If you’ve been around any parents of babies for any length of time, chances are you’ve heard of the 4 month sleep regression. And you may well be dreading it. Or perhaps you’re in the midst of it and your little one is no longer sleeping as they were. The thing about sleep regressions is that – while they inevitably disrupt sleep – they don’t need to be feared if you understand what causes them. Because once you understand the cause behind something, you can work on finding the best approach to tackling it.
What is a sleep regression?
Sleep regressions are simply when a little one’s sleep is disrupted or goes backwards, i.e. it appears that they have lost or partially lost their ability to sleep well. Regressions can occur for any number of reasons; big changes such as starting childcare, moving house or the arrival of a new sibling, teething or sickness, or developmental milestones. However, there’s only one regression which is caused by a physiological change in every single little one at around the same age, and that’s the 4 month sleep regression.
What happens at 4 months?
When a little one is first born, rather than sleeping in cycles as we do, their sleep consists of two ‘states’; an active sleep state and a quiet sleep state. Somewhere between 3 and 5 months however, every little one undergoes a physiological change in which they stop sleeping in these states, and develop adult-like sleep cycles of around 45 minutes each. Each cycle begins with light sleep, before progressing into a deeper sleep and then finally coming into a light sleep again before the next cycle starts. In the same way that adults do, after a sleep cycle is completed, a little one will wake. If they know how to fall asleep themselves at the beginning of a sleep cycle, that little one will then be able to drop off again. However, for the little one who is dependent on something external to get to sleep (think rocking, feeding or being pushed in the pram), the end of a sleep cycle will likely result in him waking up, and needing that same external input to get back off to sleep. The result may be frequent wakes throughout the night, and short day-time naps.
Can I prevent the 4 month sleep regression?
The short answer is no. The 4 month sleep regression occurs as a result of a physiological change in the way your baby sleeps, and there is nothing you can do to prevent that change taking place (nor should you want to!). However, a little one who has already mastered the skill of self-settling (i.e. being able to drop off to sleep in their sleep space without any external input) is much less likely to experience a big regression in their sleep – some will sail through it with minimal disruption, whilst others will still experience some. So if your little one hasn’t yet hit 4 months, it’s worth giving them plenty of opportunity to practise getting themselves off to sleep by gradually reducing the amount of assistance you’re giving them.
How can I get my little one sleeping again after the 4 month regression?
The good news is, even if your little one’s sleep is significantly impacted by the 4 month sleep regression, there is a solution. Your little one needs to learn to self-settle i.e. they need to be able to be put into their sleep space awake, and drop off to sleep all by themselves. Once a little one has mastered that skill, very quickly you will notice them start to sleep longer stretches at night as they link sleep cycles. You can teach your little one to self-settle using one of a number of different sleep training methods. Whichever you choose, just make sure that you are consistent.
And if you’d like some help teaching your little one this vital skill using gentle, gradual room-based methods, get in touch. I work with families to bring them through the effects of the 4 month sleep regression using both highly effective and supportive methods that will never leave your child to ‘cry-it-out’. You can get in touch here or book a free discovery call to have a 15 minute chat with me if you’d like to find out more.
And a final word – keep going. The 4 month sleep regression can hit some families hard. But it doesn’t need to last forever. If your little one is not there yet, start gently practising some self-settling. And if you’re in the midst of it, sleep training will help you. Don’t struggle alone!
