Example 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule: Bedtime, Naps, and Wake Windows
Now that your baby is four months old, you’re probably enjoying the fact that they’re awake much more often! They are making more noises, wiggling around, and even smiling at you! Your baby is spending less time being asleep most of the day and more time bonding with you.
As your baby spends long periods awake, you can begin putting them on a sleep schedule. A sleep schedule will help your baby be prepared throughout the day as they know what to expect next. You can begin putting them on a sleep schedule tailored to their needs by watching out for their wake windows! If you aren’t sure what a wake window is, keep reading to learn more about them and to see an example sleep schedule for your four-month-old. Before you know it, it’ll be time for the 4 to 3 nap transition!
Sleep Training Methods
Most parents are excited at the idea of putting their baby on a sleep schedule. It usually results in more sleep for both babies and parents! While this idea can be exciting, not every baby will fall into a schedule right away. Because of this, there are multiple sleep methods that can be used when sleep training your baby. Keep in mind that not every method is meant for every family!
Cry It Out (CIO)
This method of sleep training is arguably the most controversial. Also known as “Extinction,” it is the quickest method to get your baby to sleep at night. While using the CIO method, you will ensure your baby is fed and in clean clothes and pajamas. You will get the room ready, and then lay them down to sleep, and then keep them in the crib until it is time to wake up. This is famously difficult for many parents and can only be effective if both parents or all caregivers are on the same page.
Ferber Method
This method is somewhat similar to the CIO in which you place them in bed and keep them in the crib until morning. The difference with this method is that you place your baby down for bed while they are awake and continuously check on them. You will check on them after three minutes, then five, and then ten, and so on, until your baby is asleep. This allows you to check in on your baby and comfort them while still giving them time to attempt to self-soothe and fall asleep without your assistance.
Pick Up, Put Down
Pulling off this method requires you to have an abundance of patience. The pick-up-put-down method relies on physical touch to soothe your baby. It is similar to the Ferber method in which you check on your baby in gradually increased increments, but instead of keeping them in their crib, you will pick them up to soothe them if needed.
The Chair Method
Yet again, this method uses intervals (notice a trend?) to train your baby. Place your baby in their crib while they are dozing off, and sit in the chair beside them. You will leave the room and if they wake up, you will come back in and sit in the chair.
Every few nights, you will slowly move the chair away from the crib until the chair is out of the room altogether. This can be a difficult method as you need patience, as you will be sitting there until your baby falls asleep.
Bedtime Fading
Although this is referred to as a sleep training method, it’s more of an adjustment to their schedule. Let’s say you put your baby down at 7:30pm, but they fuss in their crib for over thirty minutes before falling asleep. Their bodies may be trying to naturally go to sleep at 8pm every night, meaning you can try putting them in their crib at 8pm instead! To move their bedtime without over-exhausting your baby, you can begin moving their bedtime in fifteen-minute increments until you get to the preferred bedtime.
Sample Sleep Schedule for a 4 Month Old Baby
7:00 am: Awake
8:15 am: Nap
9:45 am: Awake
11:15 am: Nap
12:45 pm: Awake
2:15 pm: Nap
3:15 pm: Awake
4:30 pm: Nap
5:00 pm: Awake
6:30 pm: Bedtime routine
7:00 pm: Bed
Key Points for Parents to Bear in Mind
Sleep training your baby can be an adjustment period for everyone. Your baby is learning to sleep on their own, and you are trying to find the best method for everyone involved. While sleep training your baby, remember:
Not every method will work for every family. Do what feels right for you and your family!
Get the timing right. Follow your baby’s cues and look for their sleep cues, such as rubbing their eyes, yawning, and red eyebrows.
Don’t jump at every noise. Some babies will fuss a little and wiggle around while getting comfortable. Resist tending to their every whimper.
Be confident!
Track Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule with Baby Connect
A sleep schedule can do wonders for your baby. Without a regular schedule, your baby could be going to sleep at various times throughout the day, which means one night you could be up until two in the morning and the next in bed by ten! Setting up a daily routine for your baby will help them sleep around the same time each day.
Putting your baby on a reliable sleep schedule will make them feel safe and secure as they are prepared for each day. When you first begin establishing a sleep schedule, it can be frustrating for you and your baby as they may want to dance to the beat of their own drum when it comes to bed. Using the Baby Connect app will help you track when your baby sleeps the best and what sleep schedule works the best for you and your baby!
