Wake Windows for a 4-Month-Old: First-Time Parents Guide
If you’re a first-time parent, you may have never even heard of the words “wake window.” I sure as heck hadn’t! After spending day after day stressing when my firstborn was a baby that they weren’t taking great naps, I was at my wit’s end. That is until I discovered what wake windows are!
Wake windows refer to the time that your baby is out of their crib or bassinet and engaging in their daily activities (eating, playing, bathing, etc.). What I didn’t know is that babies have a length of time they should stay awake before taking a nap, and these wake windows will get longer and longer as your baby gets older! With my first, it truly was the Wild West as anything went.
If you’re just now hearing about wake windows or need insight on wake windows for your fourth-month-old, keep reading!
How Much Sleep Does a 4 Month Old Need?
As with most other aspects of a baby’s life, the amount of sleep your baby needs depends on them, as each baby is different with various needs and personalities. Some babies are more than happy to spend almost the entire day snoozing away, while others are ready to go at a moment’s notice!
On average, your four-month-old will need approximately 15-16 hours of sleep a day, give or take. Nighttime sleep should consist of 10-11 hours, while naps during the day should take up 3.5 - 5 hours. Babies at four months old will take either three or four naps a day, depending on their needs!
The Infamous 4 Month Sleep Regression
Whether you were a parent at the time or not, you’ve probably heard of the dreaded four-month sleep regression. At four months old, your baby now has the capacity to fall into a deeper, more restorative sleep. Great news, right?
The only issue is that they no longer can easily drift off on a whim into a light sleep and stir frequently. Because they can now fall asleep hard, they have difficulty learning how to do this on their own! While it may take 2-6 weeks for this to happen, it will eventually happen and they will get more restful sleep!
Try not to enter the sleep regression with any expectations of how long it will take your child. My firstborn never experienced the four-month sleep regression, while my second took the entire six weeks to overcome this challenge. Every baby is different! Continue comforting your baby and encouraging them to fall asleep independently, and they will eventually get the hang of it.
How to Tell My Baby Needs a Change in Their Sleep Schedule
As a new parent, I had no idea what a wake window was, let alone how to adjust naps. It always felt like as soon as I was “getting the hang” of being a parent, it all went out of the window! This is normal because your baby is always growing and changing, and it just means that we need to go with the flow to accommodate their needs.
Thankfully, there are some clues that will tip you off that your baby needs an adjustment in their schedule. Some of those are:
Taking time to fall asleep or cutting their nap short. If this sounds like your baby, it might be time to drop one of their naps!
Resisting nap time or bedtime. If your baby is suddenly putting up a fight when it comes to bed or going down for a nap, they may need to drop a nap or go to bed a little later at night.
Skipping naps. Your baby goes down without a fight but lays in their crib the entire time, playing or cooing to themselves. They may not need that nap anymore, so you can adjust their schedule accordingly!
There is no hard and fast rule on how to adjust your baby’s sleep schedule. Do what is best for them!
Monitor Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule with Baby Connect
When your baby is small, they are going to spend over half of their day sleeping. After all, this is how they’re going to get enough energy to grow and chase you around during toddlerhood! This is why your baby getting enough sleep is critical for their developing minds and bodies.
Not all babies are so keen on falling asleep, though. My second child was the perfect juxtaposition of wanting to sleep but not wanting to fall asleep. If this sounds anything like your baby, continue trying to keep them on a schedule following their age-wake windows, and it will eventually fall into place (I promise)!
Sleepless nights can easily cause confusion and forgetfulness in us parents. Using an app to monitor all of your baby’s important information, such as feeding, bowel movements, and naps, is a game changer in the parenting game. Baby Connect hits every mark, from the different categories you can fill to the ability to add multiple kids to the platform. With an app that is so simple to use, why track your baby’s information with anything else? Try Baby Connect for free now.
