4 month old thrashing in early a.m and will not give up 2 am feeding!!!

Kim - posted on 01/24/2009

How have you resolved it, my baby is exactly the same and nothing is working. They're so similar it's unbelievable

Danielle - posted on 01/23/2009

Oh sorry I forgot when i posted my reply that you are not breastfeeding, but you could try increasing the amount of formula if that's what you're giving him and give him as much as he wants until he falls asleep and if that doesn't work then lilke the other mums suggested give him some baby cereal.

good luck

Danielle - posted on 01/23/2009

I agree with some of the other mums about how 4 months is too early to cut out the 2am feed. When I had my son he would do the same thing and I found out through talking to a nurse at the local hospital that ihe was hungry.

so what I did was in the evening around 6 or 7pm I would sit on the couch and just let him feed for as long as he needed to until he fell asleep then I would put him in his cot and he started sleeping 8 hours straight because he was satisfied.

Good luck I hope this is helpful.

Sarh - posted on 01/23/2009

If he is "healthy" try giving him a little baby cereal before bedtime. This will NOT harm him. My daughter was eating baby cereal at 2 weeks old and she is perfectly fine!!! If you attempt this then his belly will be "full".

Brooke - posted on 01/23/2009

get a swaddler and wrap him up tight sometimes babies move a lot at night and wake themselves up. i swaddle my son (he's three months) and he sleeps from 8:30p.m. to 6 a.m. and then goes right back to sleep after he eats till about 9. as for the chewing babies explore with their mouth they dont realize yet their hands are part of them yet so its kinda comforting!!

Kafi - posted on 01/12/2009

my son is 4 months old also, all of my children continued nghttime feeding until about nine months (i nurse until 12 months) He's probably just hungry and gassy, Gripe water is a great product!  Hang in there,  all babies don't sleep through the night!

Tamara - posted on 01/12/2009

Thanks for all the posts.  We have it resolved! 

Narelle - posted on 01/10/2009

just also thought of other things to help. a music toy (pull the string and it plays soft gentle music, a heartbeat blanket makes the sound of a heart beat, maybe a white noise toy or something that displays light pictures on the wall. might make him sleepy. GOOD LUCK!

Narelle - posted on 01/10/2009

gripe water or any other wind solution too. maybe give him a feed an hour later than normal.. **say you put him to bed at 6.. try for 7 give a later feed before bed. it might give a little longer sleep for you**

Narelle - posted on 01/10/2009

have you tried swaddling him tightly, or a baby sleeping bag that he cant kick off. maybe a dummy?

Johanna - posted on 01/10/2009

my son is 3 next month,he just gave up his bottle's in october,bed at 7 with bottle,i'd put one in his bed for in the middle of the nite,and keep one in my room for him for 6am,he was a very hungry boy,he fed every 2hrs when he was a baby,when i put him on bottles at 3mths he was every 3hrs,i tried everything but nothing worked,i let him cry and cry tell he made himelf sick and until i was a wreck from not sleeping, he slept well at nite and jus felt around his cot for his bottle, in october he stopped drinking his middle of the nite bottle and morning one,so one nite i sent him to bed without bottles and we've never looked back....but every child is different....do what suits your baby...

Denise - posted on 01/09/2009

My little boy is now 2 1/2 years and when he is going through a growth spurt he will still wake in the middle of the night for some milk, ( I expect this to happen for all of his growth spurts now), so just feed him and the cereal will help, but I would try putting his mattress on a slight incline (head a few inches higher than feet) to help the milk stay down. A lot of babies have silent reflux or colic especially during night feeds, and the slight incline can really help!

Good luck!

Marlysa - posted on 01/09/2009

I remember those days very well, when you are in the throws of it you just want to pull your hair out. It's possible that it could be growing pains. When babies begin to hit a growth spirt they eat more and become more cranky that usual because of the pain. You may want to try doing some massages to see if that might help.

Carmel - posted on 01/09/2009

I am sorry but this one seems like a no brainer. If the child is hungry feed it. Why would u stop a four month old from eating. Its terrible to have to get up at that awful time but thats the choice we make when we become parents. The thrashing around could just be because our body grows when we sleep stretching bones and ligaments could be a very uncomfortable thing dont ya think. o it could b colic in wich case a little bit of gripe water works. MMMMM tasty to

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Kara - posted on 01/09/2009

Does he have a routine feeding schedule during the day? We've put our kids on three hour schedules which has worked for them. Each one slept through the night by three mos. He could very well be teething which might be helped by oragel or the like at bedtime.

