Have you heard of the 4 month sleep regression? This is a big time in development for your baby and something many parents are warned about from other, well-meaning, parents. We’ve heard the stories like “my great sleeper is suddenly awake all night” or “my baby will only nap for 45 minutes” but, does it always have to be so bad? NO! Just like any growth spurt or new development, the 4 month sleep regression looks different for every baby and, with some planning and tools, we will have you taking care of your baby through these bumps in the road with an even better sleeper on the other side.

There are lots of things that contribute to the 4 month sleep regression but one of the biggest is additional sleep props or things that your baby needs in order to fall asleep. This can be anything but some common ones are feeding or rocking to sleep. At 4 months old, your baby is very aware of what is going on in the environment around them and they are developing lots of likes and preferences. Imagine if you were to fall asleep and your pillow slipped off the bed, you would wake up, grab it, and put it back in order to go back to sleep. Guess what, if you’re rocking your baby to sleep, you have become their pillow! When they get transferred into their crib or bassinet, they lose that pillow and, when the go through lighter sleep or wake up, they need it to go back to sleep! As a newborn, this may not have bothered your baby very much but at 4 months old, it can be very hard for them to extend their sleep when they are using sleep props to fall asleep initially.

Sleep props aren’t the only reason why your baby may struggle with the 4 month sleep regression or short naps. There is a. lot happening at this age! We made a whole video talking about the 4 month regression and have linked it below! Check out this video to learn how you can survive and thrive during the 4 month sleep regression!

And, if you want customized, one-on-one help with the four month regression or any other aspect of your child’s sleep, our team of professional sleep consultants would love to help! We have local baby sleep consultants in Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Pinehurst, NC; and Loveland, CO and do virtual consults worldwide. Email us today to get started!