4 month old won't sleep before 10pm

Kelley - posted on 11/17/2008

Do a little bit of study on teaching him to self sooth- its not hard to learn, takes a day. Because he is being nursed off to sleep then is waking in a different place to where he went to sleep, Sleep patterns are a learned response so start now with feeding, burbing changing and putting him down awake...let him know you are there but don't talk to much to him or make eye contact. A few little pats on his tum and nappy while he is lying down and he should cruise off nicely. Get it started now or you will have a bub that needs rocking, patting and feeding to sleep. Once you have done it you will be so happy as any time he is tired he will just nod off. Good luck! I've taught lots of babies and its awesome. x

Sara - posted on 11/17/2008

he's only 4 months -- dont worry about breaking the habit of nursing to sleep -- unless you hate doing it. It's time you will never get back ;)

What I learned with my boy in part -- he was HUNGRY!!! even at four months, I had to start him on rice cereal and avocados, slowly though. And I was nursing him All the Time!!! He didnt sleep through the night until I had completely weaned him. Hope you dont freak out reading that. Truthfully, nursing gets everybody more sleep. I would suggest (only because it worked for me) let him dictate his sleep schedule, it is less stressful. Me and my son would go to bed at 11, and get out of bed at 11.....with lots of waking in the night until about 7-8 months old. If you dont have to work (assuming?) hang in there, it will get better. I promise. Good luck

ps - Alone time is valuable, of course, just get creative!!

Renee - posted on 11/17/2008

Jen I know thats so frustrating. One thing I have learned with my child is at night he really likes having a routine. He is 9 months old and at 5 months he started going to sleep about 8am and sleeping until 7 pm. The only way we ever got him to do this was consistence. After bottle (now supper) at 5:30 or 6 we play and have family time, most nights we have bath time, story....whatever works best for you and then another small bottle if needed and bed time. It was so hard for us to let him cry it out but after 2 weeks the "crying out" faded away and finally good night sleep for everyone. Just now every family is different and you have to do what works best for you. Good luck and hang in there!

Annemarie - posted on 11/17/2008

I recommend the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" to everyone I know. We suffered through (and perpetuated) unhealthy sleep habits with my first child and with the second have followed the steps in that book to the letter...with AMAZING results. It's hard work at first, and you have to be able to do a little bit of "let cry", but not much and my baby was sleeping through the night (11 hours) by 6 months. At 2, she now asks to go to bed at 7pm and sleeps through the night every night until 6am.

Jen - posted on 11/17/2008

When my baby was about 3 months old, she stayed up late, too. She'd fall asleep at 10/11. I wasn't working, and we'd sleep in until 9 or so. Once I went back to work and started getting up at 6/7, she started falling asleep earlier.