Tamara - posted on 01/09/2009

Lisa, I would try to eliminate that 4 pm nap.  If you can keep him stimulated enough to stay awake I would think by 6 or 7 he will be ready to sleep.  It is recommended that babies their age sleep 12 hours a night, so if you can get him to start his restful sleep at 7, then wake up to nurse at 10 and then right back to bed you will have achieved what we have!  The only reason Isaac wakes up between 6 and 6 is to eat, get a diaper change, and go right back to sleep!

Carolyn - posted on 01/09/2009

If he's chewing he's still teething, try rubbing some baby orajel on his gums.  If he's gassy give him some mylocon drops before bed and try feeding him cereal and hour before bed.  Also don't let him nap in evening, that way he will be tired and want to sleep.  You will have to be patient with this as all babies don't like change but it will work out, this is a very common problem.  As far as taking the baby to bed with you, what a bad habit to start.  I tell you from experience that only creates security issues later.  You're not going to want the baby sleeping with you when its 5 or 6 or even older do you.  Not to mention, you can roll over on it.  If you want to give it a sense of mommy, at 4 months it is still not wise to give stuffed animals in crib but you can spray a little of mom's purfume on an extremely soft wash cloth and let them snuggle with that

Lisa - posted on 01/09/2009

Well, we get stirring around 730 and play in bed talking to daddy until about 8.  Then we get up and he is usually napping for an hour at about 10.  He takes 30-60 min naps after that at around 1 pm, sometimes around 4 and then at 7. then my husband and I eat dinner, and my son and I go to bed at 10, where I nurse him and he falls asleep.

Tamara - posted on 01/09/2009

Well, Isaac will not take naps during the day.  He takes one little catnap in the early afternoon.  He has always went to bed around 6:30 or 7.  It started a couple months ago when he started daycare.  We would come home and he would melt down, it was either colic or he was just overstimulated from daycare.  He was so fussy that we would give him his 5:30/6 pm bottle and he would just want to sleep after.  We are up at the same time every morning too...always by 6 am, so by 6 pm I'm sure he's ready for some good sleep.  He sleeps the recommended 12 hours.  I don't know how you can change your baby's pattern...it seems they make their own.  If he is going to bed at 10 or 10:30 what time are you getting up each day?  How long are his naps during the day?   

Lisa - posted on 01/09/2009

How do you get your baby to go to bed at 7:30? My son is 4 months and he is like clockwork falling to sleep at 10-10:30.  Any advice?

Corrine - posted on 01/08/2009

CIO...if im not mistaken thats cry it out.....? I never saw anything wrong with letting a baby cry. my son cried a lot!jjust as long as he was fed, had on a clean diaper, and was safe, i saw NO PROBLEM in letting him cry. he needed to learn that i wasnt going to run to him and pick him up at every little wimper! i didnt want him to get a taste of that. and by showing him that "tough love" he has learned that crying and throwing a temper tantrum will get him no where!

Corrine - posted on 01/08/2009

CIO...if im not mistaken thats cry it out.....? I never saw anything wrong with letting a baby cry. my son cried a lot!jjust as long as he was fed, had on a clean diaper, and was safe, i saw NO PROBLEM in letting him cry. he needed to learn that i wasnt going to run to him and pick him up at every little wimper! i didnt want him to get a taste of that. and by showing him that "tough love" he has learned that crying and throwing a temper tantrum will get him no where!

Lori - posted on 01/08/2009

Of course he's up in the nite to feed!!!  They need to.  My girl is 11m and weaned to bottles at 10 m, so nite feedings are harder...but worth it!  She is a small girl so the more she takes on the better!  Only has 3-4 oz every 3 hrs.  The reason that he used to sleep the nite, but no longer does, is the simple fact that he is probably growing and needs the extra.  He may need it for the first year or more.  I know its frusterating, but keep up the efforts!  The legs thumping is a stage!!  Learning to use them.  Good luck!

Morgan - posted on 01/08/2009

One of my little boys would fuss and kick like that when he was Gassy. The back and forth movement of the legs helps push the gas out of the intestines. Often times I would gently pump his legs back and forth, hear a few toots, and he would calm down and go straight to sleep. As for the feedings both of my boys had at least one middle of the night feeding until they were on solid foods.

Lisa - posted on 01/08/2009

We had a similar problem.  Our dr. recommended giving a little more food at the last feeding of the night and it worked.  The problem has started up again now and the dr. thinks my son is teething and recommend baby orajel or tylenol to help with the discomfort.  That has also helped.  FYI our soon is 5 mths.

Devon - posted on 01/08/2009

Tamara it sounds like you're doing everything right. Heres the only thing I would change. I would take the cereal out of the bottle and start with the stage 1 & 2 foods. My pediatrician suggested to start at 4 months and my little girl hated cereal. She still didn't sleep through the nights until 9 mo. but seemed to sleep more soundly.

