Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

I posted 2 days ago and no one responded so I'm trying this again...PLEASE HELP!!!!

I'm at my wits end and need help please!!!!

My DD turned 4 months yesterday. For the past week she is getting worse and worse. She WAS sleeping for weeks from 830 pm until 4-6 am (wake up changed daily) but I was happy with that schedule. I had a meeting last wed and she went down and hour late. She doesn't take a bottle so DH can't take over night wakings. She started to wake every 2-3 hours then has transformed.

She is now waking EVERY 20-60 mins all NIGHT long and for naps during the day. I am NOT getting ANY sleep (unless you count 20 mins stretches here and there). She sleeps fine IN my arms but the moment I put her down she is ALL over the place.

We had to transfer to a portacrib (we are moving and with her waking frequently I don't want to put her in her convertible with my 2 year old who is a light sleeper). She was mushing her face up against the co-sleeper which is why we transferred her.

Now what happens is she is a VERY active sleeper. She rolls several times in a row the moment you put her down and while she sleeps. She is also pushing off with her feet so she is doing 180s and 360s in the crib and is constantly ended up with her head jammed in the corner of the crib where she can't move and so it wakes her up and she is hysterical b.c she is trapped. This happens whether I put her in the co sleeper, pack n play, her regular crib or the port a crib. I'm at my wits end.

I have a 2 year old who is now sleeping well and going down easily and on time but I can barely stay awake during the day to take care of her. Of course they never nap at the same time so naps for me during the day are out.

DD#1 wasn't anywhere near this active this early and when she was she was able to get herself out of those spots.

I can't sleep with her in my arms all night every night - I don't think it is safe- HELP!!!!

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

She's just waking up but not hungry, right?

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

Maybe the portacrib just isn't comfortable for her. I know my DD can NOT sleep in the pack and play and she is also 4 months old. She sleeps great in her crib.

Do you have the mini co-sleeper or the original?

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

Oh Christine - I wish I could help - you just described my DS to a T I tried everything and never figured out anything that worked - until I tried CIO when he was 10 months old (couldn't bring myself to do it b/f then).

I wish I had advice for you but nothing I tried ever worked. We had good months and bad but it really never got better until then.

I hope it works out for you and you find something that works!

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

i could've written the same thing except we don't have a rolling issue and ds is almost 6 months! i slept 1 1/2 hours last night (NOT consecutive) and he was up screaming every 1-2 hours (on a full belly). we've tried cio and after 2 1/2 hours with NO end in sight of HYSTERICAL crying i usually cave.

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

Can you put her regular crib in your room?

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

unfortunately this sounds like a totally normal case of sleep regression - i can't tell you how many times i have seen mommies of 4-6 months olds post this same thing.

from 4-5 months we were up many times a night b/c DS's pacifier would fall out of his mouth and he would cry.

as soon as he hit 5 months we were doing CIO!!

have you tried swaddling her? i don't know if that would help with the movement, and i know she's an older baby... i just can't think of any other advice

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

THANK YOU for all your answers!!!!!

We were swaddling her and that is what she needs to go to sleep at night - BUT she started rolling IN the mini co-sleeper IN the swaddle so I had to go cold turkey on the swaddling and is in the sleep sack now.

I have tried having her nap in her regular crib to see if there is a difference and she just makes up the space in the same amount of time (rolls 2-3 times instead of 1-2) so same problem.

No she isn't asking to nurse every time she wakes up and will often go right back down if I hold her (the crib is next to the bed) but as soon as I put her down - she rolls and scoots immediately again. But will sleep HOURS straight and quiet in my arms.

DD #1 was a roller but not in her sleep until like 6-7 months (she was rolling at 11 week but - she only really rolled during the day before that time not at night). I kept her in a sleep sack in her bassinet until she was 5 1/2 months old.

DD#2 has been rolling since 12 weeks BUT never in her sleep until this past week. Now the moment you put her down awake OR asleep she is a rolling and scooting fiend.

Message edited 9/24/2009 11:24:07 AM.

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

First off...

Alexa was the same way until we did a modified sleep training at 18 weeks....

If she will sleep when she is with you I would suggest you read up on co-sleeping and how when done safely can be a wonderful thing..... It saved us the first few months and I SWORE up and down that I would NEVER co-sleep.

After months of NO SLEEP for either one of us I caved in and put her in our bed and it was WONDERFUL.... at 20 weeks we transitioned her to her crib and she's been sleeping 12-14 hour stretches ever since...

SHe just needed the extra security of sleeping with me for a little while.

Here is some info from a FANTASTIC internationally renown physician on the benefits of co-sleeping and how to do it safely....


I was at the point where I was so sleep deprived I thought I would get sick and die.... I'm not kidding!

Click here

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

Posted by headoverheels

unfortunately this sounds like a totally normal case of sleep regression - i can't tell you how many times i have seen mommies of 4-6 months olds post this same thing.

from 4-5 months we were up many times a night b/c DS's pacifier would fall out of his mouth and he would cry.

as soon as he hit 5 months we were doing CIO!!

have you tried swaddling her? i don't know if that would help with the movement, and i know she's an older baby... i just can't think of any other advice

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

I wish I had good news but we went through this with my DS from month 4-6 1/2. I finally got him sleeping through the night about 3 weeks ago. We had the same problem with him moving around a bunch and getting stuck. He finally learned to sleep on his belly(on his own) and the problem solved itself.

Hang in there- I was delirious from lack of sleep

Re: Trying this again b.c I'm desperate... Infant Sleep help!

Posted by CkGm

I wish I had good news but we went through this with my DS from month 4-6 1/2. I finally got him sleeping through the night about 3 weeks ago. We had the same problem with him moving around a bunch and getting stuck. He finally learned to sleep on his belly(on his own) and the problem solved itself.

Hang in there- I was delirious from lack of sleep