My 4 month old still does not sleep all night...

Question

I know every single baby is different...but it's REALLY starting to take a toll on me. Everyday when he wakes up for the day...I do NOT want to get out of bed..I'm sooo tired and all day I feel lethargic, I have no energy and don't want to do anything. Please help!! What are your experiences? When do you think he will start to sleep all night or give me atleast 7 solid hours of sleep!?!?

Answer 1

Wow, every baby is different and my daughter started sleeping through the night @ 2 months. I think the reason why though was because of some advice I got on the internet or in a parenting magazine; whenever the baby wakes up in the middle of the night for a feeding makes sure the lights are dimmed low, all is quiet, and don't talk much. This will help the baby understand this is not "awake time". Absolutely no playing or "oh! your so cute! Yea! Look at that nose, that's mommy's nose!" =D none of that. It certainly worked in my situation and if I didnt opt for this "routine" I don't know where I would be w/o sleep for that long!!!!!! Good Luck!

Answer 2

my son is ten months and STILL wakes up at least 3- 4 times per night:((  he wont even fall asleep until 11pm or 12 am and from then on wakes up practically every two - three hours and needs a pat on the behind or a little rocking to get back to sleep.  and then he officially wakes up by 7-8am...and wont go back to sleep again until late afternoon for a 30 min nap-thats it:(  i go to school full time and my husband works full time....i am soo drained as is my husband.  so sorry, i cant help u exept tell you its possible that you may never get a full 7 hrs of sleep until hes much older.

Answer 3

*gasp* really?  A four month old sleeps like a baby?

Errr some don't sleep 7 to 8 hours until age 3-5.  Sorry other people lied to you, but that's the truth.  At 6 months only 16%-39% sleep through the night depending on what you define as "through the night"

Also please remember the goal of nighttime parenting is to give your child healthy sleep habits for life -not to get them to sleep through sooner.  And how much/how a baby sleeps is more to do with their temperament than your parenting.

http://askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

Develop a realistic attitude about nighttime parenting. Sleeping, like eating, is not a state you can force a baby into. Best you can do is to create a secure environment that allows sleep to overtake your baby. A realistic long- term goal is to help your baby develop a healthy attitude about sleep: that sleep is a pleasant state to enter and a secure state to remain in. Many sleep problems in older children and adults stem from children growing up with an unhealthy attitude about sleep—that sleep was not a pleasant state to enter and was a fearful state to remain in. Just as daytime parenting is a long-term investment, so is nighttime parenting. Teach your baby a restful attitude about sleep when they are young and both you and your children will sleep better when they are older.

http://askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp

NIGHTTIME PARENTING LESSON #4:

An important fact for you to remember is that your baby's sleep habits are more a reflection of your baby's temperament rather than your style of nighttime parenting. And keep in mind that other parents usually exaggerate how long their baby sleeps, as if this were a badge of good parenting, which it isn't. It's not your fault baby wakes up.

The best solution is to co-sleep (bedshare OR roomshare) so you sleep patterns sync up and you aren't woken from a sound sleep (which is what really makes you tired) and go to bed a bit earlier.

http://kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/slee...

Sadler S. Sleep: what is normal at six months?

Prof Care Mother Child 1994 Aug-Sep;4(6):166-7.

In this study, part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ALSPAC), researchers surveyed the parents of 640 babies. Some of the results:

    * Only 16% slept through the night at six months old -- 84% were not sleeping through the night at 6 months

    * 17% woke more than once per night, ranging from twice to eight times

    * 5% woke once every night

    * 9% woke most nights

    * 50% woke occasionally

    * 16% of six-month-olds had no regular sleeping pattern



Armstrong KL, Quinn RA & Dadds MR. The sleep patterns of normal children.

Medical Journal of Australia 1994 Aug 1;161(3):202-6.

The above study is the definitive work on sleeping habits of (Australian) children to 38 months. The researchers surveyed 3269 parents, with a 96.5% response rate, over a one week period. The parents had to report on their child's sleeping habits over the past 24 hours, plus answer a few questions related to their perceptions of their child's sleep behavior.

