Baby sleep at 4 months is changing. It is an end of what I like to call ‚4th trimester’; the whole new level of development is starting right now! That is why you need to understand what is happening to know what changes you can make right now. By far, your baby can differentiate between day and night.

Timing

During this time, babies need an average of 14 hours of sleep per day. Baby sleep at 4 months can last eight hours straight at night. By 5 months he can sleep even for 10 or 11 hours.

Feedings

Baby should be either sleeping through the night without feeding or eat only once at night. Depending on the baby and the sleep duration.

Bed

Also, 4 months is usually the stage when a baby becomes too big for the bassinet. It is the perfect moment to be moved to own crib, or even his own room, where the baby can sleep without interruption.

Naps

Two or three naps if how much you need. Ideally, four and five months old babies should nap for 90 minutes or longer twice or three times a day (3rd time can be shorter). If your baby is still catnapping - this is not right.

Hints

It is the time should be able to capture that magic moment when the child is tired, ready to sleep, and would easily fall asleep. Observe your baby for signs of slight quieting and a hint of calmness. Adjust your sleep schedule to those signs!

Deep sleep

Your 4-month-old will enter deep sleep relatively quickly now - within 30 minutes. A child’s sleep cycle is about 45-50 minutes. So if you are rocking your baby to sleep for 30 minutes, he might wake up 15 minutes later. That is why self-soothing is so essential.

Sleep training

Since you already know that self-soothing is a key to your calmness - learn how to do that. Pick a sleep training method that is harmless to you and the baby. I prefer no CIO methods; wich means you don’t leave your little to himself. I recommend my ‚How to teach a baby to fall asleep alone’ guide.

Regression

Baby sleep at 4 months may bind with sleep regression. For some babies, the 4-month sleep regression is relatively mild, and with HWL sleep training you can skip it entirely. For others, it is a very rough phase marked by lots of crying, that you can mild with learning a child to self-soothe.

As you can see, baby sleep at 4 months is a big topic. It is kind of a milestone for most babies, and it is important to be prepared and support your little one at every step.

Susan Urban