How can I get my baby to stay asleep?

Why won’t my 4 month old sleep, he no joke wakes up every hour just for me to breastfeed him for .2 seconds until he falls back to sleep. I’m EXHAUSTED, I’ve been up with him since 12:30 and my toddler just came in my room and won’t go back to sleep so now I’m up for the day. I got 2.5 hours of sleep last night. Someone please give me tips on how to get my baby to sleep, even his naps are like 20 minutes.

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Ughhh it’s so hard. Anyone that can help so you can nap??? Best thing to do right now is delegate if you can. Take help where you can get it. Hang in there. It gets so much better :heart:

Swaddle him. He’ll feel comfortable and safe he’ll sleep longer.

You’re going to have to keep him awake longer for night feedings. A cold washcloth on the feet helps them wake up and stay awake longer. Longer nursings equal longer sleep in between

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It’s so hard. Some babies need more soothing than others. My 4th is very clingy. He’s now 15 months and still needing me often in the night. Simplify as much as you can right now. I stopped making my in depth dinners & switched to the easiest as possible. It’s ok, this is a season and it will get better. I started buying cold brew at Costco just to handle mornings better & that was what I needed to power through. I have 1 every morning instead of 2-4 servings of caffeine a day.

Sit up all the way when feeding . Make him stay awake keep pulling nipple out and kinda waking him up

Supplement with bottles? Ur sleep is more important.

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It will get better. The 4 month sleep regression is HARD.

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Good old 4month sleep regression

I also swaddled my 3rd and 4th child and it helped wonders

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Pump or bottle feed (might need to start adding a pinch of cereal) so he’s full and doesn’t need to keep waking up I did this will all my 7 sons…

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Try using a pacifier with a little milk on it if he only needs the nipple for a minute. Also try a bath before bedtime. Make sure the room is pretty dark and nice soothing sounds. It does sound like sleep regression which is common at 4 months old. My little is almost a year and she sleeps most nights all the way through but sometimes gets up in the middle of the night for an hour or two. Also baby could be teething and that’s no fun for anyone. Try something for his gums then use a pacifier. Also a bouncer with some vibration works as well.

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This unfortunately is normal. What helped us was colic calm, swaddling and bathing in chamomile tea. Add to regular bath after cooled to appropriate temp. You can also try baby massages before bed also developing a night and day routine it’s hard at first but then they get used to it

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This is normal. He’s probably in the middle of the 4 month sleep regression, which will have lots of cluster feeding. You just have to power through it, Mama. His brain is developing extra fast right now and he needs the extra feedings. He’ll sleep through the night when he’s ready.

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My son turned 3 in May. He still wakes up 4-6 times every night. I hope this does not end up being the case for you.

Unfortunately, it’s normal. All babies are different some just wake up all the time and want to eat there’s really not much you can do. Just keep a consistent routine they will get better I promise!

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When I did breastfeed my child wasn’t getting full enough so I had to go to formula, we slept like a baby then😉 I’d talk to your pediatrician about it and get her or his advice. Good luck

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Sounds like he might not be getting full enough. My son was eating stage 1 baby food plus breast milk right before bed at 4 months old and he slept all night. (Well he actually slept through the night at 3 months old)

Does he take a pacifier?

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My youngest slept in the graco duo glider, with white noise sound. She didn’t love being tightly swaddled. With all my kids we’ve always slept with a noise machine and/or fan going. My oldest son breastfed nonstop all the time! So he was up a lot through the night… I’ve been exhausted for 19 years :woman_facepalming:t2: good luck Mama!

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Hungry
Needs some baby food

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There’s a huge sleep regression.at 4 months x

Look up 4 month regression. It’s real!

It’s normal. 4th month sleep regression. His little brain is growing and developing. Hang in there

Normal at 4 months to still be waking often. But if he’s only nursing for a few mins I would def try getting him to eat longer. The fatty part of the breast milk is usually last to come out. When I was nursing my daughter she wasn’t gaining much so I was told to nurse for at least 20-30 mins if I could or pump longer to get the hindmilk which is the fatty milk. Once I did that she started gaining better and sleeping fuller. Try to get him to eat more before bedtime see if that helps any with the short sleep shift.

this probably sounds mean but it does not harm a baby to cry. Try stretching his feedings farther apart. He will adjust. Definately use a pacifier if you are not already doing that.

