Oh. Em. Gee. My day was ridiculous yesterday.

Jane, a lot of my friends are going through this. Apparently there's something called 4 month sleep regression, and my friends who have 4 month olds are literally experiencing exactly what you're going through. Perhaps it's some sort of growth spurt but it sounds like it sucks.

Me on the other hand..my little guy doesn't sleep well at all, so if there's such a thing as 4 month sleep regression for him I am just screwed LOL!

Here's hoping he gets back to normal soon!

Also, I wanted to add, there are lots of things to do to save money at home. Do you menu plan yet? Our family saves tons each week by planning the week's menu ahead and shopping a week at a time. Plus, my kids and husband have the comfort of knowing what's for dinner each week. If you're out of menu ideas try www.savingdinner.com. You can also do things like making your own baby food from fresh or frozen fruits and veggies and freezing individual portions in ice cube trays (I know you're just starting solids, but hey, baby food is EXPENSIVE). You can also make your own baby wipes. There's instructions for this and about a bazillion other frugal tips at www.miserlymoms.com. Staying at home doesn't *have* to be expensive - I promise! (I'm a mom of 4 and have stayed home since my first child was born. Never felt deprived, either.)

Remember that teething pain can start weeks before you feel or see any signs of the first tooth! I recommend "Teething Tabs" (by Hyland, I think?). They're homeopathic, and they work WONDERS (mom of 4, speaking from experience here!)

oh the money thing, I totally hear ya I had a plan that I would only spend X amount each week and i would be able to take a year off work boy was I wrong... only 4 months in and all the money I saved has gone, my partners still works so we have an income but not enough to cover all the bills etc I didnt factor in that being at home = Higher electrictiy and phone bills I took for granted how I was able to make most of my calls at work. and the on going washing my washing machine goes non stop. sp all of this means I have to go back to work and by the time i pay for childcare (no family near by to babysit for free) all I will be ahead by is about $100 a week but we need all the cash we can get so. Also understand getting frustrated with Hubby, i know he works hard but bub is 4 months and he has only changed 4 nappies, has gotten up to her 2 in the night and gets to sleep in every weekend I am feeling a little taken for granted

any how thats my gripe

take care ladies

Alison - Oh how I hope (for us both) that this doesn't last too much longer. I bet you're exhausted. :(

Judy - I can relate to the change in crying too. When Monkey is hungry, he's been doing a slight scream as well. Once the bottle goes in his mouth it stops. What's with our kids? LOL

Jessi - I do consider myself lucky that my baby is a really good one. Like Judy said though, when you are used to one thing & it changes, it is a little tough. Nothing we all can't handle though. ;)

Natalie - It's funny that our babies are all going through this together. Stupid question, but do you know she is teething because you see teeth or feel them? Can't they teethe without you feeling or seeing anything? Like I said, stupid question...

Melissa - LOL about being dramatic like his mom & dad. I love it!

Julian's Mommy - Oh wow, that does sound really rough to be up & then have to go to work. I'm so sorry & I hope that it gets better for you. You need sleep! (Glad that someone relates to the spending money thing. I was beginning to think it was just me.)

MVP - You have a great attitude & I agree with you, especially when it comes to babies. It would be perfect if they stuck to their little routines, but I know that's just not possible at all. Roll with the punches... I like it! & LOL about Starbucks & lunch. I'm the same way. I always call my husband to ask what he wants me to bring home for lunch. Maybe we shouldn't go out during lunchtime anymore, ha ha.

Mandie - So funny that you thought that I was exaggerating, but I can see how you would think that. & congrats on Zoey! I've heard that a good baby equals a horrible toddler, so let's just hope that it's not true.

Monkey had a more typical day today. He took his morning nap for 3 hours & his afternoon nap for 2 hours. He just went to bed (7pm), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he sleeps until at least 6am.

okay, i just had my third baby three weeks ago, and i had been reading your blog thinking you were exaggerating that Monkey never cries. (sorry!) i'm thinking, "ALL babies get cranky, he can't be that perfect!" but then Zoey was born and she is the very same way!

