Paci prop- issue during 4 month regression

[Mandy.kamal]

My daughter will be 5 months in 2 weeks. The past 2 weeks she's becoming extremely dependent on her paci to get back to sleep. Before, she would spit it out and fall asleep on her own or fall asleep with it but once it was out she was able to resettle herself during brief wake ups.

Now for all naps and night wakings she needs the paci to fall back to sleep. I do it once for naps and about 4 times during the night.

I know it's my fault bc I give it to her instead of shh patting to hurry and get her back to sleep. But I'm wondering if it all these wake ups and needing help are part of the regression and she will go back to being able to transition easier or if this is a new issue that I'm only making worse??

I hear mixed advice on this because most say do whatever it takes to get through the 4 month regression but I don't want to be creating a huge prop issue in the meantime

[Skadiver13]

We had the same problem as you, we ditched it during the sleep regression because our DS's sleep was so messy anyway I figured get it all over with. But he was in his own room at that point and I was tired of going back and forth all night to replug it was 3 days of hell but then it was over and we never looked back. He's not a thumb sucker, never had a lovey or anything so it was totally worth it. If she's next to you and you just have to reach over then it may make sense to wait until it's over and then tackle it.. Can you work with her on replugging herself?

[Mandy.kamal]

Thank you for the reply!

She's in her room now so it's a lot of going in and out. The issue is she can actually resettle without the paci (she just did now after a brief nw shortly after bedtime). But if she wakes up crying then it's what soothes her the quickest so I always try. If she wakes up not crying and just stirs then she can do it herself by just wiggling around and kicking up her legs.

She's swaddles still so she can't try and replug.

What did you do those few days of hell?? Shh pat? And did you do it for naps too?

I'm so desperate for a quick resettle because I have a 3 year old as well who's impatient and I like to quickly get her back to sleep during naps!

[Skadiver13]

Yes I did shush pat as well because my ds was still swaddled. If she can resettle sometimes could something esle be going on like reflux? Often times the sucking of the pacifier sooths the reflux. Otherwise it's up to you. Props work until they don't, so it's about what you can handle at the moment.

[Mandy.kamal]

It could be something else. She does have reflux. On her third set of meds and at the point where we are just waiting until she outgrows. I'm tired.

[Mandy.kamal]

Thank you for pointing out that it could be something else- I gave her Motrin last night before bed and again after 6/7 hours when she woke to eat and she slept great. She only woke twice to eat and straight back to sleep both times and slept until 7:00am.

Now I just need to figure out if it's teeth, ears, reflux....

[Skadiver13]

No problem? Not sure where you are located but there is a medicine in the US called Zegerid that is not weight dependent and I swear by it. My DS had the worst absolute worst GERD until almost 18months and zegerid really really helped. Also is she propped up while sleeping?

[Mandy.kamal]

She's on Nexium packets now. I don't really see a difference. Lately she's been very grunty and really wanting the paci. I thought maybe it was her tummy but I thinks it's just her noise for reflux discomfort. So sad for her and discouraged.

I'll ask her ped about Zegrid. That would be the fourth medicine in 3 months so I may have to just wait it out until she outgrows it.

Yea she is proped up- she has a wedge in her crib