Four Month Old Waking up at Night

Teething? My daughter started teething at around 4 months. They can teeth for months before one actually pops through.

I'd guess it's either that or gas.

Good luck!

J.
I would try putting him to bed with some sort of white noise. We used a small fan in the corner, it plugs in and we didn't have to worry about replacing batteries like the rest of her noise making toys. I have a 15 week old baby girl and we would do that for her and it worked wonders. You could also try giving him a little more to eat for his last feeding. I have found with my child that when she shortens her sleep times(consistantly) it usually means she needs more formula. Maybe not at all her feedings, but at least some of them. Good luck ;)

Give him a bottle, he is only 4 months old, they can't go all night without food, especially when they are growing.

he is hungry and needs milk :)

many babies dont sleep through the night for much longer.... some do then dont - growing babies have changing needs. And if he just wants comfort then it is you that will provide that... in many cultures except United States babies room in with their mom. In the animal world you dont see little newborns getting dumped into another room! Our babies need us! (and a little more food! sometimes :))

It will pass - I promise you when he is 15 you will hardly see him!

Hi J.,
Yes, like everyone else has said give that little guy a bottle. He is definatley going threw a growing spurt. It really is not the norm, for a 4 month to sleep through the night yet. You are going to go through many stages where he sleeps really great and then starts waking up again. These will typically be growth spurts. Just when you think everything is great and you have a good routine going..... it
will change. It can be frustrating I know but I suppose that is why God gave mom's more patience then others.
Best wishes on a good night sleep. That might happen in about18 years. :)
.....(my son was breastfed until age 3 yr. I nursed him him any time he was hungry which changed often. You can read your babies hungry signals. Sometimes it was ever hour for a few days when he was small and then it would change to every 3 hours depending on how he was growing. He was a rollie pollie, chubby baby. But now he is tall and very skinny.
at age 7. I just mentioned this because I don't think you can over feed a baby. They are smarter then us and know when they are full and have had enough.)

Great book recommended to me:
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth
If you're looking for literature...it touches on all topics such as this and more. Good luck!
p.s. It's normal for babies to wake up to feed all the way up to 9 - 10 months. If he's feed he'll sleep better for you.

Oh mommy, this is only the begining.
My DD is 3Y, I still don't get a full night sleep...gotta love potty training :) I'm glad she wakes up, it is better than cleaning up a mess.

No he's not looking for reassurance. He's HUNGRY. Feed the poor guy he's probably going through a growth spurt.

I find "schedules" completely useless for young babies they leave the parents feeling like they are doing something wrong...or feeling there is something wrong with their baby. Follow the babes leading, if he wakes up before his scheduled feeding time, feed him. It's not going to ruin him, he just needs food.

Feed him.. both my kids were up at night well past 6 months old..

A quick bottle is easier than having him awake and fussy for 2 hours.

Dont worry all children eventually sleep through the night.

He is on a "grow" and needs food at 2 AM. The pacifier isn't working because it isn't food. Babies at that age still need to eat every 4 hours or so. It doesn't sound like you have tried giving him his bottle at 2 AM instead of making him wait til 4AM. Try it at 2AM, then you can all go back to sleep, instead of staying up for two hours trying to make him not be hungry with a pacifier. He is still so little and doesn't know how to manipulate yet....he just knows he can't sleep because he is hungry. This will pass.

J.,
Maybe he is just getting a litte bit more hungry. If you not already myabe feeding him not long before bed time maybe he will sleep longer. Other than that I really don't know. But my daughter kind of does that now. She is about a year and half. She will wake up in the middle of the night, any hour (it's never really the same every night) and just wants a hug, a 2 minute rock in the rocking chair and her pacifier and then she is back down for the rest of the night.

Maybe just try different things, not sure but I hope whatever you do works.

Good luck,
J.

J. ~
He's probably growing, therefore, he needs something to eat (a bottle). Why would you make him wait 2 hours before you feed him? You're not going to creat a habit of him waking up by giving him a bottle, but you'll help him grow.
D.

