4 Simple Steps to Surviving the 4-Month Sleep Regression
If you’re dreading the start of the 4-month sleep regression or – dun dun dun – you’re in the thick of it already – and you’re searching for the secret sauce on how to survive this season as easily as possible - this article is for Y-O-U.
Hey girl!
In today’s article we’re going to answer this hot question that I get asked a lot – HOW in the world do I survive the 4-month sleep regression?
Okay, so originally when I was thinking about this week’s topic, I heard my husband’s voice in my head saying, “Do you want to survive? Or do you want to thrive?”
And I felt the same gut twist I always feel when he asks me this question. Because here’s why: I feel like it’s a loaded question.
Do I want to thrive instead of survive? Yes, of course.
Do I want my community of moms that I adore to thrive instead of survive? Yes. 1000 times yes.
But here’s the thing. Sometimes the first step is surviving. Before you can get to the thriving. Do you ever feel this way?
So let’s be gentle with ourselves today and focus first on surviving this 4-Month-Regression.
Free Sleep Schedule Generator
Before we get started, I wanted to take a minute to share my joy – I just completed my favorite free resource I have ever created.
It’s a 1-minute quiz that generates a sample sleep schedule specifically for your child.
And yes, it’s 100% free.
Pause your reading and snag yours now – at www.playsleepgrow.com/sleep-schedule-quiz
The Why
I’m sure by now you’ve seen countless posts on Instagram and TikTok and Facebook, etc. about the 4-month sleep regression.
If you’d like a little more background on what exactly the 4-month regression is and why it happens, check out How to Know When the 4-Month Regression is OVER.
Today you’re going to learn actionable strategies for surviving this regression.
As you know, your baby will experience a number of sleep regressions in the first couple years of life. And many people are beginning to refer to these hiccups in their children’s sleep as “progressions” – because the reason they happen is entirely due to progression in your child’s physical and mental growth and development. Sometimes regressions happen because baby is going through a physical growth spurt and requiring more feeds. Other times baby is learning a new skill – like crawling or standing.
The 4-month regression is unique because this is when your baby’s actual sleep structure is changing. And she’s becoming more aware of her surroundings. And she’s probably learning to roll around this time, too. It’s a whole thing. ;)
These recommendations are based on what your baby is going through – the accelerated growth and mental development.
Will they solve 100% of the problem? No - baby will need to learn to fall asleep independently in order to truly “solve” these new sleep struggles. But are the strategies still worth trying? Absolutely.
Because even if they don’t solve the entire problem, they will likely at least make it better, and they will absolutely help support healthy, consolidated sleep for your baby in the long-run.
So without further ado, here are 4 Simple Steps to Surviving the 4-Month Sleep Regression.
4 Simple Steps to Surviving the 4-Month Sleep Regression
1. The first essential step is to optimize baby’s sleep environment.
If you’ve listened to episode 6 of the Play Sleep Grow Podcast, you know that one major cause of the 4-month regression is that baby is becoming much more aware of her surroundings. This absolutely includes awareness of her environment when she’s falling asleep and when she has brief awakenings.
To optimize her sleep environment, it needs to be
A. Pitch-black dark
B. On a flat, baby-safe sleep surface (i.e., her crib)
C. Between 68-70*F (20-21*C); make sure she’s not wearing too many layers, and also wearing enough – (clear as mud, right? I have a free guide that shows how many layers baby should wear based on each temperature; I’ll link it at the bottom of the show notes)
D. And use white noise to drown out other sounds.
E. And if she hasn't started rolling yet, swaddle. Even if she’s fought the swaddle in the past, as long as she’s not rolling, don’t give up on it. Trust me.
2. The second step to surviving the 4-month regression: watch wake windows.
I know I know, this may sound like a no-brainer, but listen – wake windows are extremely time-sensitive. The difference between an optimal wake window and disastrous over- or under-tiredness at this stage can be as little as 15 min.
You read that right. Fif.teen. Minutes.
And being in a transition period, baby might be in-between optimal wake-windows. And he may have wake windows that shift slightly as the day progresses – for example, some babies this age need shorter wake windows first thing in the morning, and their wake windows lengthen slightly throughout the day.
So put on your Sherlock Holmes cap and get detecting. And start putting baby down before his wake window is up.
3. The fourth step is to make sure you’re offering full feeds. From the newborn period on, anytime you feed your baby milk – whether breast or formula – making sure your baby is taking a full feed will make it much more likely she is not struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep simply because she’s still hungry.
When breastfeeding, full feeds also ensure that baby gets both thirst-quenching foremilk and calorie-dense hind-milk. And full feeds also promote your milk production because emptying the breast is vital to supporting milk production.
>> Do keep in mind that if your baby suffers from reflux, your pediatrician may want you to provide smaller, more frequent feeds. If this is the case, then obviously listen to your pediatrician.
4. The fourth step is to consider offering more feed opportunities during the day. As a time of major mental and physical development, there is a chance that baby will want to feed more. BUT! Make sure those extra feeds are offered during the day as much as possible to avoid them interfering with quality night sleep.
If you are using the Eat > Play > Sleep pattern in order to promote health sleep habits, you can always try an Eat > Play > Eat > Play > Sleep pattern. Or simply feed on demand as much as baby wants, and simply stop feeds 15-30 minutes before the next sleep period begins.
5. And now I have a bonus step – and it’s not listed as one of the main steps because it has to do with rolling – which often happens around the same time as the 4-month regression but isn’t technically one of the causes of the regression. But it can absolutely negatively impact sleep.
When sleep regressions happen as a result of the physical milestones like rolling and crawling and standing and walking – the key is to give as MUCH opportunity as possible to allow baby to practice during wake-periods.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Development-wise, this 4-Month Sleep Regression lasts about 1-2 weeks. So if you’re still seeing negative impact on baby’s sleep 3, 4, 5 weeks later – it’s not the regression anymore. This is prime-time to begin sleep training (with pediatrician approval.)
Homework
Would you do me a favor? Would you please share this post with one of your favorite mom friends?
As a mom, I know that our relationships with other moms are some of the greatest resources we have. Mom-to-mom relationships are unbelievably fruitful and can make literally all the difference in the world.
And I would love the opportunity to be a little spark of peace in as many moms’ lives as possible.
I see you next week!
Speak soon.
Links Mentioned in This Article
1. Free Sample Sleep Schedule specific to your baby - www.playsleepgrow.com/sleep-schedule-quiz
2. Free baby dressing guide based on temperature - www.playsleepgrow.com/free-resource-library-opt-in
P.S.
I’m Ashley Thompson - mother of 3, wife, lover of Jesus, and Certified Infant Sleep Consultant.
I offer 1:1 infant sleep coaching to help growing families reclaim structure and peace through sleep training.
And don’t forget – if you didn’t snag your free sample sleep schedule before – go now to
www.playsleepgrow.com/sleep-schedule-quiz
Speak soon!