Shawna - posted on 01/07/2009

I tell you what when this happened with my son i got so much advice from ppl telling me do this do that which i tried but in the end the ppl that gave the best advice were the older generation of women! My son thrashed and i swaddled him up just like they do in the hospital  as tight as possible it took me a few times of doing it to get it to stay. also gave him cereal at bedtime (which i did in a bottle just like they used to do it). and i did put a fan in his room in the summer not blowing on him of course and a cool mist humidifier in the winter for some white noise. also i let my son cry it out for a cpl of nights 15 mins at first then i would go in and reassure him i was there and leave again for another 15 mins only took about half hour did that for a cpl of nights and he's hardly had any trouble sleeping through the night since. hope i helped good luck to you!!  Definitely do the cereal it will help him feel full during the night and sleep better.

Tamara - posted on 01/07/2009

Thanks everyone!  Just to give you a bit more info...he eats every 3-4 hours during the day and night and has for months now.  He's a very scheduled baby and if feeding time gets extended or missed he will make sure you know he has absolutely NO patience when he is hungry.  I've been giving him rice cereal in his bottle since he was 3 months because he was eating over 40 ounces in a 24 hours period.  He rarely will take naps for daycare.  If he does sleep they are very short 30 minute catnaps and he never has more than 2 a day.  He falls asleep around 6 or 7 pm and wakes up around 9 or 10 to eat, then again around 2, and finally at about 5 or 6 when we get up for the day.  I don't mind getting up with him to feed him, I just worry that since he has never slept through the night and in 2 months dr. is probably going to suggest weaning it out that I would try to gradually do it because it would break my heart to try the CIO method...in fact I don't think I ever will do that!  As for the kicking, he does it when as soon as I lay him down in his crib after that 2 am feeding until he falls into a deeper sleep, and then I can hear him fussing and doing it at other times between 2 and 6 am.  It's like he's not sleeping well and I'm not sure how the kicking helps him??  He never kicks before 2 am.  We do the white noise in his room AND he does co-sleep on occassion but it doesn't help during that time of sleeping he just kicks me!  He is a big kid and we have started on solids (besides the little bit of rice cereal in his bottle) and he loves to eat.  He's been watching my husband and I eat for several weeks now and he loves the new tastes he is experiencing.

Lisa - posted on 01/07/2009

Mine just turned 4 months and he's a big baby 16 lbs. the doctor said I can start giving him rice cereal. I tried it for the first time last night and he still woke up at 2am for the bottle but then he slept until 7am. So I'm going to keep trying to feed him rice cereal with a bottle before he goes to sleep and see how it goes tonight. Maybe your baby is ready for rice cereal??? Check w/ your doctor.

Danielle - posted on 01/07/2009

First of all the baby is only four months so of course he is getting up to eat in the middle of the night. He is really too little to be trying to eliminate his 2 am feeding. The joys of motherhood include giving up your time for the baby. Try putting him to bed later as opposed to earlier. Give him an extra ounce or two at bedtime. This may work as well. Hope this helps. My son was eating every 2 hours until his doctor said he needed to be on solids and he was three months. I know your frustration :)

Sonya - posted on 01/07/2009

I nursed both of my children. The way that I got them to sleep through the night was feeding them every two to three hours during the day. Each child started sleeping through the night at two months. It was very challenging and dominated most of my day but it was worth it for me.



My son was a very fussy baby and after he was a year old we found out that he was lactose intolerant. Sometimes various milk proteins are difficult for many infants to digest causing them alot of stomach pains.



At 4 months your baby may be hitting a growth spurt and may need more food in his tummy. My son was a big eater and the doctor recommended giving him rice cereal. This really helped tide him over and gave me time to recooperate.



Sorry for what you are going through raising a baby is very challenging.

Fran - posted on 01/06/2009

don't fight the 2 am feeding. just give him his bottle. once he knows he will get his bottle he will feel more secure and he won't be fussing even after an hour because his needs will be met. so feed him his milk burp him and then stick the paci back in. it will also help a lot when he starts eating solids. check with your doctor first. i didn't start solids with my kids until about 5 months. i have 2 boys and even though both sleep 12 hours a night, my 9 month old still wakes up now and then and needs milk or just a hug from mommy. hang in there it's all temporary. just don't fight the feedings even if they come in the middle of the night. for 9 months in the womb they got whatever they wanted whenever they needed it. it takes another 9 months for them to adjust to the outside world. 9 months in 9 months out. hang in there, it gets easier.