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Sounds like sleep regression. I have noticed with a lot of my friends/family that breastfed babies don’t sleep aswell as formula babies. My 3mo sleeps 9hours a night after his bedtime bottle (formula fed). My eldest (9) I used to put rusk in her bottle before bed and she’d sleep through but it took a while. Good luck, hope you find a solution, you must be exhausted! 🩶

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Nursed both my boys up every other hour the entire time they’re little biological clocks just wake up more often for that boobie when being nursed to eat and pacify lol

If he isn’t hungry give binky instead

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Honestly I slept in a recliner with my boy the first six months of his life. He slept better when I was holding him which meant I could sleep when he sleeps. My baby was super sensory sensitive as well. I had to get blackout curtains, he had to be clothing free in a cooler room. I don’t believe you can hold a baby too much. But I also know how hard this stage is. Sounds like if you have someone who can even come sit with baby while you take a very long recharge sleep.

Do you have one of those sound machines? When my last grandchild was born they have these things at babies R us. And they used to make little wave sounds. Oftentimes when it’s too quiet and there’s no sound in the background, The tiniest noise or too much quiet will wake them up.

4 month sleep regression. Breast milk digests like lightning. Soooo, yeah, they eat and wake up at 45 minute intervals. Moms of infants are not meant to have 10000 other responsibilities, yet we do. Best bet from here is to ask ANYONE who can help with any of your other tasks to do them. You need sleep anytime you can get it. If that’s not an option? Maybe it’s time to consider supplementing with formula. Yes, I know, breastfeeding moms HATE that. But babies digest it slower and usually sleep longer. Your choice.

Co-sleep !!! You don’t have to get up - you just pull him to you, get him latched on & fall asleep together … He just spent 9 months listening to your heartbeat & breathing - it’s the most relaxing thing he knows …

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Co sleep. Topless. Worked for me.

Maybe let him cry for a little bit longer before you get him. Or maybe a pacifier to sooth him.

He’s looking for comfort if only awake for that short of time. Does he have a pacifier? Sometimes they just want some closeness; a pat on the back til they fall off back to sleep. Is he warm or cold that might make him awaken? All babies are different. I would say he needed a little more milk before putting down. He likely falls asleep before he’s full, maybe. Maybe wrap him a little tighter. All of mine were different. Hope he will not make it a habit. So maybe don’t give him the breast; instead pat him; tighten the blanket around him, give him a pacifier. He may cry for a while but if he falls back to sleep so quickly when you do feed him; he’s tired and likely won’t cry very long.

I’m still doing this and he’s 9 months :disappointed: dying over here w bags under my eyes

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They won’t… ita a 4 month old… . all 4 of my kids were closer to a year old and weaned before they slept all night.

Co-sleeping. Not many would agree but we both slept fitfully, through the night.
She would fuss in her cot. But if I picked her up she would be quiet
I would often fall asleep sitting up with her on my chest. Then, I would suddenly awake “feeling” like she’s falling off🤯

Pure exhaustion just gave way to me just laying her next to me and we would sleep ever.so. soundly.

I can fully comprehend why "sleep-torture was so successful​:sleepy: :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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Cluster feeding and waking up are very common at that age range. Nap when you can. Try good warm lavender baths and a full feeding before bedtime

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I hope you find an answer. My son was like that til he was three years old and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone

My LG my youngest out of 4 was a horrible sleeper she didn’t sleep over an hour until she was 14 month old and I used Avon lavender sleep mist I sprayed her pillows with it and her baby grow xx

Cosleep so baby can access you and feed

Sounds like a form of cluster feeding…try different things of soothing…bouncy seat, swing etc.

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Some cereal will help him stay full longer

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Have milk tested for nutritional value. If you are not eating properly, your milk is of a lesser quality, even if quantity is sufficient. Been there, done that.

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I’m still doing this (although weaned at 3) and he’s 4yrs old… and he’s the 4th child. I’m literally a zombie at this point. :skull:

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Completely normal. And at 4 months, they typically have a sleep regression. Cereal didn’t make a difference for us. It wasn’t them being hungry that woke them up so much, as much as it’s a comfort thing. Also there’s cluster feeding, which you need them to do, as it helps control how much milk you give them. They start wanting more, so they cluster feed to alert your body to make more.

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Totally normal. 4 month sleep regression

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Talk to his pediatrician about it. He may be not getting enough nutrients from your milk- at 4 months it may be time to start feeding him cereal to hold him over.
This time it so difficult, I’ve been there - see if there’s any preschool programs your toddler can go to during the day.
:gift_heart:

Sadly there isn’t anything u can do at this stage. It’s a phase that’ll go for a month maybe a few months and your gna need to find someone who can stay with toddler and baby for a few hours so you can rest and nap. Unfortunately that’s it. Like a friend who can sit in ur living room or a family member who can come take baby and toddler to the park and for a treat.