(the way i've been thinking of it though is that if we got this lucky in the beginning, does that mean the teen years are guaranteed to be extra horrible?? oh no...)

anyhow, all kids are very different...my 2-year-old is having sleep issues all of a sudden too. must just be a growing-up thing. for Monkey, it could very well be teething too, or the beginnings of it...

well good luck to you dear, hope the little man gives you a break for at least a nap!!!

You've been fortunate to have an angel baby. It's hard when the baby starts changing up his schedule. But I think we just have to roll with the punches. It's often a physical or developmental milestone they're working on.

My little guy started waking up every two hours and taking very short naps about 3 wks ago. We're now trying to help him sleep better because he really never went back to his former waking-once-a-night self. But I attribute it to him growing up. We're just trying to adjust as best we can.

About the spending, yeah, since I'm a SAHM, I find it a bit harder to stick to our budget too. I try not to isolate myself in the house all the time, and we live 30 mins from anything, so inevitably I have to stop to grab lunch. Well, that adds up quite a bit a couple times a week. And don't forget the obligatory Starbucks splurge every so often! Sheesh! So, yeah, I'm finding I have to work harder while being a SAHM to save $.

I've had a rough week and a half...it must be the age or a phase or something...added to the fact that I went back to work a month ago and he just started at the sitter 2 weeks ago. He refuses to eat half the time unless it's 2 or 4am, then he's ravenous...which is all fine and good when you don't have to be up at 4:30 to get to work! Naps have been hard too. And I can relate to spending too much money, I got the 'no more spending' talk while I was on maternity leave. I think I managed to burn through a good bit of our savings there.

Hoping your day got better!

I can relate to the husband comment, although mine is terrific, he's made similar comments about being tired and making a big deal of having to get up with the baby once a week when he gives me a break...hope there are better days to come. My baby has eczema too and we've used caledula, aveeno, vaseline, olive oil, baby oil, vaporizer and it persists! And he scratches his head 'till it bleeds, now with socks on his hands he refuses to sleep normally...exhausting!! He is very happy/giggly but when he's hungry he screams, I've come to realize it's part of his personality...dramatic and loud just like his mom and dad:)

Maybe it is just that time of year. Lol. My baby has been doing the same thing lately. She is normally so very, very happy. And she has been really fussy lately. She is actually teething already :( poor thing. She is actually a few weeks younger than your Monkey! *Sigh* I guess that it will just pass eventually!

Hang in there! And thanks for sharing!!!!! It is so nice to know we arent alone on these difficult days!

All of you with babies that sleep 12 hours at any time are damned lucky. 4 month sleep regression is usually just a phase, they out grow in a few weeks to a few months. Just stick to the routine, and get that baby to sleep however you can. An overtired baby is a cranky baby. My little boy didn't start sleeping 12 hours til about a month ago, then he hit the 8/9 month regression. It's amazing. I got two weeks of good sleep. Consider yourselves lucky.

Hi,

Wow, I'm going through the same thing with my baby right now. I thought it was just her, but it seems like many babies go through this change. She turned 4 months and all of the sudden she's waking up early. Like Jane's Monkey, my baby sleeps a good 12 hours at night. Lately, she's been waking up at 6:30am and she used to wake up at 8:30am. I know I shouldn't be complaining because some mom's are up all hours of the day doing feedings, but when you get settled into a good routine and it changes for the worse, it hits you hard.

Also, I've noticed that my baby is a screamer. It's a loud, high pitch screech. It sounds like she's in pain and I worried a lot when I first heard it last week, but I think it's normal for her now because she always does this when she's hungry or tired. It stops after feeding or a good nap. I wonder if any of you had this change in crying too?

Mine was born July 26 - it started when he was about 16 weeks - and it hasn't stopped yet! In fact, it's gotten worse, I think. He's now up twice a night and wakes up for good at 4:30 or 5 (he used to sleep from straight from 8-6 or 8-7). We're exhausted. From what I've read on message boards, it can last anywhere from a few weeks to months.

I'm a little jealous of that regression because my 4.5 month old is routinely up at least three times by 1AM. That said, I know that any change in sleep outside of what you're used to can be hard, so I understand the frustration!
Oh, and I *hate* rye, too. Yuck.

