https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:51:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790454 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:44:48 +0000 littlejoy 2790454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pickle: Thank youuuu! I think the Zippadeezip will be a good solution. I hope we can both hang in there. We did a gentle sleep training at 6 months with our first baby, and it really did work quickly. I need to remember that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790453 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:42:46 +0000 agold 2790453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: Regarding making the bottles of wine last longer... I used this as a justification to buy myself nicer bottles of wine! :silly: I really wish you the best of luck with all of this!! Its tough, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790448 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:13:30 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2790448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I completely understand where you are coming from. The one thing that really gets to me is not having any time in the evenings to myself. I need my kids to go to bed, preferably by 8, and I don’t want to spend hours working on it. </p> <p>Unfortunately I think we are just hitting the 4 month sleep regression. That and DD learned to roll over so I had to swaddle wean. Suddenly it’s taking her longer to go to bed and to stay settled. I ordered some zipadee zips because I think having her hands covered will help. </p> <p>I had great success breaking the nurse to sleep association with DD1 by waiting until after she nursed to put her sleep sack on. Then we let her cry with checks. The longest she cried without s check was 10 minutes and she only got there once or twice. After two nights she could put her self to sleep and she’s been a great sleeper ever since. She was 10 months old though. For me 4 months is a bit too young for my CIO method. I’m aiming for 6 months this time and just enduring a couple months of frustration until then. </p> <p>If I were you I’d nurse, then put her in her sack, then take turns rocking, patting, sushing with DH until she falls asleep. </p> <p>I have no idea if any of that is helpful or makes sense. I’m tired. :p Just, right there with you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790442 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:45:28 +0000 littlejoy 2790442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: I think you and I have a lot of the same ideas with the age vs. what they're expected to do. I come back to her being in my body for almost 10 months, and just because I want some physical space in the evening, it's not like she understands that. I like the idea of some gentle sleep learning, and letting it naturally get to the point where it's easier. And LOL to the wine thing. I guess it makes the bottles of wine last longer. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790440 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:31:03 +0000 agold 2790440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: :crying: I remember some pretty rough months in the first few (i.e., 6ish) months. I always laugh now thinking back at how I would pour myself a glass of wine and never even be able to take one sip of it! (I wasn't laughing at the time.) I specifically remember the 4th month being so tough. I thought it was just the Christmas holiday bustle that was throwing her off, though. And it was just what you are saying - I'd put her to sleep and she'd be up crying 40 minutes later. And multiple times through the night. I did nurse her each time she was up at night for several months. But at some point, I started to gently sleep train her when I thought that she was ready and she started sleeping through the night. And then I wasn't needing to get up and go to her during the night because she was able to soother herself to sleep. So even now, if she wakes up fussing, she can usually go back to sleep in under a minute. But on the rare occasion, I will still, at 15 months, get up to give her a bottle if she is crying hard in her crib for a bit. I think 4 months is a little too young to sleep train, but of course, each mom is going to have a different opinion on this. And you need to do what you think is best for your baby, and only you will know what is best for your baby. And of course, you need to take care of yourself, so you have to figure out what you can handle. Best of luck to you!!!! Its tough but it all really ends so quickly in the scheme of life. ETA - I second the suggestion to try wubbanubs. I keep three or four of them in my girl's crib. I think this helps immensely with her sleep situation. They are something to snuggle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790437 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:25:57 +0000 littlejoy 2790437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jape14: Thanks for the encouragement!! We aren't willing or able to do Ferber, but even with gentle sleep training (like we did with our first kiddo (it worked, she was a great sleeper until she was 2, then she was diagnosed with a sleep disorder)), I have to remember that the baby WILL cry ... I just need to commit. I remember it taking 5 days with our first little one, and there was minimal crying. It seems impossible, but in the scheme of things, it's so fast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790435 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:23:12 +0000 jape14 2790435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: meant to say previously - we had this same problem with DS (he's now 3) during the 4 month sleep regression. I gave it two weeks, and when he clearly didn't improve, we sleep trained. We did Ferber with checks and the 7-10pm wakeups were gone within 3 days. If you are cool with sleep training Ferber is really, really helpful in training for simple sleep association problems which it seems like you have. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790431 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:19:11 +0000 littlejoy 2790431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: Thanks for the encouragement!! (and, it's not a matter of her being hungry ... I do have a large freezer stash if I did feel like she needed more. girlfriend will just not stay awake to eat or asleep to actually get good rest, ha) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790429 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:17:46 +0000 avivoca 2790429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: If you want to try it, we used the Wubbanub paci's because the animal made it easier to keep the paci in her mouth.