4 Month Sleep Regression

Skuxx

Morning Mums and Dad's,

First time parents here navigating what's seems to be sleep regressions with out 21 weeks old boy.
We had been doing great, he was sleeping more or less all night with the odd wake up around 4am.
However, the last 10 days/ 2 weeks has been a nightmare for us.
He goes to bed around 8 pm and will sleep soundly until 11pm when we give him a dream feed. He then goes back to bed and he sleeps until about 2am. Then he could wake every half an hour for the rest of the night. He doesn't wake up crying, it's more restlessness, tossing and turning, moaning etc.
He was in a next-to-me cot beside our bed so we decided to try him in his big cot in his own room. There was no improvement
If we take him and put him into our bed he will sleep sound for the night, but we want to avoid this!
Is it really sleep regression if he sleeps sound in our bed? Could it be a comfort thing? I'd love to give him a small duvet and pillow but obviously that's not allowed for another few months.
Any tips and previous experience would be great. Have a great day guys!!

shesty

Could be, yep.

If you don't want him in your bed, then you have to just leave him in his own cot beside you and comfort him every few minutes.It's nasty for you but it is only for a couple of weeks (hopefully less)He is still small enough to need winding at bedtime, remember that in case wind is causing it.But he is right beside you and he can hold onto your finger or your hand, or you can rub his tummy a bit.He is still so small.

If he hasn't got a little teddy, yes I would give him one.Something small he can snuggle with and associate with sleep.We use soothers here too- some people prefer not to, but the teddy can work for him.Just move it away from his face, when he drops off.

The only other thing is has he started solids yet?I know the first few weeks of mine starting solids, sleep could be broken because their body would be getting used to processing solids - they would get little cramps and that.So it could be that either.

And the last thing I would say is that he is really small.Without wanting to depress you, he is not going to sleep through every night for another good couple of years.Babies stir and wake at night, so it is our job to help them work out how to drop off by themselves.It is not exactly fun for parents, but keep their routine and be consistent in how you approach it...moving him between beds or trying loads of teddies (or whatever) every other night in order to find a quick "solution" just confuses them and means they get more upset.Time, consistency and patience are the key (can be said of all aspects of parenting which is an exhausting thought...)

OctoberMammy

Been there. I think I posted about it here, in fact!

It gets better and they start learning how to put themselves back to sleep. It seems like it took forever with us, but it was probably a month/6 weeks or so (and it doesn't take that long for most people, I think!). Like Shesty said, we just tried to stay as consistent as possible with his routine.

Then it gets worse again. Then it gets better again. It never gets any easier to have less sleep, but you get a bit more used to it, I think!