https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 22:16:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847653 Thu, 27 Sep 2018 11:34:53 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2847653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: That's a good way to look at it. We had a better day yesterday and then she slept 11 hours without a peep last night, so we are all feeling a little better today. Part of the reason this seems like a big deal is that she's been such an incredible sleeper for the last two months. It's helpful to hear that it's all pretty common.<br /> @periwinklebee: Thanks, I'll look into that book. She's actually been great about going down on her own, until this last week or so. But she did again last night and for her first nap today, so at least we are getting a little break from the screaming. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847398 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 10:16:27 +0000 periwinklebee 2847398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: There's a book called Precious Little Sleep that focuses mostly on more gentle methods of sleep training. </p> <p>I've felt both incompetent and mean because I think LO is waking up from habit or a sleep regression or something and maybe we should leave him in the crib to fuss for a bit to see if he'll go back down. Then DH - who is way more functional when woken up in the middle of the night - will ultimately wake up and troubleshoot and realize there is some concrete thing we should be fixing. But as others have said, sleep regressions are a real thing. At 8 months, I'm still figuring out what is a wakeup for genuine reasons versus some sort of developmental regression. For our LO, his mood at wakeup seems to be a key hint to this, but I'm sure every baby is different. </p> <p>Around 4 months, it was important to me that LO started going down awake in his crib. DH didn't want to do CIO, so what we'd do is sing to him while he was in his crib until he went to sleep. He'd still cry some, but less hysterically. Now, he doesn't usually cry when we put him in his crib for the night, and doesn't need the music either. Going asleep awake in his crib cut most of the night wakings. I still feed him overnight, but that's more to maintain my supply (have low supply issues) than because he needs it. So just to say, gentle methods can really help... I hope things get better soon, extended night wakings are miserable... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847387 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 09:35:31 +0000 MrsBucky 2847387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: that makes a ton of sense. I’m sorry I don’t have more helpful advice for you! I do know there are slower/ more gentle methods of helping babies fall asleep on their own, so maybe those might work better for her to avoid any trauma triggers? If not, i try to reframe the crying a la Janet Lansbury- this is quality time with her where she is learning that you can show up for her tough emotions. That made those nights of inconsolable crying marginally more tolerable, because it felt a little different. Anyway, I’m really pulling for you guys! I hope it resolves for you both well, and soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847383 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 09:22:31 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2847383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrswin: @MrsBucky: So yeah, sleep training is tempting, and we may be able to do some very light version, but it's pretty much a no no with kids from traumatic backgrounds. Granted, we've had this one since she was released from the hospital, but she does still have that history of being separated from her mom.<br /> Plus, she shares a room in our tiny cabin with our 2 year old! If we decided to do it, I could probably have my wife and 2 year old go up to my parents house for a few nights, which is on the same property, so it is possible. </p> <p>@periwinklebee: This is my concern, but we've been pretty careful about comfort, etc. She may have been hot last night, we had a warm front come through too. But the other nights she seemed perfect. Who knows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847368 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 08:11:50 +0000 MrsBucky 2847368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: this was my exact experience with my son. Around 4 months he started crying for hours while I held and rocked and tried to comfort him. I stuck it out for about 6 weeks because it felt too soon to sleep train, but eventually I realized him crying for two hour every night seems way more cruel than helping him sleep in his crib. We also did Ferber checks and never let him cry more than 5 minutes without a check (we called it wussy Ferber, hah). It wasn’t easy on me, but it definitely ended up feeling like the right thing for him. Four month sleep regression is real and sucks. Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847365 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 07:56:59 +0000 periwinklebee 2847365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>:sad: Not sure where you live, but one random thing - with the changing of the seasons (if applicable in your case), make sure she's still a comfortable temperature. As much as people talk about regressions, I feel like with my LO some sort of actual discomfort is often at the heart of extended wakings at night, especially if he seems agitated and not just like he wants to play. </p> <p>Last night I was about to lose my mind, because after sleeping great for much of the past week, he was up for an extended period and clearly agitated. Finally I couldn't handle any longer and passed him off to DH, who realized LO had gotten really hot in his sleep sack, as a warm front had just came through and the temperature had actually gone up 10+ degrees overnight, and on top of that was dehydrated from sweating. Random anecdote but just to say, it isn't necessarily a regression but could be something that's actually bothering her... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847352 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 05:03:30 +0000 mrswin 2847352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: ugh this regression is tough. Our DD did exactly this same thing (screaming while being rocked). I was exhausted one night and put her in the crib (still screaming) to go get my SO to take over and by the time I tracked him down and he went up there, maybe 5 minutes at most, she was sound asleep! We started sleeping training right after that.<br /> I assume because she is fostering that you are not supposed to use cry it out methods but we did the Ferber checks, first night we did checks at 1 min, 3 min and 5 min because that was all I could handle. We lengthened the check intervals over the next several nights. I don’t want to suggest it was super easy or worked perfectly but it was night and day.<br /> I think that is rocking her was too stimulating and when she woke up in the middle of the night she couldn’t figure out how to get back to sleep on her own. With our DD she figured out naps really quick after we got the night time issues sorted out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/4-mo-old-regression#post-2847351 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 04:41:03 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2847351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew it wouldn't last forever. Our unicorn sleeper seems to have given up sleep in general. It's 2:35 am and she's been up since 12:30. And is screaming her head off while I rock her, resisting sleep. I've fed, rocked, given ibuprofen, bounced, set her down, tried the plug. I think she's eventually going to cry herself to sleep in my arms. Same thing last night between 3-5. Oh, also she's refusing to nap except for one 2-3 hour nap mid morning. So... this seems to be the 4 month regression, coupled with the start of teething. I'm just trying to figure out if there's something I'm missing. The screaming while being held and rocked is pretty awful. Up until a week or so ago she was sleeping 10-11 hours without a peep. :sad: Tell me it gets better quickly! </p>