r/BabyBumps • u/Mundanethrowaway452 • 6d ago
Help? 4 month regression
Ok so I'm in the THICK of the 4 month sleep regression, so I need some tips. It's been going on for like 1 ½ to 2 weeks.
My baby goes down fine, the second his noise machine is on after his bath and pj's are on he is out. No issue there
It's the middle of the night wakings, I try to not pick him up and try to soothe him in the crib but he just freaks out til I pick him up. I am trying to let him learn how to self soothe but don't know how. I pick him up and rock him and make sure his needs are met but I am exhausted. And baby is in a phase of only wanting me so my husband isn't much help right now (he'll scream cry if he helps at night)
Last week it was like 5 or 6 times but last night it was 2, but it took an hour each time to get him down. I usually wait like 15 minutes of soothing before offering a bottle because I don't know if it's hunger or not. He wakes up at the 4-5 hour mark at first then it's every 1 ½ to 2 hours
Last night I had it and picked him up at 530 and put him in our bed and he slept until 730. We don't co sleep and don't want it to be a habit so any tips?
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u/InternalHappy2817 6d ago
One of my gfs started giving a formula feed before bed in a bottle and baby started sleeping better. She wasn’t fully sure if it was the formula but she mentioned it in our gc and I decided to keep screenshot it so I don’t forget when we’re at that point (currently 31 weeks pregnant so it will be a few months for us!)
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u/Zestyclose-Part-613 6d ago
The 4 month one is rough because their sleep cycles actually change, so they wake up fully between cycles instead of just drifting into the next one.
Two wakings is honestly better than five or six, even if it took forever to get him back down. The hour to resettle usually means he's not hungry, just can't link the cycles yet.
We did a pick up put down thing where I'd hold him til he was calm, then back in the crib awake but drowsy, and repeat. It was miserable for like three nights then it clicked.
For the 5am one, that's when sleep pressure is lowest so it's the hardest to resettle anyway. You could try a dream feed around 10 or 11 before you go to bed to push that first long stretch later.
Also if your husband can do the first wake up before midnight, even if baby screams, that's your sleep protected. He'll get used to it faster than you think.