Week 17 postpartum: Four month sleep regression. Disaster naps. Toothbrush rap. Poorly baby.2/3/2018 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? 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. 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
12 Comments
Kylie
2/4/2018 12:26:45 am
This post could literally be my life right now! 😂 I have a 16week old who used to only wake once between 9pm and 6am. Then suddenly a week ago he started waking every 2hrs throughout the night and the only thing to settle him was to feed/use my boob as a dummy! Not gonna lie, on Friday i wept with tiredness. 🙈 I can see why sleep deprivation is used as torture! Reading ur posts keep me sane and remind me that its all totally normal and it too shall pass.....eventually! All we can do is hang in there. X
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Faye
2/4/2018 02:14:52 am
It's so good to know I'm not alone! I know some people say, don't feed to get to sleep but that's the only bloody thing that seems to work for now! Hope this stage doesn't last too long for you. Good luck!! xxx
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Holky
2/4/2018 01:47:48 am
My little one is now 20 weeks and has been going through this since precisely Christmas. My mum has a good phrase for this - feeling like a chewed piece of string, I have never felt less human in my life.
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Faye
2/4/2018 02:27:59 am
I hope he has cracked sleeping too! 🙏🤞 You're so right about not feeling human. I don't look human most days either! 😩 Good luck!!! xxx
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Sarah Brocklebank
2/4/2018 03:30:46 pm
Hi Faye, I have been reading your blog since my son (still love saying that!❤️) was about 4 weeks old, he is 16 weeks now and I really look forward to your updates because he and Rafe are so similar in age. Love your honesty- makes me totally LOL even in the moments of sheer sleep deprivation that make you want to be sick! They didn’t tell me that at NCT! 😂😂 Anyway it sounds like you are doing an amazing job- keep writing with your updates as they are keeping me sane! ❤️👍🏻Xxx Sarah x
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Faye
2/4/2018 04:46:31 pm
❤️ Thank you Sarah! I've said it before but I thought only my mum would end up reading my blogs when I started to write this so it means a lot to hear from other people going through all the struggles - and joys along this very sleep deprived journey! MHope you haven't hit the four month sleep regression too hard. Or you skip it completely. 🤞 xxx
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Hayley
2/6/2018 09:24:20 am
We are just 🤞🏻 On our way out of this at 21 weeks. I feel your pain! I was so tired my face hurt, in fact my whole body ached! We have been back to two night feeds and that’s it for a few nights and I actually feel human again. I did buy a MyHummy white noise sleep aid which I am sure has helped. Pricey but I was willing to pay anything for a decent nights sleep!! So always worth a try. We have also started trying to reduce ‘sleep cues’ like rocking - but VERY slowly because I still need him to sleep! Good luck and hang in there!
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Faye
2/7/2018 09:54:26 am
Deffo going to have to invest in the one I think! I'm so tired I could sleep standing up. ? So glad you're on the other end of it - keeping my fingers crossed you get a decent nights sleep soon! x
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Rebecca
2/6/2018 11:37:11 am
Hi we are also at week 17 and it feels like you are writing about my life! So glad we are not alone!
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Faye
2/7/2018 09:55:15 am
So glad I'm not alone in this sleep deprived state! But it does end...apparently! Good luck!!! X
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Nikki
2/7/2018 05:36:40 am
I’m dreading the 4 month sleep regression 😫 Bea is 13 weeks and is up every 1.5-2 hours for a feed during the night. I keep telling myself that it’s just a phase, while rocking back and forth!!
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Faye
2/7/2018 09:56:40 am
Oh lord. You must be exhausted. Keeping my fingers crossed you skip the four months sleep regression. ? It's fun!! ? xx
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