4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
In this article, I’ll share a sample 4 month old nap schedule, tips for implementing the nap schedule, and a few developmental milestones that may be impacting your baby’s sleep at 4 months old. As a pediatric sleep consultant and also a mom of four (with #5 on the way), I’ll share what has worked great for me personally and also the schedule and tips I use with my clients.
4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Typical baby sleep needs and Wake Windows at 4 months old
While each individual baby is different, it’s very helpful to know what you can likely expect for a 4 month old baby based on their age and development.
Most 4 month old babies need about 15.5 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This includes both overnight sleep and naps.
Most 4 month old babies have a maximum wake time (also sometimes referred to as a “wake window”) of about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Once they are awake for that length of time, they will become fussy and overtired if they do not quickly go to sleep. The maximum wake time is measured from the end of one period of sleep to the start of the next (ex: end of 1st nap to beginning of 2nd nap). I typically see wake windows a bit shorter in the morning and then lengthening out later in the day.
Most 4 month old babies have either 3 or 4 naps at this age; some may have already dropped from 4 naps down to 3, while others may still have 4 naps and will drop down to 3 in the coming month or so. Total maximum nap time per day should be about 4 hours, with the rest of the total sleep coming from overnight sleep.
It’s expected that a baby’s naps at this age vary quite a bit, so don’t feel pressure to follow an exact schedule based on the clock. More on this below.
A Note ON The 4 Month Sleep Regression
There is a major change to baby’s sleep cycles that occurs around 4 months of age that can disrupt sleep. This is often referred to as the “4 Month Sleep Regression”. This topic is so important that I’ve written an entire in-depth article on what it is and how to navigate it. You can read that here.
4 Month Old Sample Sleep Schedule
Here is what a typical daily sleep schedule, including both naps and overnight sleep, may look like for a 4 month old baby. Keep in mind the schedule can vary depending on the family’s schedule (ex: preferred morning wake time). Feel free to adjust the specific times of this schedule to meet your needs, and be sure to take a look at the tips below to help you and baby have a great sleep experience at 4 months old.
7:00am - morning wake up
8:30am - nap #1
11:30am - nap #2
2:30pm - nap #3
4:30pm - catnap
7:30pm - bedtime
Importantly, the schedule for a 4 month old baby can very from day to day—it’s critical that you focus not just on the clock but also on cues for sleepiness and hunger, wake windows, and your baby’s nap lengths that specific day.
How To Implement Your 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
To customize this schedule for your baby and your family, I recommend on deciding what time you want to start your baby’s day. You can then build the rest of the schedule based on the preferred morning wake time. The example above uses 7am, however, you can set this to whatever works best for your family.
The timing of the final nap of the day, whether your baby has 3 naps or 4 naps, is important. You want to be sure it is not too late in the day, even if this means waking your baby up from their last nap. You will want to ensure the final wake window between the end of the last nap and bedtime is between 90 and 120 minutes. This will ensure your baby has enough sleep pressure to fall asleep at bedtime.
Short naps can still be common at this age, so if your baby is taking short naps, they may need 5 per day in order to get their total daily recommended sleep within a 24 hour period.
Life (and sleep!) can still be a bit unpredictable at 4 months old, especially when going through the 4 month sleep regression. Be sure to follow wake windows, watch for cues for tiredness and hunger, and adjust the schedule based on your baby’s naps that day. A flexible mindset and approach to baby sleep at 4 months is incredibly important!
4 months old is a great age to implement a bedtime routine. Around this age, babies will start to be able to recognize patterns and will benefit from the consistency and familiarity. A bedtime routine can eventually become a positive sleep association to a great nap or night of sleep.
Baby Development at 4 Months Old
It’s important to understand a few of the key developmental milestones that baby is going through at 4 months old. These are incredibly exciting to see as parents, and as you’ve undoubtedly learned by now, the constant change and development can bring new joys and challenges each day. Some of these milestones impact their sleep. Here are some milestones you may see around 4 months old:
Gross Motor Skills Development: your baby may be working on rolling one way or rolling both ways at this point. Whether they can roll back-to-belly or belly-to-back, both, or neither quite yet, they will be excited to practice their new skills!
Hand Eye Coordination Is Improving: as your baby’s hand eye coordination continues to improve, you may see them be able to bring their hand or a toy or other object to their mouth a lot easier.
Social Development: in my opinion, this is one of the most exciting aspects of having a 4 month old baby! We often see babbling and cooing noises increase around this age as baby becomes even more aware of their caregivers. They are often very smiley at this age and can use facial expressions to show other emotions, and they may start using their voice to get your attention.
Wishing you and your 4 month old baby sweet dreams!
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