bad dreams?

[theresa]

I put my son to bed at 8 pm, but at around 10pm for the last week hes been crying, he appears half asleep and will not settle unless i go and pat him for a while can someone give any suggestions what could be causing this? he does not appear to be in pain and does not have wind. Also how much should i expect a 4 month old to sleep during the day?

[H&B'sMum]

Like you suggested it could be bad dreams, Even young babies dream. The best thing you can do is go and comfort him until he falls back asleep.
As for sleeping during the day it depends on the child. I know a child that didn't sleep at all during the day when he was 4 months. Yet Harry has always slept 2 hours in the morning around 11:00am and 3 hours in the arvo around 3:00pm and 10 hours at night. I'm very lucky I have baby that loves his sleep.

[xkwzit]

Hi Theresa
We had a similar problem with our first daughter when she was about 2. As soon as hubby and I went to sleep of an evening, she would start crying within 5 mintues (v annoying). We eventually figured that she didn't like the dark (we have a queenslander-style house with breeze ways above the doors that let light in). She would go to sleep in the semi-dark, but when we went to bed, we'd switch off all the lights and it really was dark . We bought her a night light - problem solved . Now she was a bit older than your son, but hey, its worth a try.

Cheers

[Tys_mummy]

My baby started to do that a biut when he was only 2months old and my Mother in-law told me that her kids when they had dreams if you untuck their feet from the blankets and if possible take the blaket off their feet then they keep sleeping (or will go back to sleep) with no probs... dont know if this will help but is always worth a try! btw I keep a low watt lamp on in his room, this may also help.

Natalie

[Lachlan's Mum]

I have a 4 1/2 mth old. He has been waking during the night lately too, not really crying...but groaning (and he can go on for 1/2 hour or so unless you go in and settle him)....he has just started to roll over and I think he gets himself into a position where he is not entirely comfortable, and then stirs and because he can only roll one way at the moment (back to belly) he can't get back! Its like a turtle stuck on a rock when I go in there! Anyway, I've had to just put him back on his lambskin on his back and give him his dummy...usually works (not always). He is also teething so this is causing some discomfort too, and starting some solids so his bowel movements are adjusting....anyway I had not thought of the dream thing, but just wanted to mention these other factors (as my bub is a similar age) re teething, solids and movement (at last!) as they could offer an explanation!

Other than that, I was actually thinking of putting up a post myself, because I'm going mad too! But I think it's normal growing stuff....they change their sleep patterns etc. just when you think you've got them worked out!

As for the daytime sleeping......Lachlan will fight all sleep if possible....by that I mean sometimes it is a struggle to get him to have good day sleeps...but he needs the sleep!! or else. I am actually surprised at how much sleep they do still need....I feel like I am still so restricted as to what I can do during the day as he needs so much sleep...and even if he won't sleep he is too grumpy to take out somedays - I too thought he'd require less by now but they are doing ALOT of growing. Lachlan usually has 3 to 4 hours a day (on a good day) either one big sleep and say one little....or all little catnaps. On a bad day he might have just say 2 hours.....same deal either one big sleep or all little ones...and those days he is pretty gross in the afternoon. Having said that though, he is usually in bed by 5pm (I don't know why it is just "his thing") with a late bottle between 10 and midnight.

Until he started his disturbed night patterns, he mostly then goes through to 5.00 or 5.30 am.......sometimes tries to get a feed at 2pm but we usually resist (as apparently they can just do this out of habit) and only give in if he doesn't go back over. His waking at the moment though seems to have nothing to do with food - as I assume your bub's isn't either??

Anyway, sorry this is long winded but I thought it might be useful to know what other babies of the same age are doing (or at least one!) because maybe you won't think yours is "out of the ordinary".

Hope this helps.