It's so surprising everyone is recommending a bottle - you would know if your baby was hungry, right? We started having the same problem at 4 months - after having a perfect sleeping angel, our dd started waking at 2am and 4am also. She rolled over both ways at 3 months and she's been desperately trying to crawl ever since then and wakes herself up practicing. Also, she is teething sporadically, also she's sensitive to temperature and gets warm or cold easily. Tricky with this weird summer weather! Also...I think at this age they start really noticing stuff and it's so exciting - can you imagine? Like visiting Mars for the first time! Who could sleep?? We just take turns going in and delivering a pacifier and a rub on the back. I slowly moved her morning bottle to 6:30 - with a big night bottle (7 oz.) at 10pm. And I have to add that I personally think the "Healthy sleep habits" book is very "unhealthy" - kind of like how Spock told moms in the 60's not to hold their babies too much - ridiculous! This is temporary - such a blip in time that they don't sleep well - just be patient and loving and drink a lot of coffee during the day...my opinion anyway. Good luck!

In response to K H - I should have mentioned my baby was 16 pounds (10 at birth!) at 4 months - at the recommended feeding of 2 oz/ per pound, that brings her up to 32 oz. a day! A lot - so we actually give her 28 and add cereal/veggies to supplement. This is the recommened pattern suggested by Annabel Karmel - the baby food guru. And it works great. So, to edit myself, I suggest feeding whatever a "big" bottle size is for your own baby.

hey J. give that baby a bottle he is going thur a groth spurt

Give him a bottle... All of my babes would sleep thru the night from about 2 weeks old... The only time they'd wake is during a growth spurt when they needed just that extra bit of nutrition... Just try giving him a few ounces and see how that holds him over...

Do you eat at the same exact time every day? My guess is probably not, right? So why would you expect your baby to? My son is 4 months also, and he eats 6 oz. every 3-5 hrs. and sometimes a little longer if he is sleeping. It just depends on how he's growing at the moment. I would never make him wait just because its not "4am". Poor little guy :( .

My kids would do alot of night waking when they were getting ready to cut teeth.

my daughter slept through the night at about 2 months old then when she was 7 months she started waking up once a night so i would nurse her and after 10 mins she would be back a sleep, that lasted for another 6 months. at 13 months she started sleeping through the night again. now once in a while she will wake up in the middle of the night but i know she is not hungry, so i let her cry and it takes 5 mins. and she is back to sleep on her own. she is also a thumb sucker.
a 4 month old might just be going through a growth spurt and might need that bottle in the middle of the night.

He is growing so maybe he needs his bottle at 2 a.m. and not at 4 a.m. Try feeding him at 2 a.m. instead. He is only 4 months old so I think he is still quite young to really be on a true schedule. But try it out. It is just a phase.

It might be a growth spurt. Try having your hubby give the bottle at 2. The next night (morning) -- 2:30, and so on. It's important for his daddy to give it. Our pediatrician says it's more comforting to the baby when Mommy gives it, so to break the habit, let Daddy do it. If it is a growth spurt (common around this age), he is probably waking up hungry, which is why he fusses until 4 when you feed him. Don't worry, though. It should only last about a week or so. Then things will go back to "normal." ;oD

He may be teething. It seemed everytime I got my sons sleeping through the nite those teeth would start coming again. It usually lasts 2 weeks. Invest in a CD player. Thats what I did with the second and I would go in check on him, kiss and hug and turn his CD on and leave> he would put him self back to sleep. Much better then our first who still ends up in our bed in the middle of the nite.

Someone wrote that they give their child a 'big' 7 oz. bottle before bed. That is a lot! I'm assuming it's formula but still....babies need to eat less more often...especially if you are breastfeeding. Try a bottle and if your baby takes it then maybe they are going through a growth spurt. Why hold them off?

He is probably hitting a growth spurt and needs a little snack in the middle of the night. It is very normal for them to still awaken at night for feeds. He may also be cutting teeth because laying down causes some discomfort for some babies. If you feel it is neither of these things then just ride it out and keep being consistent. It will pass.

Good Luck!

Honestly, most babies go through a growth spurt around 4 months and typically need some extra nourishment. The taking and spitting out the binki is always a sure sign my daughter is hungry.

I would offer a bottle and see if he goes right back to sleep. He will drop the 4am feeding when he no longer needs it.