Reply To: 3-month old – struggling to fall asleep

[Emma H]

Hi Simona,

I’m sorry to hear you’re having a challenging time at the moment. It’s great to know that you were able to identify and address your little one’s reflux.

The four-month sleep regression can be particularly tough and tiring!

To provide the most helpful advice, I have a few questions. So when you have a moment (I understand how busy life is with a 3.5-month-old, so no rush), could you please answer the following?

1. During the modified settling pyramid when you rock him in your arms, does he have the pacifier in?
2. Are you waiting for him to be fully asleep before putting him down in the crib while rocking him?
3. When he wakes up after 5 minutes, has the pacifier always fallen out, and do you need to replace it? I am just wondering if the pacifier falling out is causing the frequent wakes.
4. Is his sleeping environment cool, dark, and free from sudden loud noises? So, where does he sleep during the day and overnight?
5. How many naps does he generally have during the day, and what times do these naps usually occur (I am just trying to work out the spacing between them)?
6. You mentioned he sleeps in the crib for the morning nap. Where does he generally sleep for the subsequent naps during the day?
7. For the second nap, you said he sleeps for 15 minutes but will sleep longer if you lie down with him. Are you feeding him, replacing the pacifier, or patting him to help him sleep during this time?
8. Have you been able to follow the wake, feed, play, and sleep routine with your little one?
9. What does his nap and bedtime routine look like?
10. Have you been able to implement a set wake-up time in the morning?
11. What time is his bedtime? Has it become more consistent?
12. When he wakes overnight, you mentioned he wakes at 11 pm for a feed, then sleeps until 2-3 am for another feed. After this, he wakes up frequently when the pacifier falls out for the next 1-2 hours. He then wakes again at 5 am for another feed, followed by more frequent wakings whenever the pacifier falls out for the next 1-2 hours. I am just wondering what the overnight environment is like when he wakes at these times?

Sorry for all the questions. But once I have these answers I should be able to provide you with more specific advice.

Emma