Lashonda - posted on 01/06/2009

well my son was the same way. my grandmother told me to put ceral in his milk and he was only 4wks old i did what she told me because i did not brest feed i should try this well i did and i wrapped him up in the cacoon like the nurses do at the hospital u know with there arms and feet snugged in the blanket and he slept a whole lot better i had to do something and it really worked.

Devon - posted on 01/06/2009

Tamara girl, he is probably going through a growth spurt. Best advice I have is get used to not sleeping. The fact that he is sleeping until 2 is huge at 4 months. Our little girl had regular feedings through the night until about 9 months. And please don't make him Cry it Out- I hate when people suggest that. There is a hormone that is released in the brain once they cry for too long and so hard that can over time cause brain damage(YIKES). Not to mention as a mom its Hell to hear your baby go through that. Good luck Tamara and soak him up cause it goes way too fast!

Hilary - posted on 01/06/2009

I started my little one on cereal at 4 1/2 months.  Just a small amount, right before bed.  I also would feed her if she woke up though.  As time progressed, she started sleeping longer and longer.  Don't force the cereal though, if they can eat it off the spoon, they're ready.  I wouldn't go to the extreme of putting it in a bottle or anything.  It's normal for your baby to wake during the night.

Kyla - posted on 01/06/2009

hand sucking is common at this age, my four month old daughter does it too. She is drippling alot and it could be the sign of movement under the gums, but don't be surprised if you don't see a tooth until 8 months. Its just the movement. As for big kicks of the legs downwards it helps their joints in regards to their growth spurts. 4 months is another growth spurt stage. It helps their joints in this process. I feed my daughter rice ceral, she sleeps from 7pm-7am most nights. Recently she has been waking during the night and I decided not to wrap her up another longer and let her arms free. Last night she did 7pm-7am, She woke at 5.30am for a little grizzle but went back to sleep. I think your bub is ready for some solids. Try him on a teaspoon for rice ceral and see how he goes. cheers

Tara - posted on 01/06/2009

Im not sure if you have added cereal to your babies diet yet but my son was the same way at 3am until he started cereal at 4 months. He now sleeps from 7:30am to about 5:30 or 6:30am wakes up for a bottle and goes back to sleep for another hour or two. If you havent started it yet I recommend asking your pediatrician! It really helped us! Also, my son sleeps much better with a fan going in his room. I think the white noise helps! Good Luck!

Sarah Jane - posted on 01/06/2009

have you tried the hungry baby milk????

Shelly - posted on 01/06/2009

Feed the hungry baby.  At this you just have to follow his cue's for feeding times and amount.

Kathy - posted on 01/06/2009

My pediatrician says to wait until 6 months old before cutting middle of night feedings. All babies are different and neruologically he thinks they aren't ready until 6 monthgs. But, I have plenty of friends who did it at 4 months. Anyway, my son was a big boy - 9 lbs/2 ounces at birth and took a bottle in the middle of the night until he was 6 months old. I knew my doctor would say cut it at 6 months so I hung in there. Once he hit that mark, I cut the bottle and let him cry it out. Never went in. It was a brutal two nights. With my daughter who is 2 1/2, I did the periodic going in, etc...and to this day she is not a great sleeper. My doctor recommends the cold turkey cry it out. He told me 2 nights - which is exactly what it took. He slept from 7:00 - 4:15 the third night and the 4th night until 5:45 a.m. We did over a weekend. I tried earplugs (didn't work), turned down monitor (still heard him)...brace yourself but know that it does work if you can hang in there. Make your husband listen too. And, my son does the leg thrashing thing too...doesn't concern me. My daughter did it too. Good luck.

Christine - posted on 01/06/2009

I agree with his need for a 2am feed. He is still pretty young. Also, they usually don't start teething for a couple more months, they love their hands and will chew on them for many reasons, mostly because they can! Good naps and earlier bedtime may help. The more they sleep, the better they sleep! Good luck

Sandra - posted on 01/06/2009

Oh, I meant to add... don't let baby CIO. There's no child that deserves that.

Sandra - posted on 01/06/2009

I don't understand stopping a feeding either - at 4 months, it's perfectly normal to eat during the night. Heck, at 12 months it's normal too.



bring baby to bed with you - I'll bet that will solve all your sleep problems - he'll be secure and safe and feel snuggly with mama, and will sleep 10x better!

Nicole - posted on 01/06/2009

I dont understand why your takeing that feeding away from him????but maybe thats his fussy time....babies unfortunaley tend to go ther own way at that age....

Laura - posted on 01/06/2009

my baby is15 weeks and he had started sleeping nights, then recently waken up again twice a night like in the few first few weeks. I was advised by health visitor just before christmas to maybe increase his feeds during the day, if that didn't help start on puree veg and fruit only small amounts twice a day. It has worked for me, he has started sleeping nights again