4 Month Old Not Sleeping at All During the Day /Questioning Milk Supply

I'm another one who would suggest a carrier. Personally I (and my son) liked a ring sling. He didn't sleep anywhere but my lap (or in the car) for the first year of his life. Granted I didn't have another child to take care of, though.

Do you have a swing or something? And you mention that he sleeps in the bouncy - is that where you're trying to put him for his nap, too?

Have you tried to book The Happiest Baby on the Block? Maybe you can use some of those techniques.

Good luck!

Maybe its about timing? What time do u nap him? Is it too early or too late?

At that age I would just take a stroll and keep him asleep in stroller or in a baby carrier. That sleep will help promote bedtime sleep. My baby is light sleeper too!!

Hi,

We had the same problem with our daughter waking up as soon as she hit the crib. We started putting her there before she fell asleep. Dr. Weissbluth's book Happy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child helped us think about looking for the sleep signs before the baby got too cranky. We swaddled her, shushed her rocked her, and when her eyelids just touched we put her in the crib and continued holding her with one hand. Sometimes it still takes about 20 minutes but she doesn't scream anymore and will go to sleep in the crib. I never soothed with the breast feeding, so I don't know if you'll have to wean him off that. I pump so I get a sense of how much I'm producing.

I hope it works!

HI S.,
Don't doubt yourself or question your supply. If he was hungry, he would cry inconsolably at other times, not just naptime and would not be satisfied after a couple of sucks. Perhaps he is overtired. What are the cues that you're using to determine that it's naptime? If a baby is overtired, it's harder for them to fall/stay asleep. I would try to get him to sleep before he is exhausted, it's fine to nurse him down and you might think about wearing him in a sling.
Good luck

This does not sound as if your supply is a problem, but it could be your son reacting to something you are consuming or if you have oversupply he could be filling up on low calorie foremilk and not getting enough hindmilk to satisfy him.

Have you tried adjusting your diet to see if it helps with his reflux and sleep problems. When my daughter was little, she was very much like your son--wouldn't sleep more than a few minutes at a time and very high-needs, but once I figured out that she was reacting to my consumption of soy, I was able to remove it from my diet and both her "colic" and sleep problems improved immensely. Common reactants tend to be dairy, soy, gluten/wheat, corn, but almost anything can cause problems--I know of a couple of people whose babies were reacting to chocolate and coffee. Watch for good and bad days and compare them to what you are eating. Try removing suspect foods from your diet to see if your son has any improvement.

Hi S.,

We too have had similar issues with our 3.5 month son. He is generally a good baby. His sister is 2 yrs old and is an amazing sleeper she takes a 3 hour nap in the afternoon. I have tired getting the baby to sleep the same time so I have a break. I am strickly bf too. He sleeps through the night so I know he can sleep. So what I started doing is letting him cry at his naps (at least one a day). When we are out all day he will sleep in his stroller. But when home he falls asleep in my arms or on the breast when I put him down in the crib he sleeps 15 mins I get him he falls asleep again in my arms. This went on for hours. Finally after talking to the ped he said it was ok to let him cry. So we have been doing that for 2 weeks now and I get a good hour to hour in half nap out of him.
With your milk supply if he cries and does not seem satified after the feeding like crying than I would question it but if he seems fine I think your ok.
Good luck!

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It just doesn't sound like it is your milk supply that's the problem. I also have a 27 month old and a 3 month old. I am convinced that it's the energy of the house, which is so non stop during the day except during my oldest's nap, but my youngest is also a much lighter sleeper than his brother.
Every kid is different, which is not comforting advice. My little guy also always seems to want to be held, and I think it's because in the beginning we are just trying to survive with two little ones. My youngest has a blood-curdling scream that he simply came out of the womb with, and he screams for everything it is hards to know what he wants. We ended up holding him alot in the first weeks because his screaming would upset his older brother, and then you have a chaotic 2 kid screaming situation.
My little one is also a light sleeper and not a great napper. We just stuck at it trying to get him in his crib. sometimes it was 2 hours of put him down, wake up 10 minutes later and cry and put him down again. He still doesn't take long naps, but he thankfully off our chests and out of our bed.
The only thing besides the above that worked really well for us was a very rigid schedule. Not like everything has to be done at a certain time of the day, but rigid in the sense that every day has to be totally the same. I go back to work in a week so our Nanny that has stayed with my oldest has started taking the two kids in the morning. She has my oldest on a good schedule and the little one fell right in line. They do everything in order, and so far it's helping the little one to have some structure, since I would changes my days based on what I needed to do around the house.
The other thing I have done to get him out of my arms is to put him in his swing (which he hates if it is swinging) but use it just as a chair where he watch his older brother. At keast that way I am not holding him all day so when rest time comes he doesn't expect it too much. The little one just really wants to be involved.
It is so much harder the second time around to try and keep everything balanced. you don't have a calm peaceful house to offer him to help him relax and fall asleep. I wish you the best of luck. I have also had some dark days.
Good luck!

You are not alone! My second child went through a phase of not sleeping during the day if I put her down. Meanwhile the 2 year old would want some attention. I found if "wore" the baby in front carrier, she would sleep and I could pay attention to the 2 yr.old. or, If the 2 yr.old was already napping, sometimes I would just take a nap with the baby. Moms need naps too! (its good for the milk supply)

Have you considered a baby carrier? I would recommend a Moby Wrap (very snuggly and lots of different positions that babies can rest), leaving your hands free to spend time with brother and get some work done around the house. Maybe if he is snuggled up against you, feeling your heartbeat and warmth, he'll sleep?

You can actually make one by buying 5 yards of jersey knit material and cutting it longways (so that you have two 5-yard pieces). It takes no sewing, and therefore no talent! Check out wrapping directions online!

Sometimes my son was like yours. After I'd nurse him, he would fall asleep, then as soon as I would try to put him down in his crib, he woke up! So, then I used to nurse him, in bed, while laying on my side. After he fell asleep, I would very quietly, very slowly, roll myself off the side of the bed to leave. It worked! I hope it works for you too! It's worth at least a try!

i had d same problem and i tried jonhsons bedtime bath shampoo and it works it puts them right to sleep n leaves them calm n relaxed

Sounds like your baby likes movement to sleep. He is still young so I would get a swing for napping at home and a good carrier like an Ergo for napping on the go. He will grow out of this need and will sleep on his own when he is a bit older.

Both of my kids napped in the Fisher Price papason swing for at least 5 months. The shape of it was comfy, plus they loved the movement....and I loved the break! Then I put them in their crib to nap. My advice, let him cry it out a bit. It won't hurt him. Good luck!