</p> <p>I know how you feel regarding not waking your older daughter, I definitely give in a lot to avoid that (especially since our girls share a room), but just know that this phase will pass if nothing works out. Or maybe top up with formula if you are open to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790427 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:12:55 +0000 littlejoy 2790427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jape14: Haha. The velcro IS loud! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790426 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:12:35 +0000 littlejoy 2790426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: I am trying to not feed her until 3:00am, when I know she actually needs to eat. BUT, she just starts screaming (even when we try other methods to soothe her). We have a 4 year old with a sleep disorder, so we usually give in so her cries don't wake our oldest kiddo. </p> <p>I don't expect her to sleep through the night - even 2 wakeups would be ok. And, she's generally ok until 3, but only after she's woken up like 18 times between 7-10 pm. ;) </p> <p>She just can't keep a paci in her mouth, and she acts like I'm trying to poison her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790425 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:11:49 +0000 jape14 2790425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: that's what we have used (slash are currently using - DD is 5mo). I think it's actually perfect bc the velcro is so loud and definitely wakes them up enough to not go directly from nursing/sleep to bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790424 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:09:26 +0000 avivoca 2790424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: Yeah, that didn't work for either of my kids. Do you feed at every wake-up? Could you hold the bottle until after you are done nursing? </p> <p>My solution was to throw a boob at the baby and neither kid slept through the night until 12-13 months. So obv. not what you are wanting to do.</p> <p>Have you tried the paci again? It took a few months for my kids to even take one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790422 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:06:17 +0000 littlejoy 2790422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: The 4 month sleep regression is the hardest, because they lose the "I can sleep anywhere, anytime" piece, and they need to either learn to soothe, or have a strong sleep association. Unfortunately, nursing is her association, and it's not possible for her to soothe back to sleep on her own. Part of me thinks that she's just 4 months old, so she shouldn't be expected to do it on her own, but I also know that science tells me she has the capacity to fall asleep while drowsy and stay asleep. Sigh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790419 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:03:49 +0000 avivoca 2790419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: There's a sleep regression happening in the 4th month. We just chose to ride it out and by month 6 she was sleeping longer stretches. Even now, I nurse and then move to the birth ball to bounce A to sleep (she's 14 months). So maybe do nurse then rock/bounce and see what that gets you? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790417 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 14:59:43 +0000 littlejoy 2790417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: Yeah, I agree with the supply thing. I would be able to pump (I respond well to the pump) instead, and I always pump before bed, at 10:00 too. </p> <p>@agold: My gut tells me that gentle sleep training is needed, because I am pretty miserable each evening. She won't go more than 40 min without waking up, and it's taking all of my "down time" in the evening away. Did your kiddo start being able to soothe themselves, or did you always have to go in and nurse for wakeups? </p> <p>@jape14: She's in the Halo sack with the velcro around her torso (arms out). Wondering if the Zippadee Zip (we have it in the basement) would be better? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790400 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 13:58:10 +0000 jape14 2790400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is she in a sleep sack/swaddle/Merlin suit? I find the easiest way to interrupt the nursing to sleep link at bedtime is to nurse, then put in sleep sack or whatever, which should wake her up. Then sing a song, turn on white noise if you use it, and put in crib. I have done this with both my LOs paired with sleep training (Ferber) around the 4-4.5 month mark. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790393 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 13:50:13 +0000 agold 2790393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have never removed nursing/bottle as the last step in the before-bed routine. I will still able to sleep train effectively, although I didn't start to do so until later by default. There are so many methods to try and best of luck to you figuring out what works for your baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790388 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 13:46:35 +0000 kiddosc 2790388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would move nursing up to before changing into pajamas. Then she'll wake up a bit while she's changed and you can do the preferred routine. If you're already having some supply struggles, I would really try to keep bedtime a nursing session rather than a bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-4-month-old-boob-monster#post-2790376 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 13:27:19 +0000 littlejoy 2790376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Help me remove the boob from bedtime!! Our 4 month old is ready for some sleep learning. We won't do CIO, but we're also still currently trying to figure out what works best for our family. Our main struggle is that over the last week, I've realized she's like an addict for my boobs at bedtime (and all wakeups). We can't seem to get her past that 40 min sleep cycle, because she doesn't know how to soothe herself back to sleep - this is the main reason we're doing sleep training, and why I really want to remove the nursing piece. She won't take a paci.</p> <p>Naps are easy to remove feedings before sleep, but right now, she's napping in the carrier. :( </p> <p>What did your bedtime routine look like when you started sleep training?? I'm not sure when to feed her (so she doesn't fall asleep) in the routine.</p> <p>ETA: I'm a "just enougher" with my supply, and we give her a 2 ounce bottle of pumped milk in addition to her nursing before bed. I'd have to pump, but I would be willing to just do 3.5 ounces of milk in a bottle if it makes it easier to get away from nursing to sleep. </p>