Understanding The 4 Month Sleep Regression

 Just when you thought you were getting into the swing of a good sleep routine and then the 4 month mark hits. Suddenly, your baby is waking in the night and you aren’t sure why.

Firstly, let me say that this is a very common stage. Around 4 months, your baby will go through the biggest biological shift in their sleeping patterns. Until now, your baby has simply drowsily stirred between sleep cycles. But at 4 months they no longer stir, they fully wake.

As your baby reaches the end of a cycle they may experience a profound sense of wakefulness and be fully aware of their surroundings. If they do not have the skills to settle themselves back to sleep they won't know how to navigate to the next sleep cycle without your help.

Demystifying The 4 Month Sleep Regression

So why is your baby waking fully and is unable to go back to sleep like before?

The way you put your baby to sleep at the start of a nap or at bedtime is the association they completely rely on to go to sleep. When your baby then naturally wakes at the end of a sleep cycle, if that same sleep association isn’t there they will not be able to go back to sleep without it.

Picture this: You are your baby and you are having a lovely snuggly cuddle at bedtime. You peacefully drift off to sleep in Mum, Dad or a loved one’s arms. It is so cozy and warm and you can smell and sense their proximity. All of a sudden you wake up in a dark room, all by yourself. What else would you do but cry?

Instead of putting your baby into their cot when they are already asleep, put them in before they drift off. You can still have a cuddle, a feed and a rock if you want to. But make sure they go down into their cot while they are still awake. They will then learn to go to sleep by themselves in their warm, snuggly bed. Then, when they wake in the night, it will be easier for them to put themselves back to sleep as they are used to doing it.

The art of being able to self settle will help your baby through this stage of sleep regression and will set them up for good sleeping habits going forward.

If you are going through this right now, you can head over to my Facebook page where I have made a little video about the 4 month sleep regression. Also, if you are feeling overwhelmed by this stage and need some helpful advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat.