Most babies this age should sleep 12–16 hours a day, which includes a longer stretch at night and at least two naps during the day, says the National Sleep Foundation. The average amount of daytime sleep is now about 3–4 hours. By 6 months, most babies are sleeping at night for 9 hours or longer, with brief awakenings.
A dark, quiet environment can help encourage your baby to sleep. Put your baby to bed drowsy, but awake. Before your baby gets overtired or cranky, you might try singing soft lullabies or swaddling or massaging him or her. Eventually, your baby will learn that these activities mean it's time to rest.
Although these milestones are usually reached between 4 to 6 months, every baby is different. Some babies may begin to sleep 5-6 hour stretches as early as 8-10 weeks while others may not find a longer sleep pattern until past 6-8 months.
Newborns need frequent feedings, so they can't sleep for long stretches. Also, their internal clock may be off, so they'll mix up their days and nights.
Here's how: Reduce the time your child feeds by 2-5 minutes every second night. For example, if your child usually feeds for 10 minutes, feed for 8 minutes for 2 nights, then 6 minutes for the next 2 nights, and so on. Re-settle your child after each shortened feed with the settling techniques of your choice.
During this time, babies need an average of 14 hours of sleep daily. At 4 months, they can go eight hours at night without feeding; by 5 months, they can sleep for 10 or 11 hours straight. Both 4-month-olds and 5-month-olds will sleep four to five hours during the day, spread out over three naps.
Because there are so many things that influence how long a baby sleeps, it can be hard to tell if what they eat is affecting their sleep or not. However, research has not found a link between formula feeding and longer sleep at night. Essentially, how long your baby sleeps depends on many factors.
Research shows that there's little difference between the total amount of sleep that breast-fed and formula-fed babies have . It's unlikely your baby would sleep better with formula milk, though there are some differences between breast-fed and formula-fed babies when it comes to sleep.
Sleep regression can occur at any age, but 4 months old is often when a baby's sleep cycle is maturing. As babies learn the difference between night and day, and their sleep-wake cycles become more regulated, they start to sleep longer at night and take fewer naps during the day.
Sleep Routine
If you haven't started a bedtime routine yet, now is a great time! Work toward a bedtime of between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. Know that it is actually harder to get a baby to sleep after 9:00 p.m. The later it gets and the more tired he is, the harder it will be for him to fall asleep.
But at 4 months old, they begin cycling through 4 stages of sleep patterns just like adults. Suddenly, she'll spend more time in a lighter, non-REM sleep stage, causing more frequent wake-ups. While trying for mom and dad, the 4-month sleep regression is very normal.
20-30 minutes:
Your baby is deeply asleep. Their breathing is deep and regulated and this is the most restorative part of their sleep cycle.
Don't attempt a formal sleep-training method before four months, until your baby is able to go longer in between feeds and their circadian rhythm starts to develop. (Many babies this age still feed in the night—contrary to popular thinking, sleep training isn't synonymous with night weaning.)
Does warm milk help babies sleep better? There is no correlation between sleep and formula served warm, but if this is part of your baby's bedtime routine, then it may help them relax and prepare their body and mind for rest.
Sleep Tips for a Breastfed Baby
Avoid co-sleeping with your baby and make sure they sleep in their own safe cot. Look for your baby's tired signs (cues) and place them into their cot before they're fully asleep. Try not to feed your baby when they're tired but instead, when they're more wakeful.
Keep the calories coming during the day
Your baby will be less hungry at night (and better able to sleep) if his tummy gets filled enough during the day. Breastfed babies should eat every two to three hours or so, for a total of eight to 12 feedings over 24 hours, until they start solids around 6 months.
Here's how often you can expect your baby to eat at night during the 3 - 4 month age timeframe: Breastfed Babies - 3 to 4 feedings per night. Formula-fed Babies - 2 to 3 feedings per night.
At this age, if you are not lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the night, many 4-month-olds are still waking 1-3 times to eat at night and many breastfeeding babies will continue to eat 1-2 times until 9+ months of age. On the other hand, formula-fed babies will often be night-weaned by 6 months old.
When Do Babies Stop Eating at Night? The short answer is at 4 months. Younger babies, whether breast- or bottle-fed, need to interrupt their (and your) sleep because they're hungry; they need the additional calories. But “by 4 months, most can sleep through the night,” says T.J.
Try lots of reassurance : 1) Talk quietly and cuddle your baby until calm 2) Put your baby on their back in the cot awake (drowsy) 3) Comfort your baby with gentle 'ssshh' sounds, gentle rhythmic patting, rocking or stroking until baby is calm or asleep.
During a sleep regression, infants may have difficulty falling and staying asleep and sleep less throughout the night. Your infant may seem fussy or restless and cry more after waking. How Long Does the 4-Month Sleep Regression Last? 4-month sleep regressions typically subside within a few days or weeks.