How to Change Nursing Pattern in 4 Month Old?

All three of my nursing babies did the same thing.

The only thing I can tell you is that it is normal, at least in my experience.

Also, he may be having a growing spurt and needs those extra night feedings - he is just picking an inopportune time!

Make sure he eats plenty during the day. I always noticed with my babies if they ate less during day, even if just a little less at the breast on one feeding, they ate more in the middle of the night. Try keeping him very satisfied all day. Instead of only nursing every three to four hours during the day, offer the breast every two and see if that helps. It helped with all three of mine.

He wants mommy's love at night! I know it is tiring, but love on him and try to sleep sitting up!! My youngest is 8 months now, and this stage you are in will be gone before you know it!

Best wishes......

I was going to suggest co-sleeping! Seriously, it saved my sanity. I think it was around 3 or 4 months that I really got the hang of nursing while lying down. I would just roll into the proper position, latch him on and go back to sleep. I would wake up later and find him fast asleep. Then I would check and make sure he was on his back without any blankets or anything near him. Then I'd go back to sleep.

I would just hang in there a little longer. This is a phase, and it won't be long before he begins another phase. That's one thing you can really count on in the first year ... change! He will probably begin giving you longer stretches very soon.

It looks like he may have gotten the days and nights mixed up... I know it is hard, since you need your rest during the day, also, but since he is getting a bit older now, try to keep him awake and active more during the day. He may sleep better at night.

Can you post more about his typical sleep/eat schedule during the day, also? That may help us help you more.

And... the growth spurt may easily be part of it. They will nurse more frequently to build up your milk supply for his later needs.

Try to feed him every two hours just before night time, that extra feeding maybe will help him sleep longer. ( my ped. Recommended)
We cosleep with my almost 4 months and my toddler ( I know!! , but we really enjoy it and with my oldest when she turned 3 we didn't have any problem to send her to her room)like I said my 4 months old sometimes sleep thru the night until 730 and sometimes wakes up 2 or 3 times to eat.

Have you read the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg i think? He's of course way to young to cry it out or ferberize so that's good you are not interested in those approaches. he's still little and needs food and loving.

What we did is the "tank it up" approach - as bedtime drew near we'd feed our little one a couple of times, getting as much into her as possible (I'd nurse her and then my husband would give her a bottle of pumped milk and get her to take as much as possible). THen, right at bedtime I'd nurse her. Then, before I went to bed (I go to bed later) I would do the dreamfeed between 11-12. You just go in and pick them up and nurse, they don't even wake up. Afterwards just tuck them back in, no burping or changing. TOok a little practise but worked GREAT for us.

GOod luck!!! We've all been there.

Offer to nurse more during the day and he may drop a night time nursing