What causes my 4 months old waking up at night?

My son now 11 months old did that as well. I would wake up everynight to give him is pacifier. Finally around 6 months he started to just feel around the crib and get it himself. If he couldn't find it he would begin to cry and I again would have to go and give it to him. I should have just took the pacifier away from him, but it was much easier to just get up or so I thought. By the time he was nine months old I didn't have to get up with him anymore. We finally just took the pacifier away we had about three bad nights, but then it was over I wish I had done it way sooner. I would have got much more sleep.

Sounds to me like he might be teething? Check his gums, sometimes they swell a little or get red . . . a little baby Tylenol might help him rest a little easier. (My pedi says no ibuprofen until 6 months, but I'm sure there's a difference of opinion on that.)

My two cents on the pacifier - none of my kids ever used one, not because I had a problem with it, but because they just never really got attached to it. Kids are just different - if your little guy likes a pacifier at four months, I wouldn't sweat it - he may very well give it up on his own when he's ready. Save your battles with him for something that's more troublesome!!

BTW, I'm a mom of four beautiful babies . . . for what that's worth!

Take care,
B.

I am a part of a message board and all of our children are the same age, born the same month... we all noticed that our children were pretty much acting the same around the same months. There was a common growth spurt at 4 months and 6 months...All of us were having sleep issues at the sametime.

I think your son could be getting a growth spurt so an extra bottle at night wouldnt hurt, especially at 4 months. The cereal could be hurting his tummy too. I know it gave my son gas at 4 months so I held off until 5 months. Was your son kicking his legs in and out when he was crying?

I also personally dont think that it is bad for him to go to sleep with his pacidifer still...he is only 4 months old....

It could be a growth spurt so if he is really hungry feed him! until they are about 3 babies have a growth spurt every 6-7 weeks.

I know my son would eat like a pig and sleep a lot during a growth spurt and it was every 7 week slike clockwork!

Since babies are growing and changing it is not unusual to have to adapt to their schedule. You may want to feed him cereal and a bottle before bed, it may keep him fuller longer. You also may want to try cereal more than once during the day. He may still wake up and want a small bottle during the night. I would keep it at 4 ounces to not over feed him. Don't stress about it, I'm sure you will figure it out!

My little girl is 9 months now, but when she was your sons' age, she had alot of trouble with her formula. Turned out she was lactose intolerant and that was causing her late night screaming. Ask your doctor first, but I would try changing her milk to Isomil Advance Soy Formula. It's the only one that's worked (we've tried Gentlease, lactofree etc) and she's been sleeping through the night just fine for the past 5 months. Also, there are Pediatrician and Dentist Approved Soothers for babies that I've found. You can find them at Walmart or Target. They're designed to conture to your sons' mouth and gums and will not cause any harm. For now, I would keep his soother with him...my little girls' soother was a life saver and a security blanket for her. I don't know what I'd do without it.
I do suggest that if you ARE going to give him a bottle, try water or juice watered down. By giving him milk that early in the morning tells him that he'll get it whenever he wakes up and that will pose for a serious problem to your very much needed sleep. Good Luck!

I'm a first mom also. My son, who is almost 6 months now, started sleepin throught the night when I started feeding him the gerber first stage. He use to sometimes take his pacifier but since his teeth started coming in he doesn't want anything to do with one. I started him on rice cereal first like everyone said but now that did stop him up and it was like at night he had colic. All my friends tell me that with the solid foods he will tell you when he is done when he spitts it bck out. My son has always eat alot but he is not fat by no means. He has hit the spurt and is getting very long. Sometimes now he does wake up screamin like he has had a nightmare and it does take him alittle time to calm down. I hope this helps.

I disagree with there is no need for pacifier! That to me is easier to break than a bedtime routine that includes being rocked to sleep!
My daughter is doing this right now, she used to be full time breastfed, but as part of her bedtime routine I started giving her a bottle. Since I did that shes been sleeping 5 hours then waking to breastfeed, but we both go right back to sleep since I cosleep.
Your baby is fine to have a pacifier til hes about a year old. Babies have a strong urge to suck this keeps you from being a human pacifier!
My daughter is still eating every 2 to 4 hours on average 3 hours, so just hang in there it wont be much longer that he sleeps through the night :)

My first born liked his pacifier and someone convinced me to take it away from him when he was 6 months old. For me that was a BIG mistake. He began to use his bottle for a pacifier and he stopped eating what vegtables and other solid foods I had him on already. He was three when I finally took his bottle (that was a battle).To this day he is a picky eater,he is now 22. I feel he would have given up the pacifier on his own, but the damage was done. As for the cereal that did work when he was about 3-4 months old. As long as he does not seem to be having tummy problems from it I agree to add a bottle and just hang in there. Your doing a great job!

Are you nursing your baby? Perhaps he has a strong sucking need, and possibly he is getting hungry during the night. 4 month old babies still need to eat every 4 hours or so, especially when they are heading into a growth spurt. sometimes babies will spend a month or so sleeping through the night and then their sleeping habits shift to accomodate new growth, or the need for comforting, eating or security. unfortunately, a pacifier really isnt very comforting. you might consider a middle of the night feed, or snuggle in your own bed with your baby and sleep together there. (safe co-sleeping procedures can be found by reading Dr. James McKenna's book, Safe Sleep with Your Baby)we get the wrong idea that we can "train" our babies to do what is most convenient for us, but unfortunately it doesnt really work that way. I would bet your sweet baby is getting hungry in the night. Good luck!

The Academy of Pediatrics recommends a pacifier to help with SIDS. Frankly 4 months is still a little early to wean off of it. I think it's around this time that they loose their sucking reflex and the need should decrease a little bit. But really there isn't anything wrong with it.

4 months is a big time for a growth spurt. I am going to assume that you are pumping exclusively since you said bottle of breastmilk vs. pumping. Check out www.kellymom.com for more info on breastfed babies growth spurts and need for more than bottle fed since breastmilk digests much quicker than formula.

Also, keep in mind when babies are about to hit a developmental milestone that night waking does increase. Whether it be teething, crawling whatever!

Your child could be too hot or too cold, hungy or diaper change. Remove the pacifier completely, there is never a need for a pacifier. It isn't natureal to constantly suck. Do actual breast feeding, not bottle breast milk heated up. Get yourself a rocking chair and rock him to back to sleep or pick him up and bounce a little while soothing him with your voice.