Wow! Your 4-month-old baby’s sleep is undergoing seismic and important changes this month!
After months of disorganized sleep, you may notice your 4-month-old’s sleep is consolidating at night – this is your baby’s circadian rhythm taking shape, a process that helps regulate their sleep and is essential to sleep training.
Considering all these changes, you may have some questions about your 4-month-old’s sleep. Here, we’ll answer some of the most common ones, including “how much should my 4-month-old sleep?” “Is it time to nap transition at 4 months?” and “Should my 4-month-old sleep through the night?”
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For most babies, baby sleep training can start at any time after 4-months – some start this month, while others wait or don't sleep train at all. But, the earlier you begin, the easier it will be to shape your baby's healthy sleep habits – and the more effective, too.
Sleep training is made easier for both you and your 4-month old with the expert-designed Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ app. Take this free sleep assessment to get a personalized plan with everything you need to create a perfect 4-month sleep schedule and, if you're interested, to sleep train your baby. It included a 1-click sleep tracker, mini-articles explaining the science of baby sleep, and an exclusive AI-powered algorithm that customizes sleep coaching methods for your unique baby.
It’s pretty incredible, and extremely effective: most users report their babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer within a week.
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The Importance of 4-Month Wake Windows
Wake Windows are how long your baby is awake between sleeps. These are a fundamental driver of sleep and shift and change as your baby grows. That’s why it’s important to note how long your 4-month-old is awake – or use an app that helps you track that information, such as the Smart Sleep Coach.
Watching wake windows and sleepy cues is easy with the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ app. It will automatically adjusts wake windows based on your baby’s natural sleep rhythms at 4-months, creating a personalized, sleep-nourishing schedule that helps your baby sleep well today and grow well tomorrow.
Note: When it comes to your baby’s 4 month sleep schedule, focus less on the actual clock time and more on your baby’s wake windows and sleepy cues, such as yawning or rubbing their eyes. Sleepy cues appear at the end of your baby’s wake windows, when their sleep-inducing hormones are higher.
What is a 4-month-old’s wake window?
A 4-month-old schedule includes longer awake periods than younger babies. At this point most 4-month-olds are awake 1.5-2 hours between sleeps, but it’s okay if this varies for your baby. If your baby is on 3 naps versus 4, the wake windows may be on the longer end.
How the 4-Month-Sleep Regression Affects the 4-Month Schedule
The 4-month sleep regression appears alongside your baby's newfound ability to have a more consistent 4-month schedule. It's one of a few totally normal sleep regressions your baby will experience – periods when their sleeping becomes a little rocky and/or unpredictable – but we actually prefer to refer to them as “sleep progressions”.
We call them sleep progressions because sleep regressions always coincide with a developmental milestone. For example, the 4-month-sleep regression coincides with 4-month developmental milestones, which many include learning to roll over one way. It also can appear when it's time to drop a nap or as a result of your baby getting used to their maturing sleep cycles.
As frustrating as these “regressions”, they’re positive signs your baby’s growing and developing as normal – hence, progressions!
A 4-Month-Old Sleep Schedule Example
Here are two sample 4-month-old schedules. Ideally a 4-month-old gets about a total of 14.5 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, over the course of 3 or 4 naps and nighttime sleep. How much daytime sleep for a 4-month old is 3.5-4.5 hours over 3-4 naps. Note: morning naps may start to grow longer during this period.
A 4-month night schedule is about 10-12 hours of sleep with periodic wakeups for night-feedings, new diapers, and cuddles. Some 4-month-old babies sleep through the night, but it's very common to still wake every 2-3 hours.
This month many babies are starting a more consistent sleep schedule, but keep in mind: this is just a sample 4-month schedule. Every baby is unique, and some may still need nighttime feeds or different amounts of sleep during the day.
Sample Sleep Schedule for a for 4-Month-Olds Taking 3 Naps:
Sample Sleep Schedule for a for 4-Month-Olds Taking 4 Naps:
Why Does a 4-Months-Old Nap Schedule Transition?
You may have noticed we included two sleep schedules, one for 4-month-old taking 4 naps, one for 4-month-olds taking 3 naps. That’s because 4 months is often around the time a baby experiences the 4 to 3 nap transition.
4-month-old nap schedules change because sleep consolidates toward nighttime and their wake windows naturally get longer as they grow. For example, the wake window for a 4-month-old is far shorter than a 12-month-old’s wake window. At this age naps can be between 30 and 90 minutes, sometimes they may nap for up to 2 hours.
As your baby grows, and as their wake windows lengthen, they need less daytime sleep. In fact, getting too much daytime sleep will make it harder for them to sleep at night. This is why the 4-month sleep schedule sometimes only includes 3 naps.
More on naps? Check out this article covering why naps are important and how to help your baby get the most of their nap times.
Should My 4-Month-Old Nap Transition?
Every baby is unique, however, so be sure to watch for the signs your baby is ready for a nap transition:
- Trouble Falling Asleep at Naptime: If your baby is struggling to fall asleep during their typical nap time, it means their wake window is getting longer and it may be time for the 4-to-3 nap transition.
- Protests at Naptime: If your baby vocally protests or resists a specific nap day-after-day, it may be time to lose that nap and begin the 4-to-3 nap transition.
- Your Baby Has Trouble Falling Asleep at Bedtime: If your baby gets too much sleep during the day, they’ll have trouble falling asleep at bedtime. If your baby is suddenly having trouble falling asleep at night or protesting bedtime, it’s time to consider a nap transition.
- Your Baby Isn’t Fussy After Missing a Nap: This is our favorite sign your baby is ready for a nap transition: they miss a nap and aren’t cranky. That’s a definite sign your baby can lose that nap.
- Your Baby Is Fussy After Napping: This may sound weird, but if your baby is fussy after a nap, they may be getting too much sleep.
Remember: Nap transitions mean more awake time for you and your little one to play, laugh, and bond – way more fun than a nap!
Final Thoughts
Your baby is well on their way to becoming a strong, independent sleeper! While some babies this age still wake for night feedings, fresh diapers, or because of natural sleep regressions, many have the skills to get back to sleep with ease.
If you have yet to change your 4-month sleep schedule to 3 naps instead of 4, keep an eye out for readiness! If you're looking for an even more consistent 4-month-old sleep schedule, you can try sleep training. Speak to your healthcare provider to confirm your baby is ready, but most are by this age.
Keep tracking sleep and following sleep cues – your baby is growing fast and their sleep progress is, too!
