The 4-Month Sleep ‘Pro’-gression

Before you roll your eyes at me for calling the 4-month sleep regression a ‘pro’gression, hear me out and allow yourself to read this with optimism and curiosity.

You were probably warned about the 4-month sleep regression before your baby was even born. Just wait until they are 4 months old, then you’ll find out what real sleep deprivation is. Or my baby was a great sleeper as a newborn; it all fell apart at 4-months.

Ok? Gee thanks Aunt Rebecca, this has really helped ease the anxiety I already have. If it was appropriate to use the melting face or upside-down smile emoji in an article, this is where I would put them.

All of this to say, we are primed to fear the 4-month sleep regression. We are primed to have plans in place to conquer our baby’s sleep changes. We are primed to think that the changes we see in our little one’s sleep around this time are a bad thing.  

So, why does the 4-month sleep regression happen? What does it look like? What can we do about it? Why should we reframe it as a ‘pro’gression? My goal in this article is to answer these questions for you, and to also help you feel better about your sleep relationship as a whole!

Before I get started, I think I should introduce myself. My name is Katie Franklin. I am a Postpartum Doula, Baby-Led Sleep Specialist, & CPST. The sleep support I offer has its roots in attachment, connection, and infant development. I work virtually with clients across Canada to develop healthy and sustainable sleep relationships without using sleep training or cry it out methods. I want parents to trust their instincts, learn their baby’s unique cues, and to stop comparing their little one to other babies or strict schedules online. Each baby is unique and I want to help parents work with this individuality, instead of against it, when it comes to sleep.

Ok let’s get into the nitty gritty. I am going to refer to the 4-month sleep regression as a ‘pro’gression from here on out! I hope by the end you will understand why.

Four months is often the trickiest time for new parents and is one of the most common times that I have people reaching out for sleep support. The past few months have been hectic, but they’ve been mostly predictable as your baby has needed to feed every 2-3 hours. They may have been sleeping longer stretches overnight and in general you can predict when your baby is going to fall asleep around feeds. During the day you haven’t had to pay too much attention to organized naps. Around 3-4 months, a developmental progression starts and ultimately impacts sleep. Here is what is going on:

1.     If you’re breastfeeding and your baby has started sleeping for longer stretches at night, you may notice changes in your milk supply. In the early weeks (before about 6–8 weeks), milk production is primarily driven by hormones, so supply remains relatively steady regardless of how often your baby feeds. Around the 6–8-week mark, however, milk supply becomes more dependent on demand. If your baby goes long periods without fully emptying the breast, your supply can gradually decrease. This drop often becomes noticeable around 3–4 months postpartum. When this happens, babies naturally respond by waking more frequently at night to feed, helping signal your body to increase milk production.

2.     You’ve probably noticed that your baby is much more curious during the day. This curiosity can often lead to distracted feeds and a lower calorie intake during the day. As a result, your baby may start preferring to feed/want to catch up on feeds overnight. Prolactin levels are higher (more milk) and there are fewer distractions!

3.     Anywhere from 1-6 months (4 months being most common) your baby’s sleep cycles are going to change and become more adult-like. This can really impact their sleep. I say adult-like, but please do not confuse this with being able to sleep through the night. It will remain very normal for a baby to wake through the night well beyond 4 months.

4.     Around 4-months, many babies are learning to roll. Some haven’t quite mastered it and will want to practice at night. Others can get onto their stomach but get stuck and call out. It’s important to note here that if your baby can roll comfortably and prefers to sleep on their stomach, you no longer have to worry about flipping them over!

As you can see, a lot is going on developmentally around 4 months. They are instinctually protecting your milk supply, they are developing a curiosity about the world, their sleep cycles are adjusting, and they are trying to achieve the rolling milestone! All of these impact sleep, but none of them are a regression. Your baby is not losing their skills; they are making a bunch of massive developmental leaps!

I have worked with many families as their babies go through this stage of development. What I’ve noticed over time is that no two babies respond in the same way to this progression. For some, daytime sleep will be impacted, and it seems like they will never nap again. For others, they wake more frequently in the night and your usual methods for settling them aren’t cutting it anymore. Some babies become less comfortable being put down (day or night) and sleep around the clock is impacted! I don’t say this to scare you, because I have also noticed that unless there is something else going on (tongue-tie, low iron, reflux etc.) the progression usually lasts a few weeks and then settles back down into something predictable and more sustainable.

So, what can we do about it? Through this progression, your wellbeing and your baby’s needs are top priority. We are not looking to fix anything, instead we want to support their development through connection. It’s not the time to implement any big changes. It’s time to trust your instincts, continue to be responsive, and lean on your community. Instead of what can we do about it, let’s ask how can we support them through this in a sustainable way?

I always remind my clients that they cannot fill from an empty cup. Not to be a broken record but self-care truly is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your child. You cannot provide the love, support, and connection that your little one needs if you are depleted. Self-care really is a gift to the entire family. Can you step out of the house (with or without the baby) for half an hour? Can you have someone watch the baby while you have a full shower, a big lunch, and read a book? Think of the things you used to do before you had a baby and figure out how you can incorporate those into your new life.

Here are some other strategies that you can try:

-       Tune in to your baby’s unique tired cues. When they were a newborn, they likely fell asleep without too much assistance, but now they will show signs that they are ready to be helped to sleep. This is critically important to ensure that your baby gets all the sleep that they need.

-       Figure out the best way to help them to sleep. Does motion work? Do they like to be sung to? Do they prefer to lay on your chest? Please remember that none of these are bad habits. We want to prioritize your baby getting their right amount of sleep in a 24-hour period over practicing crib naps or anything else that is separation-based.

-       Provide lots of time during the day for your little one to explore and practice their new skills. When they are happy to do so, let them have as much time to roll around on the floor as possible. If you notice a lot of rolling practice overnight, consider skipping the stroller walk the next day!

-       Be flexible. Let go of schedules. Let go of the fact that your baby was sleeping for longer stretches and try to be in the moment with them as much as possible!

-       If you are worried about your milk supply, make an appointment with a Lactation Consultant.

-       Ask for help and build your village. This stage is not meant to be easy and it’s ok that you are tired. The right people will want to help.

-       While I suggested you be flexible and let go of schedules, you can still work at building daytime and nighttime routines! As your baby gets older, knowing what comes next in a routine can help make transitions easier. Focus on the components of the routine, rather than the clock.

Are you starting to see why it’s important to reframe this developmental stage as a progression? Not only are they growing by leaps and bounds, but if you make the mental shift about this being a positive thing, that can really help ease your perspective of it all!  

As your baby gets older and moves into toddlerhood, their sleep is going to continue to change. Eventually they will start to explore independence, they will crawl, walk, talk and so on! All of these are exciting, and you should be proud! Sure, they come with sleep changes and maybe a few tired weeks, but they are not a bad thing. As you approach this period of disrupted sleep, and all of them in the future, use what you have read here to rewire how you see them. Take these tools with you, adapt them to suit your baby, and above all, trust your instincts!

My name is Katie Franklin, and I am a Baby-Led Sleep Specialist, Postpartum Doula, & CPST. While my support as a doula and CPST are limited to my community, I offer sleep support virtually and therefore support families across Canada.