4 month old transition

[tash donohoe]

I have stayed home all week trying to get Ethan to extend his 45 min naps. I have only accomplished one out of 3 a day, now the night sleep is all messed up. We put him down between 7pm and 8pm and he thinks that this is a nap and won't get past the 45 min sleep.....so, he ends up staying up til around 10.30. He will stay all relaxed in our arms (in a quite lit room) for 1.5 hours and won't go to sleep. How long is this transition going to go on for? I'm still not getting it after keeping everything low key in the day and going to bed early or late. He won't give up his old schedual. This guy is exhusted!

[mommyof2boys]

We're having similar issues with 4-month-old Graham.  Last night he woke up 7 or 8 times when he used to sleep through the night!  He was only hungry one of the times; the others he just seemed to wake up for no reason (although he did come unswaddled).

I've been using the paci to extend his naps with a fair amount of success; now I think he needs it at night to get back to sleep when he never did before.

He's almost always fallen asleep without it; just needs it to get past the 40-minute mark.  I can't pat/shush for 45 minutes as I have a toddler to attend to as well. 

Please know that you are not alone.  I'm hoping someone will be able to tell both of us how long this will last--and how to help us out at night!

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Hi there! I am in the same boat. I have tried extending Gage's naps too. I have tried the "tradional" wake to sleep method, and it just made Gage more upset. I have used a little different wake to sleep method that one of the ladies suggested. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didnt. You could see if it works for your lo. This gal's dd's naps were stuck at an 1 hour 15 min. Here is what she did. I just cut and pasted her instructions.


"Here is what I did... I went in after 60min - she had her arm around her lovey (too cute huh) and I very gently pulled the lovey until she stirred (moved her arm or head) and then hid out of site. If they see you it is game over! First time I did this she slept for 2hrs - success. I repeated this for 3 days and now she doesn't need me to do the awake to sleep tech. Her sleep clock was stuck."

"I think it is key to remember:
o You want to make them stir, NOT wake them fully.
o Go in approx 10min before they normally wake or if it varies (30 or 45min) then go in after 20-25mins.
o Do not let them see you or you will have do shh/pat (20min MIN) or pu/pd to try to get them back to sleep."


Sometimes this method worked, but when it didnt I just came to the realization that the 45 naps are part of Gage's development (now 13 weeks ) and just went with it. Six 45 min naps are better than none :)Here is some great advice that has helped us.

1. Gage can only be up a max of 1 hour 10 min. This includes activity, windown, and falling asleep time (15-20 min). The longer he is up the harder it is for him to fall asleep. Infants dont pass out when they are tired. When they are overtired their brain releases a hormone that fights the stress, thus keeping them wide awake.

2. Sleep begets sleep. The more good sleep a baby gets the better they will sleep throughout the day. I used to wake Gage, but I dont now unless he is sleeping 3+ hours (which has yet to happen). The more tired they are the more fitful sleep they will have. For Gage he was waking up 10, 20, and 30 min after falling asleep. This would just spiral into hours of no sleep.


I am sorry I have written a book, but I know how you feel.  By all means I am not an expert, and have my own prob. yet to tackle. For me, every little bit of advice helps.Thank God for this site! Hope something helps.

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Here is an article I found that I thought was interesting. 

http://members.tripod.com/sorensmom-ivil/2months.html

[PeepersMom]

good article!  Thanks for the link.  If you look a little deeper in that link you will find the 4 mo and beyond sleep cycle/recommendations as well.

I was kind of shocked to see that he wrote exactly what DS is doing now at 4 months.  Almost the exact wake times.  I have been thinking he didn't need to eat.  Now I wonder if I should be feeding him?  Oh man.  I thought after about 4 months, 14 pounds, and 32oz in during the day they should be about to sleep through.  DS is 16.9pounds, 4.5 months, eats 32 oz plus cereal....  But when I feed him the one time at night he eats 8 oz!!! :shock:

Now my brain hurts again...... :?