine goes 12-13 hours without any disturbances. I'm SO lucky and don't want it to ever end!

She's just leaned how to roll so that might cause me some issues.

From raising my first I know that all nasty phases DO end... eventually. Can you get anyone to look after her for a few hours in the day so you can get some rest?

 

[kitten2014]

rooster ditto altho think ours is already in it unless its mastering rolling n teething causing it but she seems happy when she wakes at night just babbles n blows rasberries which im told is a sign of the regression but who knows...all i know is gone r the days when could get a solid 2-3hrs kip between 10 & 1 and 3 & 6, Im lucky if I get 11-1.30 now without a peep lol...

 

[kitten2014]

rooster our lil one is soo close to rollin that think thats whats keeping her active at night figuring it out, she's swaddled so cant practice at night but she has got the strength and position cracked its just the timing and momentum of swinging the leg over, soo many times she has almost done it lol...oh and had her in the big girl highchair today (with lots of supported towels) as preparing her for sitting up and solids, she has plenty of sitting up on my lap but she doesnt use her core that much then but in highchair and jumperoo she does...unsure at first but stick some toys in front of her and postman pat on the telly and she spent 40mins in it including a feed as could recline it a little for feeding, want her to have positive associations as well as feeding associations with it...

 

[lizziimayy]

Gabriella has started to roll now and she even managed to roll off the bed the other night, it was so horrible I really have to keep an eye on her now and change her on the floor.

 

[lizziimayy]

It's before 11pm and she's been up twice. It's ridiculous, one hour sleeps are just horrendous

 

[kitten2014]

I feel for you lizzimay, our lil miss surprised me last night stirred a lot from 9 til 1.40 but after 2am feed not a peep til 7am! second time thats ever happened in past two months...she was terrible night before tho so hopefully your lil miss will be better tonight....fx...

 

[lizziimayy]

I hope so, she's managed to fall asleep by herself this morning which is very rare!

 

[kitten2014]

for her nap? yeah I noticed after a bad day of naps and terrible night of sleep, the next day she napped nearly 3hrs! after that her schedule has fallen back into place...7am wakeup, nap 8.30, nap 11ish-1ish, nap 3-4ish, bed 6.30/7ish...unfortunately her 2nd nap being over lunch isnt great if you have family visiting lol, my parents want to go out for lunch in a few wks time and Im also going out for bday lunch next monday, maybe it will help her shift her naptimes, who knows but atm try and encourage the longest nap then...

 

[lizziimayy]

I usually spend most of the afternoon trying to get her to nap, sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't. I just feel like the worst mother in the world. Surely as I mother I should be able to get my baby to sleep?

 

[kitten2014]

Dont feel that way Lizzimay, some babies just manage on less and it could be she doesnt need much...if however she's clearly overtired at bedtime then have you tried a naptime routine of 5mins? In the same room as she sleeps, preferabl;y lights off, quiet music singsong, maybe playing with a teddybear or your face (our lil miss likes to wind down with both) and then introduce ssh sounds into the song as well as head and chest stroking...I then swaddle our lil miss sing a brief song to her and then put her in her cot...she can take 5-20mins to sleep sometimes but she has her mobile and a teddybear to 'talk' to if she needs it, I found the minute she realised that naptiome meant 1-1.5hrs in cot regardless of whether or not she slept helped and trying to do them at same time of day really helps...then once she wakes after 20/30 or 45mins she takes another 5-20mins to resettle...she has now adapted to going longer between feeds due to some long naps making her go longer and as a result can take bigger bottles less frequently...only possible if they nap lol...also our lil miss yawns all the time and so started ignoring that sleepy cue and waited for the eye rubbing or monotone sounds with staring into space and find that if put her down within 10mins she's straight off...also do you put her in same bed as nighttime? We have a fan or air con going (depending on temp) but some ppl use white noise machines and believe that helps them drift off too...

hopefully somethin of what I mention above helps but if it is regression all you can do is go through the same motions to the same timetable so she sees regularity even if she doesnt sleep much...

 

[kitten2014]

also its not a natural ability in mothers to get babies to sleep as you've heard the sayin lead a horse to water havent you? Same applies...set the scene, encourage but if baby wont sleep they wont sleep, nothing to do with you as a mother....

 

[lizziimayy]

Managed to get her an hours sleep in the sling!

 

[kitten2014]

excellent, sounds like she likes to be snuggled, have you tried swaddling? Obviously sling works well for a lot of things but to get every nap in it will mean a lot of walking/working with it on for you and I remember slingcarrying our lil miss when she was 8wks old - back ache ouch! Cant do it now she's 17lbs, too heavy...lol

 

[kitten2014]

Have you had any more success with naps?

Im down with cold and luckily lil miss hasnt caught it but think I woke her with my sneezing this morning and it has thrown off her schedule completely today...lots of little naps, as opposed to three decent ones...oh well better luck tomorrow....

 

[lizziimayy]

I've been relying on walks and the sling for naps and she managed 2 and a half hours today! She even slept 5 and a half hours undisturbed in the night! However, tonight is back to every 1-2 hours been up twice already!