What we’ll cover:
- What are the symptoms of the 4 month sleep regression?
- What causes the 4 month sleep regression? Is it a myth?
- Does this regression only happen at 4 months?
- How long does the 4 month sleep regression last?
- How can I help my baby through the 4 month regression?
- Can I start sleep training during the 4 month regression?
- My 4 month-old won’t nap. What can I do?
If your baby is around 4 months, you may have been warned about the 4 month sleep regression. And if you’ve read enough online, you may be terrified of what’s to come.
The truth is, some babies sleep right through this regression (hee hee) and other babies’ sleep patterns go completely haywire!
If your 4 month-old baby has recently started fighting bedtime with a vengeance, waking more at night or taking short naps- the 4 month sleep regression is probably to blame.
The upside is that it’s a normal phase of development. The downside is that you can’t simply bury your head under a pillow and hope for the best.
It’s totally possible to help your baby sleep well during the 4 month sleep regression. This article tells you how!
This post may contain affiliate links.
What are the symptoms of the 4 month sleep regression?
In general, sleep regressions are disruptions in sleep for babies who were previously sleeping well. Not all babies will show outward signs of this regression (especially those that weren’t sleeping well previously.)
4 month sleep regression symptoms include:
- Waking more at night out of the blue
- Taking short naps
- Harder to settle for sleep
- Baby is more restless and fussy in general
Does this regression only happen at 4 months?
You may notice a change in your baby’s sleeping patterns anytime between 3-5 months.
It’s important to consider your baby’s adjusted age. For example, if she was born 3 weeks early then she may experience this regression closer to her fifth month.
The 4 Month Sleep Regression: Causes, Symptoms & Solutions
How long does the 4 month sleep regression last?
If your baby’s worsening sleep is due to a growth spurt, you should notice his sleep improve after increasing his feeds.
If the 4-to-3 nap transition is the main cause of your baby’s regression, then following 1.5 – 2.5 hour awake times and settling into 3 naps each day should improve his sleep.
For other babies, the main culprit of this regression is brain maturity and evolving sleep patterns. In this case, focusing on creating a consistent and age-appropriate sleep routine will help him learn to sleep better.
My 4 month old baby sleep guide walks you through this.
How can I help my baby through the 4 month regression?
Now is the perfect age to get your baby on a consistent sleep routine. Remember, her sleep patterns have matured. Gone are the days of your newborn easily sleeping in a crowded restaurant or your noisy living room.
Now she needs a predictable daily routine and consistent sleep times. This guide tells you how to get your 4 month old sleeping amazingly well.
Can I start sleep training during the 4 month regression?
I don’t recommend formal sleep training during regressions (like Ferber or Cry It Out.) Remember, your baby is going through a time of increased fussiness and restlessness. He’s harder to settle for sleep. He wakes up more often. He can’t sleep very long. Throwing sleep training on top of this unstable period is like throwing gasoline on a fire!
That being said, there is still plenty you can do now to help your baby settle easier and sleep better. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you create a consistent sleep routine for your baby following my tips below.
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Gentle sleep training tips for the 4 month sleep regression:
- Make sure baby naps every 1.5-2.5 hours. It’s ok for baby to nap in the stroller or baby carrier. Motion can help babies nap longer. Just make sure you supervise ALL naps that are outside the crib or bassinet.
- Wake your baby after a 2 hour nap and feed them. Eating often during the day helps your baby sleep longer at night.
- Start a calming bedtime routine every night. Learn how to do this in my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit!
- Settle your baby into a consistent bedtime every night. 7:30 – 9 pm is ideal for this age.
- Transition your baby to a crib if he currently sleeps in a bassinet, Rock n Play or DockaTot. As your baby becomes mobile and starts to roll, he needs a bigger (and safe) sleep space so he can get himself into comfortable sleep positions.
Find more tips on helping your 4 month-old sleep well here.
My 4 month-old won’t nap. What can I do?
Short and unpredictable napping can be common for babies younger than 6 months. That’s the unfortunate truth. As long as your baby naps often, it’s ok if she doesn’t nap longer than 30-40 minutes.