You can’t force a baby to sleep…

My youngest was an all nighter, I had a 4 year old I had to get up with the mornings aswelll so I’d put my baby down to sleep at 10/10:30 and she will be back awake at 12pm and that was her then till around 6am by 6am my eldest was waking up and I couldn’t sleep, and that was me living off sleep from 10/10:30pm till 12 midnight that was every single night until my youngest started sleeping more at around 9/10 month old and now I can’t wake her up in a morning! She will sleep till 10am after going bed at 9pm when we don’t have to get up for school. She’s 3 in November now

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Play time!!! When baby wakes up right after a feed play with baby entertain baby read a story is a good one with itty bitty baby’s they like the sound of your voice keep baby calm but happy then when baby gets fussy not able to keep happy feed baby again baby should then sleep for awhile this you will be able to sleep for awhile……keep wake time at night dark and quiet soft little lights quiet voices soft lullaby music

Pump so that you can bottle feed too maybe he is still hungry abd not getting enough

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It is biologically normal for them to wake up. Their is nothing you can do or should do to try to “make” them sleep longer. Also, no rice or oatmeal in a bottle. It is a choking hazard & nothing but BM or formula until 6 months of age. Cluster feeding is also super normal at this age. I am 10 months in if breastfeeding & we still wake up quite a bit.

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It’s normal :slight_smile: plus maybe teething

He is using nursing as a pacifier, which is normal and ok, but does he take a binky at all? Maybe try a sound machine, I’ve heard they work like a charm. Or place a shirt of yours near him(safely of course)

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Sleep training helps. Not sure why someone put a sad face on this. This is the only way I’ve been able to get my kids to sleep through the night. If you don’t like what I have to say scroll on.

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Almost all children have a sleep regression at four months. They will get over it eventually.

He’s not getting enough calories during the day

Try using a baby swing, my oldest would only sleep if she was moving and propped up right because of acid reflux. 

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When my baby was 2 weeks old the Dr said put a spoon full of baby cereal in a bottle of breast milk or formula feed them at your bedtime and he would sleep all nite.and they did

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Use a dummy instead of feeding him for 2 seconds every hour

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He might not be getting enough to eat. Have you tried pumping to see how much you are producing. My daughterinlaw wasn’t producing enough and had to add in formula

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Mine woke up every 2 hours till 8 months then every 4 hours till 2 when i took him to the Dr about it.

Sleep regression. It will pass

A dummy is best if you want to keep your sanity.

Use a bottle of boiled water and he hill realise its not worth waking up for

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They usually cluster feed . Or isn’t actually getting enough milk is he latching right do u produce alot of milk . How long does he nurse for

Ugh I do not miss these days!! I know you feel like you’re gonna lose it. And you may lose it… give yourself a break! (And I don’t mean leave for the day) somehow us moms just get through it! If you need someone to bitch too you can message me!! I’m so sorry :sob:

4 months old and not sleeping through the night!? Put some rum or whiskey in their bedtime bottle, they’ll sleep like an angel.

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It’s normal but try giving formula and make sure you let the bby have it while asleep make sure he is also warm not to wake up

My youngest didn’t sleep through the night until he was 1. My oldest slept through the night from the night I brought him home. Every baby is different.

Sick it up butter cup , it’s normal, but it soon will pass

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This is when mine started getting a bottle with a bit of rice cereal in it. Kept him fuller and slept a bit longer.

I exclusively breastfed for a year and my. Baby slept from 7pm to 5am each night as from 6 weeks. I was blessed.

I don’t think it has anything to do with not being full so please don’t give cereal and it absolutely does not mean that your breastmilk is not feeding him enough. :wink: at 4 months my son started eating way more and he did wake up a few times at night, I would just pop him into the bed with me and he would fall asleep immediately. And also, it is common for babies at this age to start cluster feeding.

Bottle feed him. Keeps him fuller

Research the size of a 4 month olds stomach and you will quickly realize why. Totally normal, although not ideal.

Perhaps it’s because the baby is only 4 months old :roll_eyes:

Wear a oversized tee shirt than place over the mattress.this way when they wake up they can still smell you .instead of getting up and feeding try patting him have you tryed a pacifier