My 4 month old stopped sleeping through the night, what happened?

Brandy - posted on 01/03/2013

Giving a baby rice cereal to help them sleep is an old wives tale and is not supported by research. The American Academy of Pediatrics explicits recommends to hold off on all foods (except breastmilk or formula) for the first 6 months. The intestinal tract of children less than 6 months old is not developed enough to handle anything except breastmilk or formula. Introducing cereal or other baby food at this time is more likely to cause an upset stomach (which doesn't help babies sleep) and increases the chances of developing allergies and food intolerances. It is likely either a growth spurt (and baby needs more calories during the day) or a matter of poor sleep habits and not being able to self soothe back to sleep. Check out the book, Healthy Sleep, Happy Baby by Marc Weisbluth for more about developmental sleep patterns.

Jocelyn - posted on 08/24/2012

my baby has always slept thru the whole night from like 9PM til 8AM since the day we brought him home from the hospital. he will be 4 months old next Wednesday and 4 days ago he stopped sleeping thru the night even tho we keep him awake most of the day and his dad and 4 brothers and sisters play with him and "wear him out." he goes down like a log at 9PM still but he wakes up at 1:30AM, 2:45AM, 3:30AM, 4:30AM, and then 5:45AM EVERY MORNING NOW. He is HUNGRY all the time--he doesnt want his binky, he demands food! he yells "hey!" when he is hungry over and over until he all out wails and screams with tears in his eyes....its horrible, the child never gets fed! idk what to do with him, gotta ask the doc at his 4 month check up if he keeps this up......so apparently this is normal at 4 months of age then?

Jackie - posted on 04/23/2012

It could be time to introduce cereal. That is what I did with both my boys when they started to wake up at night after either sleeping through the night or only getting up once or twice.

Claire - posted on 02/03/2010

Oliver did exactly the same thing! We moved him from his moses basket to cot and that worked for a few nights and he stopped again.

Now we've put him in his own room so we don't disturb him (as my husband sleep walks and talks!) and he sleeps through most of the time. I find the cold weather doesn't help. He wakes up cold and then realises he's hungry so I started using a baby sleeping bag.

Lindsey - posted on 02/02/2010

Hi I had the exact same problem with my 4 month old not sleeping through the night! I breast feed my daughter! She was going good sleeping 5 + hours and then went down to 1 or 2 well i was getting so stressed and felt enough was enough! So Just this past week I started at around 6 or 7 feeding cereal mixed in with my breast milk so she has a fuller stomach i just give her a little in a bowl then bathtime then feed and then bed! And when i lay her down in bed i lay her down awake and she crys but i soothe her every 5 to ten minutes and i now swear by this! Her first night she cried for 45 mins. slpt for 8 woke up to feed and then slept 5 more! and it has been averaging 10-11 hours a night with one time waking up to be fed! I didnt want to do the cry it out method but am so happy i did!!! I do the same for naps during the day! Give it a try you should be able to tell if your baby can't handle it yet or if you cant! Good luck! I understand the stress and confusion why it goes downhill! :)

Amanda - posted on 01/31/2010

My son kind of still sleeps through the night. I don't know if your daughter is doing this or not, but my son is not quite awake, and he will cry-with tears and everything-, or yell, or "talk". The doctor says it's normal, but it doesn't help me sleep!

Amber - posted on 01/30/2010

My 4 month old daughter stopped sleeping through the night too, she was sleepin from 10 to about 8am at 2 months old, and she hit that 4 month mark and bam, she would go to bed around 8 and wake up at 1 or 3am then wake up at 6 or 7 and be up for good at around 8am... i even give her rice cereal in her bottle for her bedtime bottle and she STILL wants another the first time she wakes up... im thinkin about doin her suppertime bottle AND bedtime bottle both with cereal and hoping that will fix her odd sleepin schedule lol.

Elaine - posted on 01/30/2010

my daughter didn't sleep all night when she came home from the hospital what i did to get her on track was buy her the gerber baby cereal. Now the thing with that is that u don't want him or her use to it cuz then it won't help. At night ur going to put a pinch of cereal in his or her milk which would be the last bottle of the night i bet ur lil one will sleep all through the night let me know if it works. Also when you buy the baby cereal make sure it is the rice 1 not the wheat or any other it will be 2 strong for the baby thats more if there like 6 months or so get the RICE SINGLE GRAIN! Well take care in i hope it goes well

Amy - posted on 01/29/2010

Actually my daughter started sleeping through the night at 3 months and did for about a month now since she turned 4 months she goes to bed about 8:30 and wakes up at 12:30- 1 and then again 4:30- 5 and then again around 8... so ya it hopefully will get a little better we are now giving her some baby food and cereal from a spoon so im hoping she will be sleeping through the night again soon... oh wouldnt that be awesome!!!

Casey - posted on 01/29/2010

my 4 month old daughter stopped sleeping through the night too... i'm attributing it to a growth spurt... her ped has recommended rice cereal 1-2 times a day.. we're starting today and i hope it works!

Brie - posted on 01/29/2010

my son slept through the night almost since he was a week old... here lately he has been doing the same thing your daughter has... i've noticed that if you play with them closer to bedtime and then change them then a bottle its a lot easier to get them to sleep and stay asleep.. i guess ultimately because you have worn them out... hope this helps a little!

Cara - posted on 01/28/2010

It will probably happen off and on till she is a year or so old. I know a woman who was not consistent about making her son stay in his own bed, and he is 4 and still not sleeping through the night, how awful!! She is at an age where she needs more food because she is probably going through a growth spurt. The doctor told me that at 10-14 days, 1 month, 4 months, and 6 months they go through the biggest growth spurts. Probably around those times, you won't be getting much uninterrupted sleep. Take advantage of the naptimes.

Lindsey - posted on 02/02/2010

Hi I had the exact same problem with my 4 month old not sleeping through the night! I breast feed my daughter! She was going good sleeping 5 + hours and then went down to 1 or 2 well i was getting so stressed and felt enough was enough! So Just this past week I started at around 6 or 7 feeding cereal mixed in with my breast milk so she has a fuller stomach i just give her a little in a bowl then bathtime then feed and then bed! And when i lay her down in bed i lay her down awake and she crys but i soothe her every 5 to ten minutes and i now swear by this! Her first night she cried for 45 mins. slpt for 8 woke up to feed and then slept 5 more! and it has been averaging 10-11 hours a night with one time waking up to be fed! I didnt want to do the cry it out method but am so happy i did!!! I do the same for naps during the day! Give it a try you should be able to tell if your baby can't handle it yet or if you cant! Good luck! I understand the stress and confusion why it goes downhill! :)

Amber - posted on 01/30/2010

My 4 month old daughter stopped sleeping through the night too, she was sleepin from 10 to about 8am at 2 months old, and she hit that 4 month mark and bam, she would go to bed around 8 and wake up at 1 or 3am then wake up at 6 or 7 and be up for good at around 8am... i even give her rice cereal in her bottle for her bedtime bottle and she STILL wants another the first time she wakes up... im thinkin about doin her suppertime bottle AND bedtime bottle both with cereal and hoping that will fix her odd sleepin schedule lol.

Casey - posted on 01/29/2010

my 4 month old daughter stopped sleeping through the night too... i'm attributing it to a growth spurt... her ped has recommended rice cereal 1-2 times a day.. we're starting today and i hope it works!