But, if your baby is refusing all naps or seems grumpy between naps, the video below explains how you can help her nap better.
I hope this article gives you hope that you can help your baby sleep well during the 4 month sleep regression. Remember, it’s a normal phase of development. Normal, yet very tiring. But everyone survives it! ? Following the tips above will guide your baby to settling easier and sleeping longer. Good luck!
What are YOUR survival tips for the 4 month sleep regression? Tell me in the comments below!
Thank you so much for this it is so helpful. The regression has hit us SO HARD. We’ve gone from one to two wakes a night to every single hour – feel like I’m dying. He used to just settle himself but now he’ll only feed to sleep. For naps- would you prioritise longer contact naps or putting him down in his sleep space once sleeping (these will only last 20min max whereas he’ll go up to 2hrs on me)
Definitely do contact naps for now since it helps him sleep. Then I highly recommend you sleep train for nights, so you all get the rest you need. Waking every hour is exhausting!
In our program, we can help you build a healthy sleep foundation while he’s going through the regression. Then we can start the actual sleep training steps once he’s over it. Please join with support, so we can talk you through it (via messages and zoom calls):
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
Thank you so much for reaching out, Mae. Can’t wait to work together!
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
Hi,
My little one is currently going through the 4 month regression and an eczema flare.
He was previously sleeping through the night independently in his crib. However, he has been waking up every couple of hours wanting to be nurse and will fall back asleep in 5-10 mins. He is napping with appropriate wake windows during the day.
Due to his eczema, I am unable to let him self soothe. Is self soothing the only way out of this regression? Or will he go back to normal and i can train at a later date?
Thanks
Hi Phoebe,
Thanks for reaching out. First of all, I’m so sorry about your little one’s eczema. Firstly, I just wanted to give you a few eczema tips we’ve gathered from the thousands of mamas we’ve helped over the years:
FOR BATHS:
Never do soap baths! This dries out baby’s skin and worsens eczema.
Aveeno unscented soap and lotion has been found helpful to some parents.
One mom highly recommends oatmeal baths (just put dry oatmeal in the blender and throw it in the tub).
Other moms bathe baby every third day in water only.
For the days you don’t bathe them, just wash their face and hands with water (can help with bedtime routine).
FOR SCRATCHING:
Get a Zipadee Zip (no hands) so baby doensn’t scratch
Put a humidifier in the room
Use Puracy laundry detergent for clothes
Regarding the sleep, I’m positive we can get your little one to sleep through the night again, even if you’re going through a rough patch. Since your little one was previously sleep trained, I recommend you book a private consultation with our sleep consultant Alyssa to get you on the right track again:
https://programs.babysleepmadesimple.com/30-minutes-private-consultation-checkout/
If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
I’m in the middle of this m. Every time she wakes up I put a pacifier in her mouth which helps her sleep. She then wakes up an hr later. Am I creating a bad habit with the pacifier? We’re just so exhausted and don’t know what to do.
I’m so sorry to hear that.
Our sleep program usually starts at 5 months but we’re happy to make an exception for you. Our programs are also on 15% off right now (our new year’s sale extended) but this offer expires soon! Use the coupon code ‘2022’ at checkout.
I recommend you join our program, stick to Lessons 1-6 only, and start Lesson 7 when your little one is closer to 5 months old. The program will give you ALL the information on what your little one needs to sleep well.
You both deserve to have a full nights sleep!
Here is the link: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
Hello Jilly,
I am extremely tired. I thought once my baby turned 3 months his sleep would become longer away nights. I was fooled because it’s gotten worse. He has been put on a schedule and goes to sleep for his naps and bedtime around the same time every day. His bedtime is 7pm – 9pm. He used to sleep for 4 hours when I put him down for bed then waking to feed. He would wake only 1-2 times after his first night waking. Now, he wakes almost every 1-2 hours to feed since he’s turned 11 weeks. This seems like a regression to me, but I’m not sure. I just want some sleep, and I’m pretty sure my baby is tired of all the constant changes to his body as well.
