Why is my four month old suddenly waking three to four times during the night?

Question

I have a four month old daughter who had slept through the night since she was three weeks old. However recently she began waking up three to four times during the night. She is usually not hungry until about 4 or 5 am. When she wakes up periodicaly through the night she wimpers or cries until you pick her up but usually as soon as I do pick her up and pat her she goes right back to sleep. Even though she might awaken again in thirty minutes or sometimes hours you just never know. We have tried different rooms, bed, car seat, playyard, etc. but nothing is helping. Also when she first goes to sleep at night she might have to be rocked three to four times before she actually goes to all the way to sleep. So many times we put her down and minutes later she is wide awake. We are more exhausted now then when we brought her home. Any advice?

Answer 1

My son - 5months - also started this at 4 months old. He also had been a great sleeper at night, then EXACTLY as you described. Sometimes he needs a cuddle, a feed, a change, etc. I am exhausted. Yes, I rocked and nursed him to sleep, but I have also talked to parents who did things "by the book" (lay baby down drowsy, etc. etc. etc) and still ran into problems around this age.

I did try putting him down to fall asleep on his own and he took to it pretty well especially because I did not leave immediately but patted his chest and did the sh-sh-sh thing. I also returned to him if he cried and not just wimpered. It works great sometimes and he nods right off with some cooing or slight whining. I NEVER have left him to cry it out. It seems to me he is too young.

Sometimes, even after a middle of the night feeding, he is still in and out of sleep in my arms, so I lay im down and he whines a little or coos to himself and then falls asleep. If he starts all out crying I know he needs my help to fall asleep.

For night wake-ups and he is down to two, sometimes three, from what started a month ago as 5-7x (every 2-3 hours or less)
I try patting him on his chest and doing the sh-sh-sh before I pick him up and sometimes he calms right down and drifts off again. This keeps my wake up at 5 minutes instead of 25 or more.
(I just had to run up to pat him right now. : ) It worked.)

Rice cereal did not help. In fact it gave him terrible gas. I stopped it and he actually seems to sleep a little better. (More soundly if not longer.)

I agree with getting her outside and more active, too. I know my son sleeps best after we've had a busy day - park, grocery store, grandma's house, mall, etc.

I personally think my son is making sure we are still around and simply looking for comfort most of the time. I am sure I will eventually get to the point when I think he is old enough and will let him cry it out, but at this age I want him to know he is safe and secure.

Good luck. I understand the sleep deprevation. If you are SAHM try napping with her.

Answer 2

I am going through the same thing with my 4 and half month old son. He has slept through the night since he was 4 weeks old. I feel so confused and don't know what's going on.

Everyone has an opinion... teething, growth spurt, my breast milk isn't enough add cereal, maybe I should give formula...

He has just transfered into his own bed and goes to bed around 8pm and usually wouldn't wake up till 530am....

This last week h.. e has been waking up at 12am, 2, 330, 530, 630 and then 730. Yikes such a change... I wonder what am I doing wrong.....

Glad to know I'm not the only one....

Has there been any changes in your babies diet? Breast fed or bottle fed????

Crying out - don't do your baby is too young... . they say that this should not be done unless your child is atleast 6months of age. It's not healthy for the child!

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Answer 3

At this age, she should be able to put herself to sleep, and it sounds as if that isn't the case here. If she relies on you to put her to sleep with rocking, feeding, whatever, then when she wakes up during the night, as we all do periodically every night, she can't go back to sleep without the same help. Does she suck her thumb or use a pacifier? If she uses a pacifier to fall asleep, then when it falls out of her mouth, at 4 months old, she can't find it to put it back in to soothe herself.

Right now, repetition is the key. Try to get her to all asleep in her crib without you holding her, but maybe just patting her or rubbing her. Then eventually you can work on weaning those things out also. She needs to go to sleep in the same place, the same way, every night, and it would be helpful if she napped there as well. Then during the night try patting her in her crib when she wakes without picking her up. It will take some time, and some patience, and a few nights of little sleep, but when she gets it, you will have months of nights where she will sleep through.

Also, keep in mind she could be teething or going through a growth spurt. But usually the teething is accompanied by crying and uncomfortableness, and during a growth spurt she won't be happy until she's fed.

Answer 4

It's just how babies are. They got into pattern then they ruined th pattern. So there's nothing wrong with parents.

Every baby has different reasons too. it could be growth spurt, or just his/her body learning new thing (for example if she's just learning how to flip, then the body changes and she'll wake up at night more).

At four months they are usually more hungry than before - for some babies, it's time to start solids - so it could be that the milk doesn't hold her long enough.

But not to worry - the workshop teacher said - the baby will find her way back to pattern. Just don't expect that to happen for long if she's less than a year. She could go back to her sleeping pattern for two weeks and ruined it again.

Answer 5

She needs more exposure to sunlight.

I know it may sound silly, but she needs that sunlight to decide whether she should be awake or not.
She also needs exercise. Take her outside and put her on a blanket in the sun. Even if it's cold, she will benefit from the fresh air and light. Trust me, it will NOT hurt her...♥ When I had a baby for the first time, I was scared to do ANYTHING with him. After 2 boys, I know that you *must* give them exercise, sunlight and lots of ♥♥♥....

Good luck to you!
Email me if you get too 'sick of IT'....

Answer 6

ive gone thru the same things with all 3 of my boys, the youngest is now 13 months & he still wakes up thru the night wanting me to hold him. they have to learn to fall asleep on their own. i sometimes have to just let him cry it out & it does work even though it may hurt you to let your child do that but it will be better for you in the long run. ultimately, the choice is yours, if u want a crying baby then continue to pick him or her up everytime u hear a whimper or just let him or her cry it out & get over it. either way it will get better, g ood luck!!!

Answer 7

They say to just let them cry for no longer than 15 minutes. Usually, they go back to sleep. If they cry for longer than that something is more than likely wrong, so go check on them. I know it sounds hard, but several of my friends I have told that to come back and thank me for this advice. They have much more sleep themselves. It worked for me too.

Answer 8

Until she learns to fall asleep on herown, she will continue to rely on your assistance. It almost broke me to allow my son to "cry it out" but each night the cry time lessened and he sleeps great now. I still hear him at times during the night, but he will play for a bit and go back to sleep. (He's now almost 20months) Just be consistant with whatever you decide.
Also, she could be going through a growth spurt, needing extra nutrition. She could be working on that first pearly white! You never know.