The 4 Month Baby Sleep Regression: What It Is and How to Get Through It
Whether you're a new parent or a seasoned vet, the words "four-month sleep regression" alone may be enough to send you into a full panic. The good news is that we have compiled a list of the four most important things to do to combat the dreaded four-month sleep regression.
What Is the Four-Month Sleep Regression?
Sleep regressions happen when a baby begins to wake up more often throughout the night. These regressions are totally normal and often occur at predictable times, including the four-month sleep regression (which can actually hit between three and four months).
Sleep regressions generally happen when babies reach major developmental stages, like learning how to roll over. The good news is, the sleep regression usually only lasts a few days, and once baby has mastered her new skill, her sleep patterns often go back to normal.
While the four-month sleep regression can be a pain to deal with, there are some tips that can help you and your baby get a little more shut-eye. If you have any additional questions or concerns about the four-month sleep regression or your baby's sleeping habits, contact your pediatrician, who will give you advice based on your unique situation.
Tip #1: Feed Your Baby Fully and Often During the Day
Full feedings throughout the day and right before bedtime can help prevent your baby from getting hungry in the middle of the night. Babies are very curious at this age and can become easily distracted during feedings. To limit distractions and ensure your baby stays focused on eating, feed her in a quiet and calm environment that is less likely to stimulate her budding curiosity.
Tip #2 Establish a Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine is key in order to help your baby achieve a good night's sleep. The sooner you can develop, tweak, and master your baby's bedtime routine, the sooner full nights of rest are in your future.
A solid bedtime routine might include giving your baby a bath, reading books, or singing lullabies, all activities that signal to her that playtime and stimulation are over. Keep in mind that nursing or feeding your baby to sleep can make it harder for her to learn self-soothing skills, so it’s best to offer a feeding at the beginning of her bedtime routine.
Tip #3 Wait... And Then Make It Quick
When you hear your baby wake up during the night, try to refrain from immediately going in and picking her up. It’s best to wait a few minutes to allow your baby to practice valuable self-soothing tactics to get back to sleep.
If it’s been a few minutes and your baby is still crying, you can go in and soothe her. Try to make these nighttime visits as quick and noninteractive as possible so your baby stays sleepy. Keep the lights low and your voice soft. This quiet approach will reinforce the idea that nighttime is meant for sleeping.
Tip #4 Use a Baby Merlin Sleepsuit
Unfortunately, the four-month sleep regression happens right around the time that babies age out of swaddling, usually because they are beginning to roll. As babies get more mobile, typically between two and four months, many babies are ready to transition from the swaddle. This is why experts recommend stopping swaddling as soon as baby starts to show any signs of attempting to roll over.
By this time, however, babies are used to being swaddled while sleeping, and getting rid of the swaddle can cause quite the sleep disruption. Transitioning your baby out of the swaddle she has become used to on top of dealing with the sleep regression can make those sleepless nights even tougher.
That’s why we designed the Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit to help babies transition smoothly out of a swaddle and sleep better and longer. The Magic Sleepsuit can get your baby successfully and comfortably through their swaddle transition and eventually through their sleep regression as well.Made from soft, breathable fabric, the Sleepsuit allows your baby to enjoy the coziness and comfort of a traditional swaddle without the risks.
If you're looking to achieve the ultimate night's sleep for baby (and mom and dad!), check out the Baby Merlin product line. We are here to answer any questions about Baby Merlin you may have so you can have the right solution to help your baby make it through the sleep regression and get better sleep.
Also in Our Blog
What’s the Difference Between a Swaddle and a Sleepsack
Five Questions about Early Morning Wakeups for Baby
The team at NAPS helps you tackle the issue of early wakeups. *BONUS* NAPS is hosting a webinar on February 24th. Register here and use the extra-special code MAGICMERLIN and you can join the webinar FREE of charge!
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The sound of cheery calls of “MAAAAMAAAAA” from the next room may be lovely at 7am. At 4am, or 5 am, not so much. Your baby may be up and ready to start the day, but you probably aren’t.
Answering the questions below may help you get there.
- Is your nap schedule mucking up your baby’s overnight sleep?
This might seem like an obvious question, but your baby’s sleep needs will change fast in the first few years of their lives. A quick look at the average nap number and duration might give you an idea:
- For babies from 3-6 months old, it’s normal to take 3-4 hour-long naps per day.
- For babies 6-15 months old, expect 2 naps with 3-3.5 hours of total sleep.
- For one and two-year-olds, you should expect a single 2-hour nap.
Part of the reason you might be seeing earlier wakeups is that your baby has graduated from one nap cycle to the next.
- Does your baby have enough time between their last nap and their bedtime?
We call this an “awake window,” and it can make a big difference. It might seem strange that your baby went to bed fine the night before, and you’re seeing a response to nap scheduling in the pre-dawn hours, but if your kiddo’s sleep is disrupted at night, it will impact the morning.
- 3-6 months, at least 1.5-2 hours between final nap wakeup and bedtime.
- 6-12 months, at least 2.5-3.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- 12-18+ months, 3.5-4.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- Is the room staying dark after the sun comes up?
Black 0ut curtains can make a big difference here. Remember that our brains signal wakeup when the light changes. So if dawn is at 430am, and even a little bit of light comes into your baby’s room, their little brains will PING with wake up juice.
- Is your baby going to sleep too early or too late?
It might seem counter-intuitive, but a late bedtime can actually backfire on you. Overtired kids don’t sleep as well. If you made their bedtime later and it didn’t fix the problem, try an earlier bedtime and see if that helps. You might be surprised.
- How do you make it better?
Try to make one change at a time; just one. Stick with that change for 3-5 days to see if it impacts things. (One night is usually not enough to see substantial change.) Be as consistent as you can with the change you made. For instance, if you decide to increase the space between bedtime and final nap wakeup, make sure to stick to the wakeup time you planned.
If your baby is waking up and chirping happily to themselves, feel free to leave them there for a little while. Let them get used to being alone in the crib. If you can, try to delay the start of the day by 5-10 minutes each day. This can make a big impact.
Everything else aside, remember that this is a short time in your kid’s life; as they get older, their sleep will become more regular, and so will yours. Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Things are hard now, and you’re doing a great job.
