how do i get my four month old to sleep through the night?

Question

he usually sleeps in the bed with me and my husband and when he wakes up wanting to ear(since im nursing him) i roll over and pop a boob in his mouth and go back to sleep, i would get out of bed to do it and somestimes i do when he's in his crib but i'm up at 530 in the morning for work so it's exhuasting. when he is in his crib he dors the same thing, i try giving him cereal mixed with baby food and nursing him b4 he goes to bed, but it doesn't work, i thought maybe it was just the sucking motion he wanted so i tryed a passy and he won't take it. how do i get him to sleep through the night? please help i'm soooo sleepy!!!!!!!! lol!!!!!!

Answer 1

As the father of four, the youngest being three, I kinda know (as much as a man can) what your going through.

The decision to have the baby in bed with you or to have him sleep in his crib is a difficult one. It's one that my wife and I had many discussions about with each of our four. It really has to be something that you agree on one way or the other with your husband.

If you decide together that you don't mind him being in the bed, then continue to do things that way. There's nothing wrong with it, though some people are not used to that kind of arrangement and it can be hard to adjust (I was this way). But, as you know, the convenience of having him in the bed with you for those late night feedings is just awesome.

But eventually, your going to want him to sleep through the night in his own crib/bed. And when YOU both decide to do that, you need to stick to your guns. Your going to get resistance. Babies, like anyone else, don't like change.

Breastfeeding is a big reason why he doesn't sleep through the night (it simply isn't enough food for him to be able to do that). So when you DO make the change, if you don't want to get up every four to six hours, you may want to consider switching him over to a formula bottle with some cereal in it (at least in the evening), so he gets enough in his tummy to make it through more of the night.

As for the pacifier, that's a REAL tough one. Of course he won't take it at first, cause it's nothing like real boob, or even like a bottle (you don't GET anything out of it). But with some training, he'll probably get used to it, though not EVERY child will. Some of mine took it easily, others would never take it. But be warned, many kids, once "trained" to take the pacifier, cannot sleep without it, and find it VERY hard to give up later on. I speak from experience here with my first daughter.

It comes down to what you want to deal with, as whatever method you choose to get your child to sleep: breast, bottle or pacificier, eventually you have to ween them off of it.

There's not a right or wrong way here (though some may claim there is), it's just your choice as to what you want to deal with in the future.

God bless you and your little one.

Answer 2

Hi. I hate to tell you this, but I have three children and they are all three and under. My kids never slept through the night until they were about a year and a half. My youngest now is 14 months, and still wakes up one to two times a night to nurse. No matter what I feed them for dinner, they always woke up. Some kids just dont sleep through. I to worked a job full time, so I know what you are going through. Just rest when you can, and try to keep calm. I dont think I have had a continual night sleep since I was pregnant with my first in 2002. My body gradually adapted to not as much sleep. Good luck!!!. Love them when they are small, they grow to fast.

Answer 3

Sleeping through the night for a baby is only 4 or 5 hours at a time. We are co sleepers which my son sleeps with my husband and I. He is 5 1/2 months old and he is now starting to sleep 8 to 10 hours a night but he still gets up to nurse 3 times a night but he goes right back to sleep. Be patient and it will come when your little one is sleeping better.

Answer 4

I agree with the ladies who said that they'll sleep through the night when they're ready. I know that you're exhausted right now, but this, too, shall pass. My older daughter slept okay at 2 months, but started waking several times at night again at 4 months. Amazingly, at 6 months, she started sleeping much better again and did longer and longer stretches until she was sleeping all the way through the night at a year. (She always started the night in her crib, but when she woke the first time, I'd bring her into our bed to nurse and fall back to sleep.) I think she just learned various ways to comfort herself back to sleep -- sucking her blankie, turning on her own mobile music, etc.

On the other hand, my 18-month-old is still up 2-3 times a night, and I don't think I've been that different with her. She also starts the night in her own bed, but spends the rest of the night with us. (I'm still nursing her.) She has made some sleeping progress, though, so I just keep waiting for her to really sleep through the night as well.

The only other suggestion I have for you is to maybe try to put your baby to bed earlier. I know it sounds crazy, but sleep-deprived babies have more restless sleep. If he gets good naps and goes to bed at an early bedtime, he may surprise you and sleep longer. I know that has worked for many people I know.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Aw, my baby wouldn't either. He's 12 now and I have a hard time waking him up! You sound like a great mom. Just enjoy these nighttime wakings, just hold him & nurse and enjoy because it really will be over before you know it! Can you go part time at work or take a leave of absence for a while, or maybe arrange to start later in the morning? Tell them it's only temporary. Good luck!

Answer 6

Well, this will happen often throughout the first year. The best thing to do is to give him what he wants. If you ignore him, that will have negative repercussions in the future. Perhaps you can take maternity leave from work (I'm not sure about a four-month child). You have to keep attending to your baby if you want him to grow up with a secure attachment to his mother. Maybe you should think about being a stay-at-home mom for a while, because babies require a lot of work and need you every few hours.

Answer 7

my son replaced into once a similar way he does no longer bypass to sleep except he had a bottle no remember how lengthy it were because that he ate very last at 4 months previous although he/she will have cereal now and which will fill him up a lil better so attempt that he may have it 2 cases an afternoon so i did breakfast and mattress time yet feed it to him with a spoon no longer in his bottle it ought to take some cases yet he receives the dangle of it. also he will be waking reason he's teethin verify his gums do they seem swollen or have bumps on them the position a tooth will be coming threw if so attempt tylenol and oragel motrin works the most appropriate reason it has an antiinflamitory in it yet study the container first or ask the dr reason im no longer effective if he may have motrin yet reliable success!!!

Answer 8

You should be REALLY careful nursing him in bed and letting him sleep with you. You could very easily roll over on him and suffocate him.

You can't force a baby that young to sleep through the night if they're not ready. Most babies of that age wake up in the middle of the night because they're hungry, and over filling them before they go to sleep will serve to do nothing more than give them an upset stomach and/or make them spit up.

I suggest you buck up and get used to it...it's part of being a newborn's mom. :) He'll sleep through the night soon enough...just try to do the best you can until then.

Answer 9

Four months can be considered pretty early for a child to sleep through the night. If he's still not sleeping after a year, then you might need some tips. Try pumping and letting the hubby take a shot at the overnight shift.

There isn't much you can do to MAKE your child sleep through the night. They each just follow their own progression.

PS Don't give your child liquor.

Answer 10

I have a four month old. I keep her up till about 9 and she will sleep till about 5. Our doctor told me that I am lucky to get her to sleep like she does. Now she doesn't sleep like that every night. Maybe twice a week. Dr. said when they are still this little when they wake up its because they need to eat. The rice thing never worked for anyone I know. It did for my oldest but it made her really fat. Pump your breast milk and have your husband feed him! Good luck and I hope your husband will help so you can get some sleep.