Waking at night just to play....

My 4 mnth old son has started waking up at night, not to feed, or be changed etc... but to play and cuddle!!!
He started sleeping thru the night when he was only 2 mnths old, and about 3 nights ago, has started this new little habit. I have tried just letting him cry and make his noises in his bed, but after a while this gets irritating as he starts to scream. This is very frustrating for me as I have a 2 yr old daughter and I also wrk.
Does anyone have any tips as to what I can do, he stays awake for about 4 hrs.

Hi there, well for one how much does he sleep during the day as may be he is getting a little too much during the day. Is the room dark or lite so he can look around as may be this may be the problem as its too lite and he thinks its day and wants to play. Does he have a soother. I can understand its hard cause you work. My children have always gone to bed on with a radio on and the room is dark once they have gone to sleep. Does he go to bed of night too early may be try and keep up a bit longer. Its hard but persistance from you in trying to make him sleep will help and I'm sure its a little fase he is going through.

Di SA

Your son has just figured out that he's a social being. And he doesn't know that the middle of the night is not a sociable time.

Firstly, if he sleeps in the same room as you, you need to move him - either temporarily or permanently - to a room that he is alone in.

Secondly, you need to but your son straight back to sleep. If he doesn't need to be fed, then he needs to go back to sleep. Its all part of him learning to sleep through the night. (and of course, that night time is not sociable time). I suggest going into his room, don't pick him up. Say some soothing words, give him a pat and so on. At 4 months, he is too young to be using any kind of crying technique on, so don't try that - it only results in you getting upset and him being completely inconsolable when you give up. He's going to be terribly cranky at you, basically until he learns to put himself back to sleep but you need to persevere otherwise you'll end up being shattered yourself.

Don't pick him up and don't engage with him in anyway - not even eye contact. If you don't nurse your baby to sleep (which, if you do, you might have to stop because it might be part of the problem) then use the strategies that you normally use to get him to go to sleep again.

good luck and let us know how you go.

pick him up and soothe him, then once he settles put him back down and give him some juice or water he may not be hungry for a feed but he may just want something light cause he is thristy

others disagree but its good and it keeps you sane and it saves you from listening to all the screaming

if that dosnt work trying playin some gentle classical music and put it on repeat at night for about a week or 2 it works trust me

and make sure he has something to play with because as he gets older and wakes in the mornings he will play by himself until you wake to check on him
trust me that works to

ps is he in a routine because they DONT work let them do what they want to do (except when it comes to sleep time)

Hi

Doesnt it drive you NUTS!!! Ella (now almost 7months) started doing that at about 4 months as well. She'd wake up, play for an hour or 2 (squealing and yelling loudly) then cry because she was tired again... i tried getting up and settling her, and even feeding her but it was just frustrating me. In the end I just turned the monitor off and let her go, it lasted about 1.5-2wks then she just stopped and started sleeping properly again. Mostly she sleeps through now except on the odd occassion when she's really hungry and wants a feed at 2am.

Hope it sorts out for you soon!
Bel

Hi Zandy, my bubs did this when she was about the same age too. I used to get soo tired and I'd just put her under her baby gym and let her play while I did the dishes at 2am!!! Crazy, huh?! I figured, might as well get some extra time to do things since she's so happy.

It got out of hand (she would have me up all night, I mean ALL night until about 6.30am!! And then she'd want to sleep all day. Major problems! So I rang Tresillian and they said, don't talk to her, don't take her out of her room, do turn on a strong light, if she doesn't need changing don't. This did end up working. I don't believe in controlled crying, so this was not an option for me.

All the best!