4 Month Sleep Regression Survival Guide

Oct 20

Written By sheri poe

Signs of The 4 Month Sleep Regression

Your baby is regularly waking up more often than their normal pattern, especially if there is no illness.
During the daytime, you notice that your baby is working on practicing a new skill like rolling over. When that happens, you have to stop swaddling, which may mean your baby cries and wakes more often.
Your baby has suddenly become way more interested in their surroundings. Maybe they get distracted more easily while eating, for instance, or they have a harder time dozing off in places other than their crib.
Baby may have a growth spurt and be more hungry during the day.
Babies may begin teething early or catch a cold, and be mildly uncomfortable.
Your baby may be aware of the big world around them and more sensitive to temperature or light.
Your little party animal will wake up, wanting to play and suddenly, your baby is not sleeping well anymore!

Tips for Dealing with the 4-Month Sleep Regression

There’s no single solution to a four-month sleep regression; instead, parents are encouraged to cultivate healthy sleep routines and habits for their baby. Various tips often can not only help in the short-term but also create a framework for healthier sleep as your baby grows.
While you can’t control whether your little one wakes up during the night, you can set the stage for helping them sleep as well as possible — and hopefully, keep them from getting overtired. The 3- to 4-month sleep regression confounds and frustrates so many parents. With these preventative tips, you hopefully don't have to be one of them!
Stick with your regular bedtime routine. This will encourage your baby to unwind before bed — and reinforce the message that nighttime is for sleeping. If you aren’t already doing so, get into the habit of putting your baby down while they’re drowsy but awake when possible. If they’re used to falling asleep on their own, they may have an easier time dozing back off when they wakes up in the middle of the night.
Help your baby stay rested. Babies this age generally need 12 to 17 hours of total sleep, including nighttime and naps (for babies 0 to 3 months old, it's recommended that they get a total of 14 to 17 hours of total sleep, and for those 4 to 11 months, 12 to 15 hours of total sleep is suggested). That generally amounts to between 10 and 12 hours at night, though it varies. If the regression is causing them to get less and they seem tired during the day, help them make up for the lost shut-eye with a little more naptime. Baby will settle down easier at night if they’re not overtired.
Don’t make a big deal of the wee-hour wakings. The best thing to do is to treat the disruptions like you would have in the past. If you normally give your baby a few minutes to fuss it out before going in to offer to soothe them, do the same thing now. Sticking with your usual routine will help you avoid forming bad habits, where your baby needs even more help to fall back asleep.

Try Not to Rely on Feedings!

Many 3- and 4-month-olds still eat once or twice overnight. But if your baby is waking up more frequently or at other times when they don’t typically eat, try to soothe them without the breast or bottle. Offering more opportunities to eat could set the stage for your little one to continue expecting extra nighttime snacks, even after the sleep regression has passed.

Keep your cool! Sleep regressions are exhausting while you’re going through them. But they do end. So try not to get too worried or stressed about them. And try to stay calm when you're with your baby.

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider

Your baby is eating less than normal during the day.
Your baby is having fewer than four wet diapers and three bowel movements per day.
Your baby doesn’t seem to be gaining weight.
The 4-month sleep regression isn’t fun, but it’s a perfectly normal part of babyhood. The key is helping your baby stick with their usual sleep habits as much as possible (and maybe sneaking in a nap yourself). Within a few weeks, you should both be back to more solid snooze time.