My daughter is 4 1/2 months & I know all babies are different but I thought by now she would start figuring out this whole sleep thing but were no where even close to that point. On a good night she only gets up about 4 times but most nights she is up every hour to hour and a half, and everyone says she has her days & nights confused & thats not it either because she is up all day too she only takes power naps like 10-20mins. I fee like I never get a break better yet any sleep & I fee like my poor baby isn't getting the sleep she needs as well. Does anyone have any advice??
poor baby, she's probably over tired, she needs WAY more than 10-20 minute naps at her age. she should be getting in at least 2 2-hour naps per day. is she up and screaming? or do you pick her up whenever she grumbles a little and moves around? idk, there comes a point where if baby is not sick, wet, dirty, hungry - mommy is going to sleep whether baby does or not.
Some kids love their sleep and others don't. I have one of each.
It does take a long time for some not to wake up in the middle of the night. I would have to say if food isn't an issue and no bad dreams then don't go to her. Just make sure she has a couple of things to play with in the crib (which she might not be able to at this time if she isn't sitting up and crawling around) and she will fall back to sleep on her own.
As long as she is safe no worries.
Even at 6 years old some parents will teach the child if you are up before the sun then just play in your room until the sun is up. Bathroom is the only place for them to go if needed.
Good luck and take some power naps yourself.
Hugs.
I had a similar problem and my ped said to put a LITTLE cereal in each bottle, more closer to bed time. I know they all say dont put it in the bottles, mine actually says it's bad too, but she said it would help until he was ready for solids. Then at 4 months we started solids and he started sleeping more. Some say it is early but I think my guy was just hungry. That may be what is going on with your little one.
*NOTE* if you do this make sure you use a correct nipple (fast flow) becuase if they have to pull to hard it will cuase them to get an ear infection.
Do you go to her every time she wakes? If so, try letting her cry and fuss a little. I always went straight to my first as soon as he fussed and looking back now I think that was why he was and still is a horrible sleeper. Also-make sure to put her down to sleep AWAKE so she will know how to go back to sleep if she wakes up. I also made the mistake of rocking to sleep.
Hi Sleepless mom!
It's been quite a while since my daughter wouldn't sleep through the night (she's 23 now!) and actually.. sleeps till noon... hahhaha.. BUT.. I have something to offer you for free that may just help.. both you AND your daughter.
I am a Registered Nurse and an Energy Medicine Practitioner. I help people learn how to work with their own body energy and wisdom. Since we can't directly communicate with your 4.5 month old daughter, you can learn a VERY SIMPLE technique to balance her brain energetically so that she can become relaxed which may promote sleep.
You can learn this technique on my site, for free! Go to www.amyfreundbodytalk.com and select the tab Video of Dr. John Veltheim founder How to tap CORTICES (which is plural for cortex of the brain.) You can do this technique on yourself, and then on your daughter, and use it as much as you like during the day with her to promote a state of calm within the brain so that it can grow and heal to its greatest potential!
Have fun!
hugs,
A.
My son was the same. He just didn't want to miss out on anything! We're still working on it ... He just hit 7 months. Now we are doing this:
Wake at 7am
nap from 8-10 (sometimes he wakes at 9, but I leave him in there.),
Nurse at 10,
Solids at 10:30,
nap from 12-2 (same, sometimes wakes, but I leave him in there AT LEAST 90 minutes).
Nurse at 2pm.
Variable, but CRUCIAL nap around 4ish for about an hour.
Nurse, solids around 5-5:30
bedtime routine at 6:30, in crib by 7pm.
I then nurse him at 10pm, not a moment sooner, even if he cries.
I go to bed, and then wake to nurse him between 1 and 2am.
Then I refuse to go to him until 7am.
He usually wakes and talks to himself around 5 and 6.
We've settled into this routine after reading every possible book, and feeling like no single solution was totally perfect for us. Just try stuff! I was afraid to try and fail...but we've tried total cry it out, and we didn't stick with it. Now we're doing this, and it's working well. I feel for you! For the longest time, Joshua took only 30-45 min naps. It's SO HARD during the day, and then to get no sleep at night .... HUGS to you. I know it's so hard!!!!
i agree with jennifer T - if you are not at that point, you will probably reach it soon - where you are just so tired that as long as she is fed, dry, and safe, you will have to sleep. let her fuss, even cry a bit, as long as you know her needs are met. there's no reason after an hour she should be waking up, except she knows you'll come in and hang out with her when she makes noise. hang in there!
First don't be afraid to ask for help from family or friends so you van get some rest. You'll be better able to help your daughter if you get some rest. Second, is she still in your room? Our doctor suggested moving our daughter out and it made a world of difference. I hope this helps.
she's probably so tired she can't really see straight. she needs 2-3 hour naps at her age, like the other posts have said, as long as you know she's safe and her needs are met, let her cry it out while you get some sleep. if you know she doesn't have a dirty or wet diaper, she's not hungry or not feeling ok....let her cry if you are going into check on her every time she cries that will teach her a BAD habit, that will come back to haunt you later. hse needs to learn now, fussing will not get her attention
At 4.5 months old she should be able to sleep for a good stretch at night (6 hours or so) and she should be taking 2 or 3 "long naps" each day. Here's my question for you... do you ever let her fuss and cry in her crib or do you go in immediately and pick her up?
The cry-it-out method gets a lot of bad press on this site, but it does work. It sounds like she's got herself on a rough schedule and it's wearing on you. Do some reading on the method- get the book from the library. It's not barbaric and it doesn't traumatize babies. In fact, it helps them learn to find ways of soothing themselves, which is really important b/c you can't be there every second of every day for the rest of her life. It is difficult to lay in bed and listen to your baby cry, but in all reality... it lasted three nights and then it was over. It is a method and it doesn't involve dumping the baby in the crib and shutting the door for 10 hours.
If she's cat napping all day, then she isn't getting enough of the "deep sleep" she needs. I know most people will tell you that it's not a big deal, but when you haven't slept well in six months, it is.
