If you are a new parent then I can guarantee that the four month regression is something you will have heard about. Whether from friends or family, something you have read about or it might be something you have experienced first hand. I am sure that most of what you have heard has filled you with dread or worried you with what is to come but I hope that through this blog post I can allay some fears and give you some background understanding as to what is happening to your little one at this time.
The science behind it
Around the age of three to four months, a baby’s sleep cycles start to become more defined. During each sleep cycle they are moving between periods of lighter sleep and deeper sleep and you may start noticing that they wake during a period of lighter sleep. This can make naps shorter as they may not be able to get themselves back into another cycle of sleep. They are also more aware of the world around them and so if they drift into lighter sleep then they might wake and then not be able to get back if they are distracted by what is around them.
A newborn baby is born with a supply of melatonin, the sleep hormone, and this is passed to them through the placenta. By around four months of age, this supply has been depleted and a baby will start making their own melatonin. This can mean that they are less sleepy, more alert and it can cause more difficulty in them falling asleep on their own.
By the age of six months, a baby’s circadian rhythm is fully developed and so by around four months you may notice that your baby has more awareness of daytime and nighttime.
Even though sleep may seem to have taken a bit of a backwards step, there is a lot going on developmentally at this age and so it is important to think of this regression as a PROgression as things are becoming more defined.
Signs of the 4 month regression
The four month regression can look different for different babies but there are some similar themes that might show themselves at this point.
Naps
You may have noticed that your sleepy newborn, who was able to sleep anywhere and for long stretches of time, is now much harder to settle for naps and the length of naps has also decreased. This is due to the sleep cycles becoming more defined and so you may notice that they wake after 35-45 minutes as this is the average length of one sleep cycle.
Distracted feeding
As your little one is developing a greater awareness for the world around them you may notice that they are feeding for less time or are distracted during feeds and therefore not having as full feeds. This can then sometimes lead to more frequent night wakes if they are not getting enough milk during the day. Nighttime is dark and quiet and so they may feed more fully when there is less to distract them.
Early waking
You may be finding that your little one is ready to start the day earlier than before or earlier than you would like! If they are becoming overtired during the day then this can lead to early waking as their levels of cortisol are higher.
What to do and how to survive it
There are some things that you can try and focus on during this period of time to help your little one. As they adjust to this permanent change in their sleep patterns then you can support them by looking at the following areas.
Awake windows
Awake windows are the optimum amount of time a baby can cope with being awake between naps or periods of sleep. They change according to age but using them can help prevent overtiredness from creeping in. You can find a guide to these on my Instagram page.
Sleep environment
Have a look at your sleep environment and see if there are things which can be changed to help promote good sleep. Things like making the space dark, using white noise, ensuring the temperature of the room is between 16-20C can help promote sleep.
Practice independent sleep
Looking at how your little one is falling asleep can be a good thing to do at this time. You may be rocking, feeding, supporting them to sleep and if this is working for you then that is great and there is no need to change it. If however, you feel it is unsustainable or is contributing to disturbed sleep then it might be a good time to reassess. This is not about sleep coaching at this age, but implementing some good sleep habits can really make a difference.
Routine
You may have had a routine in place for a while now or you may just be going with the flow still. Again, if this is working for you then that is great but putting in place a routine can help with consistent sleep. Setting up a bedtime routine which can be recreated for naps, can really set your baby up for good sleep and they will soon start to learn that these steps mean sleep is coming.
Practice new skills
At this age babies are learning lots of new skills; babbling, rolling, smiling to name a few. Giving them time in the day to work on these new skills in a supportive environment can help them to master them.
It can seem quite overwhelming but try not to panic! This is a permanent change in your little one’s sleep and a sign that they are moving out of the newborn period. If you would like some support during this time or would like to find out how I can support you then do book a free discovery call.
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