4 month sleep regression: What you’ll want to know
How to cope with sleep regression at 4 months
Just when you think you’re all getting used to a reasonable night’s sleep, at 4 months your little one starts waking regularly. Sound familiar?
The only good news is it’s totally normal, the bad news, you might have to get used to a more broken sleep for a short while. But there are things you can do to help get you through this phase.
Things to try before 4 months
Have realistic expectations: Babies don’t tend to sleep in the way we do. So expecting a young baby to sleep a solid 8 hours is not realistic.
Don’t get complacent: Manage your expectations even if you’ve had a few good weeks of your baby sleeping for longer periods, don’t assume this will last, unfortunately, it often doesn’t and there will be periods of disruption from time to time.
Get some rest yourself: Rather that stress yourself trying loads of different ways to help your baby sleep better, rest and nap when you can and conserve your energy for when you’ll really need it.
What to do if your baby is going through the 4 month sleep regression
It won’t last forever, so remind yourself of this regularly. Your baby is going through a period of change just like a growth spurt or teething, it’s a phase and it will pass. This is not a sign baby needs to start weaning. Current advice says that babies should be exclusively milk fed until the age of 6 months.
Advise other carers: If your baby is cared for by a nursery, child minder or grandparent, let them know what’s happening and ask them to try adjusting nap times if you’ve found that it’s proved helpful.
Don’t use all your energy trying to ‘fix’ it: Driving yourself mad trying a million different things in the vain hope it will sort the issue. Again, try and reassure yourself it’s part of normal development and your baby will settle better soon.
How to get back on track after 4 months
There’s no magic alarm to say hey, this phase of disturbed sleep is over, but you will get a feel for when your baby starts to settle for longer and there are some things you can do to help you all settle into a longer sleep each night. So stick with it and keep on.
Encouraging a calm time leading up to bedtime. A quiet, gentle bath and a story even at this young age in dim lighting can help your little one settle down from the day and be ready for a good night’s sleep.