How Should A 4-Month-Old Sleep? | A Calm Night Plan

Four months can feel like someone changed your baby’s sleep settings. Wake time stretches, naps get short, and nights may turn noisy again. You can still build a rhythm that feels sane.

The goal isn’t a flawless sleeper. It’s safer sleep, enough total rest, and a routine you can keep on tough nights.

What Sleep Looks Like At 4 Months

Many babies around four months land in the 12–16 hour range across a full day and night, including naps. Some sit near the low end, some near the high end. Feeding, growth, and mood matter more than a perfect number.

Night sleep often runs longer than in the newborn stage, with wake-ups still common. Naps can be three or four, and short naps often show up while sleep cycles mature.

Why Sleep Can Feel Harder Right Now

By about four months, many babies shift toward more adult-like sleep cycles. That can mean more light sleep and more chances to wake between cycles. You may see “false starts” at bedtime or naps that end after one cycle.

Set The Foundation First: Safe Sleep Every Time

Before schedules and settling methods, lock in the basics that lower sleep-related risk.

Keep The Sleep Space Firm, Flat, And Bare

• Place your baby on their back for every sleep, naps and night.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface made for infant sleep, like a safety-approved crib, bassinet, or play yard.
• Keep the sleep area clear: no pillows, loose blankets, bumper pads, or soft toys.

The CDC lists these steps in plain language. Providing care for babies to sleep safely is a fast page to share with anyone who puts your baby down.

Room-Share, Don’t Bed-Share

Keeping your baby in the same room on a separate sleep surface can make feeds easier and lines up with mainstream safe-sleep advice. If you bring your baby into bed during a rough moment, move them back to their own sleep space before you fall asleep.

Skip Inclined Sleep Products

Inclined sleepers and loungers aren’t meant for unattended sleep. Stick with a flat surface built for infant sleep. The Safe to Sleep® program shows what a safe setup looks like. Safe sleep environment for baby includes clear visuals you can use when setting up a crib.

How Should A 4-Month-Old Sleep? Night And Nap Rhythm

Think in three parts: total sleep, wake windows, and timing. When those line up, bedtime fights often shrink and naps tend to settle.

Aim For A Predictable Total

A practical target is 12–16 hours of sleep over 24 hours. The American Academy of Pediatrics summarizes age-based sleep duration ranges that match this target. Healthy sleep habits and recommended hours by age is a handy reference.

Use Wake Windows Instead Of The Clock

At four months, many babies manage about 1.5 to 2.5 hours awake between sleeps. Early in the day is often shorter. Late afternoon tends to stretch a bit. If bedtime turns into a meltdown, the last wake window may have run long.

Spot The First Sleepy Signals

• Rubbing eyes, staring off, or losing interest in play
• Yawning, fussing, or getting clingy
• Jerky movements or sudden bursts of crankiness

Start the wind-down at the first signs. Waiting for full-blown crying often makes settling harder.

Build A Bedtime Routine You Can Repeat

Routines work because they feel the same each night. Keep yours short and repeatable, even when you’re wiped out.

A Simple 20–30 Minute Flow

1. Dim lights and lower noise.
2. Feed, then burp.
3. Diaper change and sleep sack.
4. One calm activity: a short book, a quiet song, or a few minutes of rocking.
5. Into the crib calm or drowsy, on the back.

HealthyChildren.org lays out routine and timing tips that fit this stage. Getting your baby to sleep explains what to expect as sleep cycles shift.

Keep Night Interactions Boring

At night, keep lights low and voices soft. Skip extra play. Keep diaper changes brief unless there’s poop or a leak. Boring nights make it easier to drift back to sleep.

Daytime Setup That Helps Night Sleep

Nights don’t start at bedtime. They start with the first wake-up. A steady day can take the edge off bedtime and reduce the “wired but tired” feeling.

Get A Clear Morning Start

Open curtains soon after your baby wakes. Natural light plus a feed helps your baby’s body sort day from night. Then follow the first wake window into nap one instead of pushing through fussiness.

Keep Day Feeds Full, Not Snacky

If feeds turn into quick snacks all day, some babies make up calories at night. Try offering fuller feeds when your baby is calm and alert, then give a short break before sleep so feeding isn’t the only sleep cue.

