Week 17 postpartum: Four month sleep regression. Disaster naps. Toothbrush rap. Poorly baby.

Hungry there son?

So it's been a fun week. If fun means waking up in the morning and saying: "well that was fucking emotional," while pouring coffee into your eyeballs. Can you tell we've hit the four month sleep regression? This is not a milestone I particularly wanted to hit and I naively hoped that Rafe would miraculously skip this one. HAHAHA. I have been googling the shit out of this stage. "When will it end?" being the most searched. The infamous four month sleep regression is possibly the biggest ever change in baby's sleep apparently. From what I've read, it basically means baby is now conscious of sleep as they now wake between each sleep cycle. (Get me being all scientific.) So basically just when you think you've overcome the newborn weeks' of no sleep (shudder) and baby is waking only twice in the night, the universe comes and smacks you in the face and you feel like you're back to square one. On average Rafe's been up at least every two hours through the night - not always feeding but most of the time he does. The other night he actually slept 12-6, PRAISE THE LORD but that was after a 45 minute screaming match during his first nighttime feed so I think he had exhausted himself. But I thought - maybe he's cracked sleeping already - what a genius! Nope. The next night I pretty much saw every hour on the clock. So basically I'm looking for miracle ways to help get us both through this stage without too many tears. Though I know it's probably a case of just riding the storm. But advice would be great....Do you feed every time your baby wakes to settle back to sleep - or just try and settle? Will he just miraculously work out how to sleep longer than two hour stretches? Can I drink wine for breakfast?

No filter will help here. This is the face of four month sleep regression. At least I'm still smiling. Rafe looks thrilled.

As well as joyous night wakings - he is refusing naps completely. I mentioned the other week he had been doing this but it's daily now. Mostly his two morning naps - and he tends to go down for the afternoon nap - for a long... 30 minutes. But it takes a hell of a lot of persuasion to do so. I don't understand - I'd LOVE to have three naps a day. Sometimes I think I must look hilarious to my neighbours. The other day he was fighting his sleep so the only way to get him to settle was to gallop around the living room like a horse. But it worked. So I'll pretty much do anything and impersonate all farm animals if it gets him to sleep. The nap situation is making bedtime less fun as he just gets so upset and is overtired. WELL IF YOU SLEPT DURING THE DAY YOU WOULDN'T FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD YOU SON? He normally has one good feed on one side then screams for 15 minutes before settling on the other side. Though the other night, like I said earlier it was 45 minutes of non-stop tears. Just send wine. Not that I can drink much still. Maybe I can just smell it?

He's also been a bit of a fuss pot during feeds. Coming on and off the boobs. So much so, milk spurts in his face. (I don't laugh. 🙈) I think a lot of it is the leap he is going through (leap+four month sleep deprivation= send help) and he's also so much more aware (or nosey like his mum) and is getting distracted. I always try and have a quiet room if I'm in the house when feeding but any other ideas to help him be less distracted during feeds? Have you seen them breastfeeding necklaces - do they work?

Rafe has been sniffly for a couple of weeks but fine within himself - but on Friday he developed a bit of a cough and has been even more unsettled the past two nights and up every hour or so. We took him to out of hours yesterday as you can see he is working a bit harder to breathe and obviously overly cautious because of his heart. The doctor wasn't too concerned and said he has a virus and an upper respiratory wheeze - but it's not on his chest. Thankfully. Just need to keep an eye on the little sleep thief. Hate seeing him poorly. But he's still full of beans and smiling away. It just seems to be the night he gets worse. But sure he will be on the mend in no time.

He loves it.

A highlight of the week has to be hartbeeps again. Honestly I actually get excited to go! It's literally the rock and roll of my week. Oh how times have changed. Rafe was dressed in a shower cap and we sang a rap about brushing your teeth. Told you - rock and roll. Who needs Friday night tequilas when you're rapping 'brush, brush, brush your teeth?'

Rafe's started blowing raspberries which is bloody cute. And although we have had a bit of a tough week - he still loves story time after his bath. We are reading Beatrix Potter at the moment (erm, I can't remember it being as traumatic. That Mr McGregor is an evil fucker. Almost as traumatic as the nursery rhyme I love little pussy. You heard me.) and when I'm lying down reading to him and he is staring up at me, I feel truly complete.

And finally - I hope everyone who is going through the four month sleep regression is suitably caffeined up to the eyeballs to tackle another day of screaming in their head: "PLEASE (insert appropriate swear word here) SLEEP!!!!!" Good luck!!!

Faye x

Story time with his uncle. ❤️