Oh yes, the 4 month sleep regression. I've heard about it before, but completely forgot about it. When does it stop? How old is your child? When did your son go back to normal again?

My son is a few days older than Monkey and he is going through this too. Part of it was that we tried to stop swaddling him, and the other part seems to be that he is having a major growth spurt. Now that he's eating a little more it seems a bit better.

Major thanks to you Peta, my little one developed eczema and a hive on his cheek recently (reintroduced a bit of formula during the growth spurt as well as cereal so who knows which caused it). I just realized the "hive" that isn't going away very well might be ringworm. Poor baby!

PS - Google "Four Month Sleep Regression." :)

Jane, my son, who had been sleeping through the night since 6 weeks, started waking up every 2 hours again just before he turned 4 months. It's been 3 weeks now and he's still doing it -- AND he wakes up for the day at 4:30 a.m. It's like he's a newborn again, but even worse since I'm back to work.

Oh Peta, it sounds like you are having a rough day too. I hope that you finally got your little one to sleep, swing or not. I'm so sorry about the two rashes - How does one get ringworm, by the way? I hope that both clear up very soon.

I have no idea what's going on right now. Um, it's 3:30am & I'm awake. & not by choice. Monkey must be going through something bc he has not been awake at this time in FOREVER. I just fed him & put him back in his crib to sleep. Hopefully he will get back on the nice & lovely routine we were all loving.

As far as weaning, I didn't really do that bc I stopped suddenly. I think kellymom.com has good info on weaning though. If it doesn't, let me know & I'll ask people & let you know.

Oh & yes, it is a strange world, even out of the blog world. People are funny.

Well I'm going to try to curl up on the couch & go back to sleep. I'm a bit irritated at my husband right now & need to calm down before I'll be able to go to sleep. I hate how he acts like he wants a medal for getting up at 3am with his son. I do everything else & it's annoying. Just get up & don't say anything to me... but no. Instead he says, "Well, I'll get up if you really want me to even though I'm exhausted." Ugh, like I'm not exhausted. Whatev, I need to just get over it.

Let's hope that we have a better day today! Nighty night Peta :)

Me again can you tell I am not having a good day... but just a funny thing I noticed
When you guys are offering to give away something for free you get over 100 comments, yet ask people what they are thankful for and you only get 9 one of which was you jane replying to Tarzan.. hmm strange world we live in

and the day is just getting better NOT!!!!!
I have spewed on that many times today it is not funny
my monkey is still awake Ive been trying to get her to sleep for over 2 hours now
So I have resorted to putting her in her swing and hopping she will sleep.

I took her the doctor on Tuesday for her shots and also because of a rash on her body that is also on both arms and one leg, doctor tells me it is eczema ok no worries we can deal with that, I go to drug store today to get special bath wash for her and the pharmacist tells me she has both eczema and Ringworm so I am putting all this crap on her to try and resolve both I am just so over todayPlus she has still been feeding every two hours i am going nuts.

I hate that my baby has two types of rashes on her i just want to curl into a ball and sleep for a while, and its only 7:30 pm please night end

thats no good at al Jane,

you are lucky to get the 7am sleep in thou, this is my little one last night
6pm sleep
11:30 pm wake for feed back to sleep
2 am wake for another feed back to sleep we dont normally feed at this time
5:30 am wake for another feed I feel alseep while feeding so missy feel asleep on the boob next to me in bed bad i know
6:45am realise she is still next to me oh my god.. have a little freak out she is still breathing all good.. put her back in her cot

8:30am wake and feed

10:30 she wants to feed again I can tell by her different cry's now so feed and then head down to the shops (walking)

12:30pm wants to feed again this is getting rediculas all i have donw all day is feed

6 feeds in a little over 12 hours my gosh its doing my head and my nipples are sore

she is not normally like this but hey i wont stop her from feeding if that is what she wants I know i only have 8 weeks till i go back to work so giving her as much boob now as she wants as we will have to start weaning her very soon

how long did it take you to wean Monkey ??