Protect The Last Wake Window

Late afternoon is where many evenings fall apart. If your baby melts down at bedtime, try one of these for three nights:

• Shorten the last wake window by 15–20 minutes.
• Cap the last nap so it doesn’t run too close to bedtime.
• Move bedtime earlier and keep the routine the same.

Table 1: A Practical 24-Hour Sleep Outline At 4 Months

This table isn’t a schedule you must follow. It’s a set of ranges that can point to what’s driving rough nights.

Piece Of The Day	Common Range	Notes To Watch
Total Sleep (24 Hours)	12–16 hours	Includes naps; steady totals often beat perfect timing.
Night Sleep	9–11 hours	Often broken by feeds; longer first stretch is common.
Day Naps	3–5 hours	Short naps can be normal while cycles mature.
Number Of Naps	3–4 naps	Three naps often appears once naps lengthen a bit.
Wake Window (Morning)	1.5–2 hours	Shorter windows can prevent overtired crankiness.
Wake Window (Late Day)	2–2.5 hours	Too long late day can trigger bedtime battles.
Bedtime Window	7:00–9:00 p.m.	Earlier can help when naps are short or late day is rough.
Night Feeds	0–2 feeds	Varies by growth and feeding pattern; ask your pediatrician if unsure.

How A 4-Month-Old Should Sleep Longer Stretches

Settling is a skill. Your job is to set the stage and give your baby a fair shot. Some nights you’ll still do extra soothing, and that’s fine.

Try A Pause, Then Help Pattern

When your baby stirs, wait a beat. Some babies fuss briefly and drift back off. If the fuss ramps up, step in with gentle help.

• Hand on chest (if your baby stays on their back)
• Soft shushing
• Slow rocking, then back to the crib once calm

Loosen Feed-To-Sleep In Tiny Steps

If your baby always falls asleep at the bottle or breast, they may look for the same thing between sleep cycles. Start small: keep your baby awake for the last minute of the feed, then finish with a short cuddle and lay down calm.

When Wake-Ups Happen: A Simple Order

A clear order keeps you from trying ten things at 3 a.m.

1. Pause. Give your baby a brief chance to resettle.
2. Check basics. Room temp, twisted sleep sack, stuck burp.
3. Feed if needed. Keep it dim and quiet.
4. Back to sleep space. Lay your baby down on their back on a firm, flat surface.

If you track patterns for a few nights, you’ll often spot a repeat driver: late naps, a long last wake window, or a feed-to-sleep pattern.

Table 2: Fast Troubleshooting For Common 4-Month Sleep Snags

What You See	What Often Drives It	What To Try Next
Short naps (30–45 minutes)	One sleep cycle, wake window too long	Shorten the next wake window; try one crib nap daily.
Bedtime crying for 30+ minutes	Overtired late day, last nap too late	Move bedtime earlier for three nights; cap late nap.
Wakes 45–90 minutes after bedtime	False start from overtiredness	Earlier bedtime; calm routine; keep bedtime steps steady.
Wakes every 2 hours all night	Sleep-cycle shift, feed-to-sleep pattern	End feeds a bit earlier; use “pause, then help.”
Early morning wake (before 6 a.m.)	Too much day sleep late, room light	Darken the room; keep first nap based on wake window.
Rolling starts, then wakes upset	New motor skill, getting stuck	More floor play by day; always start sleep on the back; keep crib clear.
Fussy at night with lots of squirming	Gas or growth spurt discomfort	Extra burping; upright cuddle after feeds; check with pediatrician if persistent.

Put It Together: A Two-Week Reset You Can Finish

If your nights are rough, start with a reset that’s small enough to stick with.

1. Days 1–3: Make the sleep space safe and keep the same short bedtime routine.
2. Days 4–7: Track wake windows and move bedtime earlier if evenings melt down.
3. Days 8–14: Pick one settling skill: “pause, then help,” or ending the feed a minute earlier.

Progress can look small at first: one longer stretch, less crying at bedtime, or naps that lengthen by ten minutes. Stack those wins, and your baby’s rhythm starts to feel steady again.