4 Month Schedule - Leaps, Regressions, Tips, and Sample Schedule
4 month sleep regression
One of the biggest challenges new parents face is getting their baby to sleep through the night. At 4 months old, your baby can sleep for longer stretches at night, stay awake for longer periods during the day, and nap on a more predictable schedule. This is because around 4 months of age, many babies experience a major developmental growth that comes disguised as a step backwards–the dreaded 4 month sleep regression.
Even as your baby’s ability to sleep for longer stretches strengthens, you might notice their actual sleep becoming more fragmented. What gives? This (very frustrating) phenomenon is what we call the 4 month sleep regression. It’s actually a cognitive leap, or a progression, in cognitive development that causes a regression in sleep.
If your baby’s sleep has regressed rather than progressed, it’s possible they are in a sleep regression. More frequent night wakings, bedtime battles, and shorter naps are signs your baby is in a regression.
Around 4 months of age, your baby’s brain becomes more aware of their surroundings. When they wake at night they can no longer fall back to sleep as easily as they did as a newborn. If your 4 month old fell asleep in your arms and woke up alone in a crib, they’re going to be unhappy about this change in accommodations. Every time they wake up, they’ll request the courtesy of the same treatment they received when they fell asleep.
The good news is that sleep regressions usually resolve themselves with time if you know how to navigate them, and we can help with that.
4 month old sleep tips
Here are our top tips for improving your 4 month old baby’s sleep habits. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty below!
Focus on a consistent bedtime
Implement a bedtime routine
Lay your baby down awake at bedtime
Don't let your baby sleep more than 12 hours at night
Don’t let a nap go longer than 2 hours
Expose your baby to natural light during the day
Target appropriate wake windows (90-120 minutes) between naps
Watch for sleepy cues
Use white noise & keep baby’s room dark
Sample 4 month old sleep schedule
Below is a sample sleep schedule. To customize your own schedule, and figure out what to do when your baby wakes up 30 minutes earlier than the schedule says they should, read the guidelines that follow.
Wake up time 7:00 am
Nap 1 8:30 am-9:30 am
Nap 2 11:00 am-12:30 pm
Nap 3 2:00 pm- 3:00 pm
Nap 4 4:30 pm-5:30 pm
Bedtime 7:30 pm
How much sleep does a 4 month old need?
Typically, a 4 month old requires 14-17 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period; 10-12 of those hours should happen at night and 4-5 during the day.
What time should a 4 month old go to bed?
At this age, baby’s circadian rhythms are syncing with the sun, which means 3 things:
Longer stretches of night sleep are coming!
Your baby will be more wakeful during the day
Your baby will be ready for an early and consistent bedtime that roughly coincides with the setting of the sun.
Babies this age do well with a bedtime between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm. If your baby is still awake later into the evening hours, , you can gradually move their bedtime a few minutes earlier each day, or do it all at once in one fell swoop.
How long should a 4 month old nap?
An organized nap pattern is just beginning to form at this age, so the number and length of naps can vary from day to day. On average, a 4 month old needs around 4-5 hours of nap time each day, spread out over 4 naps.
To help night sleep consolidate, make sure naps are no longer than 2 hours. If your baby’s naps are usually shorter than this, don’t worry. It can be frustrating but it’s normal. Focus on wake windows (more on that below!) and avoid allowing baby to become overtired.
A consistent morning naptime will form first, followed by the afternoon nap. By six months of age all naps should be fully formed, predictable and consistent.
How long can a 4 month old stay awake?
You may have noticed your baby’s ability to stay awake for longer periods during the day. Because their night sleep has consolidated and they are sleeping for longer stretches at night, they can handle longer wake windows during the day.
A 4 month old can typically manage 90-120 minutes of wake time between naps. To determine your baby’s wake windows, you’ll want to watch for their sleepy cues and act accordingly.
Paying attention to wake windows is how you manage a baby who goes “off schedule.” Let’s say your baby wakes up from Nap 2 at noon, instead of 12:30, like the schedule says. What to do? Be mindful of wake windows. Your baby should be ready for their next nap at 1:30 or 2:00. Pay attention to sleepy cues, like eye rubbing or “zoning out” and put baby down when they start to show these cues.
Can I sleep train a 4 month old?
Yes, for night sleep. A 4 month old has the ability to fully self-soothe, which is the number one requirement for consolidated sleep. Most babies at this age can go without a feed overnight but always talk to your pediatrician first when making any major changes to your baby’s feeding schedule.
At 4 months, naps are just beginning to form, so your baby is probably not ready for formal sleep training at nap time. You can work on teaching your baby to self-soothe at naptime, and this will help move you towards your goal of consistent nap times and lengths. This includes putting baby down “sleepy but awake” and giving him a few minutes to settle before rushing in to save the day anytime he fusses. Consistent naps will slowly develop over the next 2 months.
Takeaways:
At 4 months old, your baby can sleep for longer but may actually start showing fragmented sleep–the 4 month sleep regression.
The 4 month sleep regression is a result of a healthy brain progression.
Most 4 month olds are ready for night sleep training, but naps are still developing.
An appropriate sleep schedule, being mindful of wake windows, and putting baby down awake can all improve sleep habits. 4 month sleep regression