Changes ... 4 month old

[Cellist]

My little guy turned four months yesterday and just the night before started waking up more often again.

Anyone else have this experience? What do you think is going on when all of a sudden they start waking more again? A growth spurt? I can't think of anything else...!

We are still EBFing and he was sleeping 7-8 hours, starting at 7 pm and waking once in the middle of the night to eat...now it's 4-6 hours and he wakes twice to eat. Ack! This actually makes a big difference, especially to me as a working mom! Suggestions as to what is going on? He weighs over 15 pounds, so I'm not convinced he NEEDS to eat, but I'm not going to press the issue until at least 6 months.

[odoole]

4 month sleep regression -- right on cue.

If you search this website or google it there's lots written about this stage. It hit my DS around 4.5 months, and honestly, hasn't gotten tons better since then (he's 7 months now). It got slightly better when he started solids.

Around 6 months I gave up on the crib and started co-sleeping, so now we both are much more rested and I don't notice or mind the wakings anymore.

[kismetbaby]

Yep, totally common! I just listened to my babes cues and believed that "this too shall pass". I personally don't believe in doing any sort of sleep "training" or feeding scheduling or the like. And no, he doesn't sleep through the night yet, but he is slowly developing his own routine and he is happy as a clam. So I know I'm doing something right by him! Of course you gotta do what works for you, but it is totally normal for them to wake more at this age and then it should settle out by 6 months. . .at that age they often start sleeping much more soundly/deeply and fall into a routine/schedule.

I don't know if you co-sleep, but this makes the night feedings much, much easier.

[Cellist]

Ah hA! I didn't know there was a four month sleep regression stage... thank you! I will do some more research.

[sunshynbaby]

4-6 hours! I am so jealous! DS is 7 months and I'm lucky if I get 2 hour stretches. I don't think he has had a 4 hour stretch since he was 3 months old

[jimblejamble]

Oh thank God, at least it's normal! Jude just started doing this about a month ago (he'll be 6 months in a couple weeks). He was sleeping through the night and now starting at 3am he wakes up hourly. Sheesh!