The 4 month sleep regression: Causes, Symptoms & Solutions

#sleeptraining #babysleeptraining #babysleepmadesimple #4monthold #sleepregression

The 4 month sleep regression: Causes, Symptoms & Solutions

If your baby is 4 months old, you may have been warned about the 4 month sleep regression. This video explains everything you need to know about this sleep regression. What it is, what causes it, what are the symptoms and how you can handle it.

Here's my detailed guide on the 4 month sleep regression:

Find my sleep guide for 4 month old babies here:

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Transcription:
If your 4 month old has recently started fighting bedtime with a vengeance, waking a lot more at night or taking short naps then chances are the 4-month regression is to blame. It's a completely normal phase of development. The good news is we can help your baby sleep well through the 4 month regression.

Signs of the 4-month regression include your baby fighting bed time all of a sudden, waking more at night taking short naps or fighting naps in general and just overall seeming more restless and fussy. There are three main causes of this regression.

The first is a growth spurt, which makes babies hungrier in general. So this can make your baby wake more at night because he's really hungry.

The second cause of this regression is the 4 to 3 nap transition or when your baby wants to drop that 4th nap every day and settle into 3 naps a day. What happens when we drop naps is that awake times can sometimes be too long. And when awake times are too long your baby gets overtired and overstimulated and it actually makes him harder to settle for sleep.

The third cause of this regression is a big development in your baby's brain that often happens around this age. And part of this big development changes your baby's sleeping patterns.

If your baby's worsening sleep is due to a growth spurt then your baby should start sleeping better once you focus on increasing your baby's nutrition.

If the cause of your baby's regression is dropping the 4th nap and settling into 3 naps a day, then make sure you follow awake times up 1.5 to 2.5 hours all day long. These are awake times are most appropriate for 4 month olds. And it prevents your baby from becoming too overtired and restless.

Now if instead your baby's current sleep troubles are caused by the big brain development and, you know, evolving and maturing sleep patterns then the best thing that you can do is get your baby on a consistent and an age-appropriate sleep routine.

I don't recommend formal sleep training during this regression like Ferber or cry it out. Remember this is a period of increased fussiness and restlessness for your baby. He's harder to settle for sleep, he doesn't sleep as long, he really fights sleep a lot during this age.

That being said, there is still plenty that you can do to help your 4 month-old sleep well during this regression. The first thing to do is make sure to stick to awake times of 1.5 to 2.5 hours all day long.

Also it's completely fine for your baby to nap in the stroller, in the baby carrier, in the swing or even in the car if needed. Motion naps and naps on the go often help baby settle easier for sleep and take longer naps. So as long as you supervise these naps they're perfectly ok in my book. Wake your baby after a 2-hour nap and feed him. Feeding often during the day helps your baby go longer at night between feeds.

Also start a calming bedtime routine every evening. What you do at bedtime and the order in which you do it really does determine if your baby settles easily for sleep and sleeps long stretches at night. Give your baby a consistent bedtime between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m. every night.

And if your baby is sleeping in a bassinet or a co-sleeper, the 'DockATot' or the 'rock n play', then you may want to consider transitioning your baby to a crib at this age. Newborns love cozy and tight sleep spaces but as our babies get older and become more mobile and start to roll they really need bigger sleep spaces so they can roll around and get themselves comfortable. So if your baby is showing signs of beginning to roll I highly recommend that you transition him to the crib.

I hope this video gave you some hope that you can get your baby sleeping well during the 4-month regression. Remember it's a completely normal phase of development and everyone survives it.

[LuckiJohnson]

This video was so helpful. Baby will be 4 months in 1.5 weeks..suddenly this week he stopped sleeping through the night and naps 30min a at a time. Almost always fussy. Just tonight, He fell asleep after an hour of soothing and is awake 25min later. This video has given me hope.❤

[TiffanyChantee]

I was not sure 4 month old sleep regression could happen the month before but this answered this. My 3 1/2 month old wasn’t always a great sleeper but she was sleeping 3 hours stretches to 6 hour stretches in her own bed and now she doesn’t want to at all even in her own bed. I’m just ready for this to be over especially before I start back at work.

