HELP me get a 4 month old to SLEEP
- Thread starter tooty
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My mom's friend used whiskey as a last resort with one of hers. I remember being 13ish & I was STUNNED. :lol: She's a great mom with great kids who grew into great adults. I was always too scared to try it, but I do remember a few of those nights where I reallyyyyyyy thought about it. :lol:
At 4 months, ds was not napping, screaming from about 4pm-1am daily, and finally falling asleep from sheer exhaustion. He always woke up cranky. He was getting 7-8 hours of sleep every 24 hours. I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and applied it (ignoring what I didn't like in the book 
). Within a couple of days he starting sleeping 12 hours through the night and 4 predictable naps each day. It was like a miracle, and he was a new baby. He was happy all the time, and super happy upon wakening. Give it a read... even if you don't use the techniques or agree with it, you will have a better idea of sleep patterns, how to know when they are tired vs. overtired, etc.
). Within a couple of days he starting sleeping 12 hours through the night and 4 predictable naps each day. It was like a miracle, and he was a new baby. He was happy all the time, and super happy upon wakening. Give it a read... even if you don't use the techniques or agree with it, you will have a better idea of sleep patterns, how to know when they are tired vs. overtired, etc.
I know someone who works at a daycare. She told me that one day she called a mom because her baby wouldn't stop crying. The Mom came, took the baby out to the parking lot, then brought him back in and handed the baby back. He wasn't crying anymore and smelled like alcohol lol. She said the mother is from another country (don't remember where).
- #45
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At 4 months, ds was not napping, screaming from about 4pm-1am daily, and finally falling asleep from sheer exhaustion. He always woke up cranky. He was getting 7-8 hours of sleep every 24 hours. I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and applied it (ignoring what I didn't like in the book
OMG I don't know how you got thru that!!!! I think I would have had to been committed cause I would have gone loony.
It was pretty brutal. He also had severe reflux too. I think it was a big reason why I only had one child. He went on to be the easiest toddler ever, so it wasn't so bad.
I agree with Valerie. I got the 5-6 hour stretch on all three of mine at two months (over 11lbs). They didn't do it naturally; I had to let them cry. I think one of the key things is not to feed them. If they don't get the food in the night they will stop waking for it after a while. They will eat more during the day and get all they need. It took a couple horrible nights; but the key is to stay consistent. However, you know your child best and have to do what works for you and your child. No, I don't think a 5 hour stretch is too much to ask for. Good luck.
So sorry, this is so hard. Every child is different my first slept through the night by himself, my 2nd we did cio at 4 months and it worked. My 3rd at 15 months and still gets up 3x a night. Cio did not work, I am no longer nursing at night and that is helping, he is now down to 1- 2x a night. I don't know how you survive, it is exhausting. Eliminate as much from your schedule as possible.
I did this at about 6 months with my first. The friend that recommended it did it at 3 months and it worked great.
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Well that makes me feel better about suggesting a little Simethicone. A couple of drops before bed DD was colicky and only slept 4 out of every 24 hours, we would never have survived without it. Our pediatrician told us that the real reason babies who are colicky cry is the "feel" hungry even when they really don't need to eat...they just "think" they do. The Mylicon drops helped settle that somewhat (although she never did sleep through the night until she went on a full diet of baby food at 6 months!)
- #53
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I did some reading on Ferberizing and they say not until 6 months. Sooo..... I wait on that technique. But, the flip side is we are being VERY aggressive now on watching his cues that he is tired and putting him down and letting him fall asleep himself. Unfortunately yesterday I was busy with picking up kids, dinner prep, etc and missed it and had to endure an hour of wailing......it was not pretty. I was in the fetal position at the end of it. And then DH came home and he stopped instantly. Yeah, like that wasn't a hit to my psyche. out:
Anyway, thank you for all your help and suggestions. Trying to take it one day at a time and just THANKFUL my DH and I trade nights so we at least get a good nights sleep every other day.
out:Anyway, thank you for all your help and suggestions. Trying to take it one day at a time and just THANKFUL my DH and I trade nights so we at least get a good nights sleep every other day.
I almost forgot about it, but a hot water bottle (with warm, not hot, water of course) against the tummy helped my ds, but he had gas & reflux. He would go from wailing to tooting & asleep in 5 minutes, once it went against his tummy. I used a wedge, so my ds & the water bottle couldn't move. He would wake up again, once it cooled down, but at least it helped him for the time being.