What did they find?

    * There is a wide range of normal childhood sleep behavior.

    * Circadian rhythm is not well established until four months of age.

    * Daytime sleep becomes less regular with increasing age, the most marked reduction in length occurs around 3 months of age. However, a surprising 11% under 3 months of age don't have a daytime sleep every day.

    * Frequent night waking that disturbs parents is common from 4-12 months (12.7% disturb their parents 3 or more times every night).

    * Night time settling requires more parental input from 18 months.

    * Nearly a third of parents have a significant problem with their child's sleep behavior.

    * Sleeping through the night: 71.4% did this on at least one occasion by 3 months of age, but many of these relapse into more frequent waking in the 4 to 12 month period. It is not until after 24 months that regular night waking (requiring attention) becomes much less common.

Although this study did not address breastfeeding, it is relevant because a lack of understanding of "normal" sleep patterns can lead to supplementing, early solids, belief there is not enough milk, etc. The authors claim it also leads to misdiagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) and overuse of sedative medication. A worrying 31% of 25-38 month-old children were disciplined (mostly smacking) to get them to settle. 27% of parents let their children cry, 11% at less than one month.



Scher A. A longitudinal study of night waking in the first year.

Child Care Health Dev 1991 Sep-Oct;17(5):295-302.

Abstract: A longitudinal study of the development of sleep patterns addressed the issue of continuity and change in night waking in the course of the first year. Mothers of 118 infants, who took part in a follow-up study of normal babies, completed a sleep questionnaire at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Regular night waking was a common characteristic throughout the first year:

Baby's age



% babies waking at night

3 months



46%

6 months



39%

9 months



58%

12 months



55%

The number of awakenings per night was a function of age. Following a decline in the number of interruptions from 3 to 6 months, an increase in night waking at age 9 months was recorded. Although the methodology does not lend itself to an objective validation of the changes in sleep-wake states, nor is it suitable for causal explanations, it is, nevertheless, important to note this profile. The increase in night waking towards the end of the first year coincides with significant socio-emotional advances which characterize this developmental stage.

Answer 4

Hmm well I cant tell you how to get your baby to sleep through the night because you are right...all babies are different. But I can tell you what has worked for me, and maybe it will work for you too. I keep my son pretty busy throughout the day, and he is 4 months and I have started him on solid food. But that was just recently and he started sleeping through the night at 3 1/2 months. I found that what works is getting him to eat every 3 hours...he was already doing that but would sometimes go a little longer between a feed. And I would make the bottle on the 3 hour mark, and of course when he saw it..he wanted it. So he would consume more than 30 oz during the day..give or take. And then at nightime, we have a routine-bottle bath bed OR bath bottle bed. And he usually just goes right out. Maybe my son is easy though lol If i put him in his crib and he is too awake, then i take him out into my bed for some cuddles and little songs...and he usually just goes out at about 9-10 and sleeps till about 7. And now that he is eating solids, i feed him in the afternoon and before bed.. After his bottle.  

Answer 5

I have an 18 month old brother who still doesn't sleep all night. He wakes up one time a night because he is hungry.

I suggest you have a bottle and emergency diaper ready right by you.

Also when in the womb all the baby hears is the static you hear on a radio channel might i suggest since he is still 4 months that when he cries turn on some radio static and he might fall asleep.

Answer 6

We started cereal at 3 1/2 months because baby wasn't sleeping (I called the dr in tears!) He said start it cuz she was waking up hungry and devouring a bottle. it has helped SO MUCH!  

Answer 7

My son is 10 months and still doesn't sleep all night.

He goes to bed at 8 and wakes up at 4:45 for a bottle... then will go back to sleep till we have to wake him at 6:45 to get ready to go to grandma's house for the day. But I guess I can't complain. At least he makes it that far.

Answer 8

First of all why is he waking up?

If he is hungry you can try to give him some rice cereal at night this way he will be full longer. Maybe is time to introduce solid food too.

If he is too wet or dirty - dont know what to tell you.

If he wants to play - just let him cry because he will realize that in a night or two.