Top 4 Sleep Challenges for the 4-Month-Old and How to Approach Them
Just when you think you’ve found a good routine for your baby and figured out this whole sleep thing… BAM! The 4-month sleep regression hits and brings with it many sleep disruptions and challenges. But remember that it is just a phase with a few speed bumps.
The progress you’ve made in their routine and their sleep schedule is not all lost though. It will pass soon and things should return to normal. If you need a little bit of guidance, we are here to help. So, buckle up for insights on contact sleeping, short naps, bedtime struggles, and those multiple night wakings – because rest assured, you're not alone, and there are strategies to help you and your little one find peaceful nights once again.
Top 4 Sleep Challenges for the 4-Month-Old
Challenge #1: Contact Sleep Only
Contact sleeping is very normal during this stage. If those sweet contact cuddles have turned into dependent sleep associations then do not worry because I have a solution for you. If your little one will only nap while in your arms, try these strategies to help transition them to their own sleep space:
Set up an environment that is safe and conducive to sleep. Use a sound machine and keep it dark and cool.
Stick their crib sheet, bassinet sheet, or sleep sack in your shirt for a few hours, sleep with it for a few nights, or stick it in your dirty clothes hamper so your smell transfers. Gross, I know but I promise you that it works.
Practice a few naps in their sleep space. Start with 1 then add another after a few days and so forth until all naps are offered in their ideal sleep space. Even if they sleep for 10 minutes, celebrate that as a win. They should get the hang of it after a few days/weeks.
Finish off that short nap with a contact nap or follow crib time. Crib time is when you just let them hang out in their sleep space without attending to them as long as they are not crying.
Challenge #2: Short Naps
Like contact sleeping, short naps are also completely normal at this age. If you have not yet already read the blog “Why Your Baby Takes Short Naps and 10 Ways to Get Them to be Longer” then you can do so here. For a cliff notes version of it, keep reading.
Practice independent sleep by placing your baby down asleep at first and then gradually start putting them down more and more awake.
Drop any dependent sleep associations that no longer work for you and your baby which can include rocking, nursing, or any variety of other things your baby may need (from you) to fall and stay asleep.
PAUSE when they first wake up from their short nap. The pause is up to you. You can choose to pause for 1-2 minutes or up to 5-10 minutes.
IF CRYING: Go in and soothe them back to sleep. Attempt this for 10-15 minutes. After which you can pick them up to hold them. If they sleep then great, let them sleep. But if they don’t sleep but calm down then hold them until it is close to the hour mark from the start of the nap or work up to that gradually over a few days.
IF NOT CRYING: Practice crib time where you leave them in their sleep space until it's wake-up time or
Challenge #3: Hard to Put to Bed
If you notice your baby seems not to be tired or is fighting bedtime, some things to think about are:
Make sure your baby isn’t getting too much daytime sleep.
At 4 months, your baby should be getting about 4-4.5 hours of daytime sleep across 3-4 naps. Some need 5 hours and that’s ok as long as bedtime and nights aren’t a struggle.
Follow a consistent bedtime routine that helps signal that sleep is near.
Keep feeds at the start of the routine to ensure your baby has enough time to work out any gas or tummy issues before being placed in their sleep space and to break the feed-to-sleep association if that is something you would like to do. If you are okay with feeding to sleep and it does not lead to your baby waking every couple hours relying on a feed to help them fall back asleep then you can continue to feed them to sleep if it is working for you and your baby.
Challenge #4: Multiple Night Wakings
Some babies struggle to stay asleep throughout the night and may wake up more than usual. It is normal and something we discuss further in our sleep regression mini-course. Some things to keep in mind are:
PAUSE for 2-3 minutes before attending to them to make sure they are truly awake and they need your support.
Do not feed at every wakeup. I would say feed if the last feed was at least 3 hours ago.
Soothe them back to sleep before offering the feeding though to see if they will settle back to sleep without the feed. Refer to the soothing ladder to see how you can figure out how your baby likes to be soothed.
Keep in mind that 1-3 night feeds are still normal to have at this age.
Drop any dependent sleep associations that may be leading them to wake up if that is something you want to do. To start working on independent sleep and drop dependent sleep associations, TAKE THIS QUIZ.
Overall, your baby’s sleep cycles are changing around this time and you may notice them waking up every 30-40 minutes instead of their usual long stretches. Remember it’s normal! Also, regressions can impact their daytime and nighttime sleep. The key is to make sure you are practicing independent sleep for most of the naps and getting close to their daytime sleep needs by following age-appropriate wake windows. Grab a sample baby sleep schedule here for more guidance on age-appropriate awake windows.
Night sleep and naps may be rough for a few weeks but should get back to normal once the regression passes. Even though it may be tempting, be sure not to start new habits that you don’t want to keep long-term. For more help with 4-month sleep regression, here is a FREE mini-course for more guidance and sleep help.
You got this!
Here are some other resources that are available to you:
DIY RESTED SLEEP PLAN
1:1 SLEEP COACHING