4-month-old. Baby sleep begins to mature at 4 months, meaning your baby can sleep for longer stretches of time and stay awake longer, too. With that shift comes a host of new challenges – including a possible sleep regression. To help your baby learn to sleep soundly, you can try sleep training, establishing a predictable sleep routine, consistently practicing good sleep habits, and teaching your 4-month-old how to fall asleep all on their own.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- How much should a 4-month-old sleep?
- Should I put my 4-month-old baby on a sleep schedule?
- What a 4-month-old sleep schedule may look like
- Healthy sleep habits for a 4-month-old baby
Your baby is 4 months old, which means it’s time to get down to business – and by that, we mean the business of sleep. Helping your baby get good sleep is more important than ever as they reach some key milestones (like grabbing toys, rolling over, and making cute little noises that will eventually turn into baby talk).
Your baby’s sleep is also becoming more predictable. At 4 months, they’re developmentally ready for new sleep strategies, like sleep training and adopting a consistent schedule.
Your 4-month-old needs a lot of time to rest and recharge before getting back to their busy life of exploring the world and being adorable. Here’s how to make sure they’re getting the right amount of sleep during the day and at night, along with how to troubleshoot some common 4-month-old sleep issues.
How much should a 4-month-old sleep?
By this age, your baby’s circadian rhythm is more established. Also known as a sleep/wake cycle, a circadian rhythm is an internal 24-hour clock that cycles regularly between sleepiness and alertness. A consistent schedule helps support this natural cycle and encourages good sleep habits.
Most babies sleep for longer stretches by the time they’re 3 or 4 months old. In total, most 4-month-olds need about 14 to 15 hours of sleep each day, including naps and nighttime sleep.
At some point between 3 and 6 months, most babies are working up to about six hours of uninterrupted nighttime sleep. A baby who goes to sleep at 8 p.m. and wakes up at 2 a.m. is considered to be “sleeping through the night” (even though it might not feel like it to you when you’re woken up in the middle of the night!).
While some babies sleep longer stretches at 4 months, many others are still waking up throughout the night to eat. So while some babies are developmentally ready to go through the night without a feeding when they’re between 3 and 6 months old, many babies aren’t.
If you want, you can try night weaning at four months old. The key is to make sure your baby is getting plenty to eat during the day and right before bedtime, so they won’t need a middle-of-the-night feeding. But it’s also okay to wait until your baby is older to stop feeding them at night – do what’s best for you and your little one.
There’s a wide range of normal for both nighttime sleep and naps at this age. Many 4-month-old babies take three or four daily naps; it depends on how long they typically sleep and how long they can comfortably stay awake between naps.
How long your baby can go before needing to sleep is called your baby’s “wake window,” and it’s usually about two hours long at this age. Your baby’s wake windows, combined with their napping and nighttime patterns, will determine their sleep schedule.
Should I put my 4-month-old baby on a sleep schedule?
The short answer? Sure, if you’d like to. At 4 months old, having a more structured sleep schedule can help your baby get the right amount of sleep.
It can be helpful to stick to the schedule as much as possible, so it becomes a reliable routine for your baby. It’ll be easier for them to settle down for naps and bedtime if they know what to expect. Knowing roughly what your 4-month-old’s sleep will look like every day will make your life easier, too.
You can also begin sleep training if you choose to – just be sure to talk with your baby’s pediatrician beforehand to make sure your baby is developmentally ready. There are many different methods of sleep training – so whatever your preference, there’s probably an approach out there for you. The goal of sleep training is simple: Teach your baby how to put themself to sleep rather than relying on a parent or caregiver to fall asleep.
By 4 months old, most babies are developmentally capable of falling asleep without being nursed, rocked, shushed, or held… but since this is probably what they’re used to, breaking this habit will take some practice. You can:
- Use a cry-it-out method for a quick (though sometimes difficult) approach.
- Try a gentle method or a “fading” method of sleep training. These usually involve less crying, but take more time and patience.
- Tap into an expert-designed sleep method, like the Ferber method.
Whatever you choose, remember that sleep is a vital part of your 4-month-old’s daily routine. All babies need sufficient sleep to learn and grow. By sleep training, you’re giving your baby the tools they need to fall asleep and stay asleep on their own, which will allow them more hours of healthy sleep. It will also allow you to catch up on some much-needed sleep of your own.
Sleep training is also a great way to address and resolve the sleep regression that can happen at around 4 months old. A sleep regression is when your baby suddenly stops sleeping as well as they used to. They may wake up more frequently during the night, or they may nap less.
Although sleep regressions are temporary, they can be downright exhausting. Many experts believe the 4-month sleep regression occurs because of your baby’s more established and “mature” circadian rhythms.
With a more refined sleep/wake cycle, your baby will cycle through phases of light and deep sleep at night – but if they don’t know how to fall asleep on their own, this cycling will cause constant disruptions as they wake and look for you to put them back to sleep all night long.
What a 4-month-old sleep schedule may look like
Here’s what a 4-month-old’s sleep may look like over a 24-hour period:
- 7 a.m.: Wake for the day and have a bottle or breastfeed.
- 9 a.m.: Morning nap.
- 10:30 a.m.: Wake up, nurse or have a bottle, then playtime.
- 12:30 p.m.: First afternoon nap.
- 2 p.m.: Wake up, have playtime and tummy time.
- 2:30 p.m.: Nurse or have a bottle, then more playtime.
- 4 p.m.: Second afternoon nap.
- 5 p.m.: Wake up, nurse or have a bottle.
- 7 p.m.: Nurse or have a bottle, bedtime routine, then bedtime.
- 2 a.m.: Wake up for a feeding, then go back to sleep until the morning.
Healthy sleep habits for a 4-month-old baby
Now that your baby is a little older, you can double down on healthy sleep habits that your baby will – hopefully! – maintain going forward.
- Stick to a bedtime routine. You can bathe your baby, dress them in cozy pajamas, and spend a little time winding down in their darkened bedroom. Find out what your baby likes best in terms of books, songs, soothing lights, and white noise, and keep those things consistent every night – they’ll let your baby know it’s time to settle down for sleep.
- Follow a shortened version of your baby’s bedtime routine at nap time. Obviously, you can skip the bath, but feel free to read a book, sing a song, and turn on sound or light machines just like you do at night. These will also cue your baby for sleep during the day.
- Avoid stretching out your baby’s wake windows too long. While making sure your baby gets multiple naps every day can be a challenge, skipping naps is a recipe for an overtired, cranky baby who may have an even harder time falling asleep.
- Respect the nighttime hours by not engaging too much with your baby during night wakings or feedings. Keep the lights dimmed and your interactions quiet and uninteresting.
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