Hello Kelcie,
Thank you so much for your message. I am so sorry to hear how exhausted you are. That “fourth trimester” can be SO exhausting–I can completely relate having gone through it ith both of my daughters. Your LO’s brain is just going through rapid growth around the 3/4 month age and regressions are very normal. This is why our program suggests waiting to sleep train until your LO is at least 5 months of age because he will be developmentally ready to self soothe.
However, there are still many things you can do now to help encourage better sleep. Definitely check out this resources below for helpful tips and let us know if you have ANY questions!
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/3-month-old-sleep-schedule
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
You say that you shouldn’t sleep train during a regression, but how do you know when the regression is over? We are on week 4 of the 4 month sleep regression.
Hi Paula, we “allow” a regression to last 2 weeks and then we consider any issue a habit so it’s fine to start sleep training. In your case, since your baby is still young, we would advise you to wait until he turns 5mo (20 weeks). We want to make sure the 4mo sleep regression is truly over before starting proper sleep training.
I see you recently subscribed to the Exhausted Mom Survival Kit. That’s a great tool that you can use for now and once your baby turns 5mo it’s ok to start proper sleep training <3
Micaela BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly! I’m so thankful for all your material 😉 up till now my babies sleep was so good and naps became easy too thanks to reading all your articles! But now she’s 4 months it’s all gone wrong ? Hard to settle, early wake ups, short sleeps and super long feeds at night ? I’ve tried to stick to our routine, watching awake times, brining bedtime earlier, blacking our the already blacked out windows, putting her in cot rather than basket, feed more during the day and stick to bedtime routine. But nothing is working and it’s been 3 long weeks! I haven’t mastered yet putting her down awake and even thought during the regression may not be the wisest time but do you have any tips for me on this or anything else? I long for sleep and the poor thing must too as she’s gone from 10 to 6 total sleep hours sleep a night … what should I do?!! How long will this go on for?! Help very much appreciated ❤️
Hello! Thank you for your post. It definitely sounds like your LO is in the middle of the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. This regression can last between 2-6 weeks, but usually a month at most, so hang in there! We often see sleep improve after the regression is over and your LO is more developmentally ready to self-soothe. Definitely follow the tips from our guide and check out this youtube video for helpful advice! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-sleep-regression-tips-video
No answers but just wanted to say that I feel like I could have written this myself. I’m going through the same thing with my 4 month old and it’s really taking it’s toll. She used to be such a great sleeper. Hope you got through it ok.
Hi Jilly,
I love reading your articles during my free time and am eager to start the 21 day program.
He is a bit over 4 months and has definitely hit the 4 month regression for the past couple weeks. He sleeps for 6 hours straight during the night but wakes up once or twice right after I put him to sleep and then every hour or two after the 6 hour sleep stretch. He is not nursed to sleep but he is rocked. He is also teething VERY badly. has his fists in his mouth half the time. Now, would I need to wait for his teething pains to go away before sleep training ? Is he waking up like this because of the regression or teething ? How can I know ? You have mentioned to wait for the regression to be over before starting sleep training. How do I know it is over ? Thanks !!!
Hi Christina! OH no 🙁 Sorry to hear that you’re going through it. I can say for certain, that this too shall pass, so I hope this soothes your mind a bit 🙂 Teething pain usually lasts about 3-5 days only according to multiple studies, so that in itself doesn’t prevent you from sleep training, but I would wait until your LO turns 5 or 5,5 months to start formal sleep training as the regression has had time to pass by then 🙂 Hang in there for just a little bit more and see you in the program! Follow the tips in this guide and get help if you can to get some rest yourself./ Leena, BSMS Support Team
Hello I don’t know when this was posted, but Rock n Plays have been recalled. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/fisher-price-rock-play-sleepers-recalled-infant-deaths/story?id=62364665
Hi Steven,
Yes, thank you! I have an article on how to wean your baby off the Rock n Play since it was recalled here:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/wean-off-rock-n-play-recall