You're probably asking yourself, "Hey, Lindsey! Where'd you go?!" I know, I know. I've been slacking with my blog lately, and, I apologize. Really, I do! I figure since the snow is coming down in heaps tonight, and there's nowhere to go, then I might as well write the first entry of a series that I've been meaning to address for sometime now: sleep disruptions.
1st up to bat... (Drumroll, please)...
The 4 Month Sleep Regression.
Oh yes, folks, it's a real, living, breathing thing. And, let me just tell you, it's a monster. The worst part about this hurdle is that 1. It's basically inevitable (unless you have been blessed with a double portion from the Lord Almighty and He has chosen to exempt you from this atrocity). 2. It's sneaks up on you like a ninja.
Picture this: the first few weeks with a newborn are the most exhausting of your life. You didn't even know that you could be that tired. Really - you didn't even know that sleep was that big of deal before you had a kid. It was one of those things that you did, much like eating and walking, just an mundane event. Post baby? Oh yeah. It's a big deal. So, you walk around like a zombie for a month or so, and then - ALAS - Baby starts to get the hang of things, and you're snoozing for several consecutive hours. Jackpot. You feel like you are once again in the land of the living. This continues for a few months, and that pep in your step is back in full swing. Life is grand. Only .... one night it isn't.
Yeah, there's that silly ninja I was talking about. Your baby that has been sleeping for extended periods of time, if not all night, is suddenly waking up every few hours, maybe even every hour. You think maybe he/she's hungry, so you try to feed. It doesn't work. You think maybe he/she's sick, so you try to diagnose. No symptoms other than wake-time and possibly crying. Like the good Babywise mom/dad that you are, you wait 15 minutes to see if baby will go back to sleep on his/her own. No such luck - Baby ain't havin' it. So, by the time that your alarm clock goes off the next morning, you've had close to zero sleep and an unmanageable baby on your hands.
Your thoughts, like mine, are probably Oh, Lord, please let this be a one night thing and not a new pattern. And, you know what? Maybe it was. But, normally, that's not the case. There is no definite time for which this relapse in routine continues. It could be days, weeks, possibly a month (fingers crossed that's not the case for you).
Anytime I try to solve a problem with my kids, especially when it comes to routine/sleep disruptions, I try to look at the causes or changes that are occurring in their life that could be responsible for getting them all out of whack. By doing this, I can pinpoint the issue and help my child adjust accordingly.
*** Let me throw out there that I am not a doctor (in case you couldn't tell by my writing skillz) and I am in no position to give medical advice. I'm just a mom of 3 that has some experience with sleep training, and my advice is simply on a "I had this problem and this is what helped me" basis. Take it or leave it .. but you should probably take it ; ) ***
So, possible reasons for 4 month monster:
1. Awareness. Despite the sleep challenges that this stage in baby's life bring, this is an exciting time for you and your baby. He/she is emerging from the newborn phase and is suddenly interested in all of his/her surroundings. At just weeks old, your baby probably didn't notice much difference from sleeping in the crib, bassinet, car seat, swing, etc. As he/she becomes older, this great big world becomes more interesting. There are many physical and psychological developments that your baby is undergoing during this time, and becoming more aware of the external world is one of those. Hence, when baby wakes up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason- it's probably because he/she wants to play. Trust me, I know firsthand that playing with a happy, smiling baby is adorable at 3 p.m., but as my sister says, "no baby's cute at 3 a.m." It's a true story. Let's keep it real. But to sum up this section: this isn't the end of the road for you. We can move past this and excel ... keep reading.
2. Growth spurt. My kiddos always take off at this time. One minute he/she's wearing 0-3 months clothes, and then the next busting the 6 months onesies at the seams. Needless to say, maybe Baby is hungry in the middle of the night at some point. For me, this is a great time to introduce rice cereal. Some people spoon feed rice cereal to their baby, but I like to put it directly into the bottles, especially the nighttime bottle. My husband and I call it the "Monster Bottle" that makes our baby fall into a happy, little mini-coma. Fuller baby=a baby that sleeps better. That's our goal - to ensure that our babies eat enough during the day to sustain them throughout the night. So, my suggestion would be rice cereal and maybe "supported sitter" solid foods are appropriate at this time. Ask your doctor if he/she thinks your baby is ready.
3. Teething. My favorite! ... not. Listen, teething is fun for no one. It hurts Baby and it frustrates you. They drool everywhere, gnaw on everything in sight, and you know it doesn't feel good to break teeth. This is a possible reason for sleep disruption at this stage in your baby's life. (Bad news is this doesn't go away for a while, but we deal with it and move on.) Some doctor's, like mine, suggest Tylenol if your baby seems incredibly fussy due to teething. I love Orajel too. It's not a long-term solution, but it does give your little one some relief. This could be a go-to in the middle of the night if you think that teething is the issue.
If you're in this situation and dealing with the 4 month monster, then my advice is simple and it is this: stay on track. Be consistent with the sleep routine that got you and Baby through to this point. Please be careful ... I repeat - PLEASE BE CAREFUL - to not create new, bad habits during this time that will be difficult to break down the road. You know the Christian song and Bible verse (Psalm 30:5) that says, "Though sorrow may last for the night, joy comes in the morning"? It's true in this case too. (Well, hopefully joy will come at night when you get to pass right on out for a solid 8 hrs, but I digress...) Endure the woes of this brief period, stick to the plan. Wait 15 min., go check on baby, assess issue, when all is seemingly well, lay back down for bed. If it worked before, then it will work again. Trust me, I have 3 different kids with 3 VERY different personalities, and this has worked for all.
I hope this helped someone. Thanks for taking the time to read. I appreciate the support. As always, let me know if you have questions, concerns, or just want to vent. I'm all ears!
Happy Sleeping!
-Lindsey
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