[dgdgdgdgws]

Never tought my baby would go trough the sleep regression, she's been such a good baby all these months, but now putting her to sleep is like fighting a crocodile. She's so fussy and want to be fed every two hours. Hopefully u can pull it trough fast cause it make me sad to see her so distressed

[Coffee_KingTV]

I’m a mr mom and for the first few weeks of caring for my baby solo I have had no issues. He often times would oversleep. I’ve noticed his growth has been exponential and all of a sudden has trouble napping and is way more fussy at times he normally wouldn’t be… I plan on upping his feed a smidge and continuing what I do to keep him just enough stimulated before naps. Thank you for the video.

[marj]

everything you have said in this video has been happening to my baby as she is in her 4 months sleep regression

[ChantellErrington]

I think my baby is going through this too thankyou for the advice xxx

[ashu]

My baby turned 5 months old today and had been waking up every one hour since last 5-6 weeks. I feed him every 2 hours in the day and make sure that his awake time is between 1.5-2.5 hours. His bedtime is between 8-9:30. But his eccessive night waking after every hour is too exhausting.

[zakiyashams]

My baby is four months but sleeps just two naps in a day and hardly 45 minutes

[leenaparsons]

I think I just realized my baby might have started his 4 month sleep regression at 3 months... this explains why everything I’ve read about it confuses me. I just keep thinking “but isn’t he already doing that??”

[anamarieebasitas]

Hi. Any tips with getting baby to sleep on her crib instead of being held? She instantly cries once she is placed drowsy in her crib. Nighttime sleep is all good, its only during daytime. She didnt use to be like this. Only started around 3.5months

[NovitaLumbanGaol]

Oh my God Thank you So much for your video . When you said that is okay to let my baby to sleep on the go I am so relieved. My 4 months old baby have gone through this sleep regression for nearly a month and always help her to sleep if I put her in baby wrap . .

[matsuewiles]

Heeyy Jill!! Just found your channel. We went to BRMHS together, c/o 1997! Im a new mom through adoption, my son is 4 months and fighting the sandman like he stole something 😩.

[basilraju]

My 4 and half month old baby is not sleeping at all during the day. Hardly 1 hour. At night he is waking up every half an hour to one hour screams a lot feeding and go back to sleep.He is not sleeping for even 2 hours continuously. Is this the reason?Please reply. I am really depressed. 🙏🏻

[KA-kynb]

My baby is almost 4 months old and before she used to wake to feed every 4 hours but now it’s ever 1-2 hours . She is also refusing to breastfeed so it’s hard to feed her during the day. She will only breastfeed at night . I get her down to nap but that only lasts for 30-45 mins . She’s constantly fussing and crying.

[kindarezk]

Can sleep regression happen at 3 months?? My baby just turned 3 months and 3 nights ago she started waking up tossing and turning endlessly .. very loudly too..

[Bellz]

SO WAS SSSO HELPFUL 🙌🏽🙌🏽 THANK YOUUU!!

[kimwold]

My baby always slept well almost since two months old he was sleeping through the night, but like clock, right when he turned four months he keeps waking through the night, it's so exhausting, I don't know what to do. I thought I was over the sleepless nights

[lihiniedirisinghe]

Not sure if it’s the regression but my 4mo doesn’t take longer naps during the day now but he sleeps well at night (except for feeding times at night he sleeps). During the day time he would sometimes naps just for 15 minutes or longest would be 45 minutes…

[shibanimishra]

My almost 4 months old baby is not sleeping much. He is pretty awake at night, very fussy and cries. In the day he also does not sleep much. In a day he sleeps 8-9 hrs in split. He is driving me and husband crazy by staying up all night 😢😢😢

[justintimeruby]

I'm fairly certain my daughter is going through a mixture of a growth spurt and brain development currently. It's been affecting her sleep for almost a week now, waking her up every 30 minutes compared to her sleeping for 12 hours through the night without waking for the last 2 months. We have been feeding her more and have had a consistent bed time routine for 2 months now, but nothing is helping her sleep / stop waking up. We recently tried swaddling her again and are testing that out because she tosses and turns and kicks/punches herself awake, but I am wondering what else we can do to help her not wake up or fight bedtime. Thank you!