Dealing with a 4-month sleep regression with your infant? We can help.
As a new parent, you have probably had many family members and friends warn you about the lack of sleep you might expect in those first few weeks of life with your little one. Newborn sleep is often sporadic and doesn’t seem to follow much of a pattern, which can be a huge change from the full night's rest you may be used to before having a baby.
What can be even more unexpected is the drastic change in your baby’s sleep that seems to occur right when you feel like you have figured everything out. The dreaded “4-month sleep regression” seems to sneak up on parents when they feel like they are finally getting into a routine with their baby's sleep habits.
While you can’t prevent the 4-month regression from happening, the good news is that understanding what is happening during this time and setting health foundations and habits before the 4-month regression occurs can make the experience a little easier for the baby and parents.
What is the 4-month sleep regression, and how long does it last?
Although it may seem like your baby is regressing back to an earlier state of sleep habits around 3.5-4 months, the opposite is actually true. During this time, your baby is hitting major milestones in their development, and we actually refer to this disruption in sleep as a progression.
During this developmental milestone, babies' brains and bodies begin to develop rapidly, forming new links between different areas of the brain and nervous system. While newborns only have 2 stages of sleep (active sleep and quiet sleep), around 4 months, babies' sleeping patterns begin to change, and they are now able to cycle between different stages of light and deep sleep.
There are now 4 stages of non-REM sleep they cycle through:
Stage 1: A transition from wakefulness to sleep where a baby can still be woken easily.
Stage 2: Still a lighter stage of sleep, deeper than stage 1, but babies can still be startled awake.
Stage 3: A deep sleep that is hard to wake from.
Stage 4: A very deep stage of sleep that may be hard to wake a baby up from.
As your baby is transitioning between sleep cycles, they can be slightly aroused and enter back into a lighter stage of sleep. This can be troublesome, especially if there is not enough sleep pressure built up to help the baby drift back to sleep. Because sleep cycles are now around 90-120 minutes, it can seem like your baby has begun to wake every 1-2 hours throughout the night. It is especially tricky if the baby is used to being rocked to sleep, falling asleep in a parent's arms, or being nursed to sleep, as they will most likely need this association to fall back asleep.
Circadian rhythm is another factor that has an influence on the 4-month progression. Around 11-12 weeks, a baby’s circadian rhythm begins to develop, which is a biological function that occurs on a 24-hour cycle. It is driven primarily by light and darkness, and it also helps to drive other human functions such as blood pressure, digestion, hormone production, temperature and consolidated sleep. Once a baby’s circadian rhythm begins to kick in, they are able to start understanding the difference between day and night sleep, possibly leading to longer stretches of sleep.
Now that you have an understanding of what is actually occurring developmentally with your child during the 4-month progression, the most important thing most parents want to know is how long will the 4-month progression last?
Typically, we see this progression lasting around 2-6 weeks. During this time, it is imperative that parents begin setting good sleep foundations and staying consistent in order to help make this a smooth transition for your little one.
What are some of the signs of the 4-month sleep regression?
Here are some of the most common signs of the 4-month sleep regression:
Previously good sleeper is now waking multiple times through the night
Baby is taking short naps somewhere around 20-30 minutes
Your child is more irritable and fussy
Distracted during daytime feeds
Taking longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep
Needing to be held by a caregiver during sleep periods
Baby is no longer wanting to sleep in their own sleep space
Tips on how to manage the 4-month sleep regression
Unsure of where to start? Here are some tips to help you navigate this phase in your baby's development!
Have an optimal sleep environment.
As your baby becomes more aware of their surroundings, they can become easily over-stimulated by the things around them. Ensure the room is dark with blackout shades, there is white noise to block out any outside sounds coming in, your baby’s room is cool (ideally between 68-70 degrees F) and that your baby is in their own independent sleep space.
Focus on nutrition during the day.
If your child is not getting enough nutrition during the day, this could lead to reverse cycling, where your baby tries to make up for the lack of daytime calories at night. Ensure you are offering full feeds every 2.5-3 hours during the day so they are not going hungry at night.
Continue to follow or begin implementing a routine for all sleep periods.
If you haven’t already started a nap and bedtime routine, now is a great time to start. Routines help signify to your baby that sleep is coming and can also help them create positive sleep associations. If you haven’t started a routine yet here are some suggestions.
Evaluate your baby’s noises before intervening.
While this may be difficult at first, before rushing in when your child begins to fuss or stir, we want to take a minute to assess their noises/cries. If there are no signs of immediate escalation you can give them a few moments to see if there are any pauses or lulls which may indicate that baby may potentially fall back asleep on their own. If not, intervene when you feel necessary or when your baby starts escalating. Remember that when it comes to comforting your baby, not all soothing methods work for every baby. Babies respond differently to different approaches, which is why it is important to follow the approach that works best for your baby based on their sleep profile.
The four-month regression is definitely a challenging time for parents in their child's sleep journey. It is important to remember that changes in your child’s sleep are normal and expected, and every baby will respond differently to these changes. While it can be frustrating, parents should feel reassured that this period will pass and that this is a normal part of their child’s development.
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