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4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
4 months have flown by! Your baby is growing and moving more than ever.
A 4 month old schedule is a routine to help you manage your day, and make sure your baby is gettIng all the nourishment and sleep that he needs to keep growing.
In this post, we’ll look at the guidelines for how much sleep your baby needs and how many feedings he will take. This will help us set up a 4 month old sleep schedule that meets his needs.
I’ll also include a sample 4 month old sleep schedule for you to use as a guide, and a FREE printable schedule template so you can create your own!
Your 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Having a 4 month old schedule benefits both you and your baby. Establishing a predictable routine gives your baby stability and you peace of mind.
Your 4 month old sleep schedule shouldn’t be rigid. You want to strive for a flexible but predictable routine for your baby. The goal is to provide some stability for your infant and some structure and confidence for you.
At 4 months old, many people begin sleep training their baby. There are several different methods for this, but the idea is to get your baby to learn how to fall asleep on his own.
Once you learn your baby’s sleep cues and patterns, you can start to predict those times he’s likely to nap. At this point, you would swaddle him and lay him down to sleep while he is drowsy but still awake.
This method helps your baby learn to fall asleep on his own without relying on you to rock him to sleep every time.
Things to Consider For Your 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
How Much Does a 4 Month Old Eat?
Both breastfed and formula-fed babies will likely still eat every 4-5 hours and take about 4-6 ounces each feeding. Some infants may still need to eat more often depending on their needs. Always check with your pediatrician if you are concerned about your child’s nutrition.
Most pediatricians do not recommend starting baby foods/ solids until your baby is between 4-6 months of age. Breastmilk is still the primary source of nutrition, but if your child has started showing signs of readiness, your pediatrician may recommend starting to try solid foods.
Signs of readiness include:
- Able to sit upright in a high chair or feeding seat
- Has good head control
- Able to move food to the back of his mouth and swallow, instead of punching it back out
- Opens his mouth when food is offered
If your 4 month old shows signs of readiness for solid foods, ask your pediatricians if it’s ok to start.
It’s recommended by pediatricians that breastfed babies wait to start solid foods until 6 months, since breastmilk is so beneficial.
How Much Sleep Does a 4 Month Old Need?
According to babycenter.com, a 4 month old needs about 12-15 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This includes nighttime sleep and about 3-4 naps during the day.
The wake window for a 4 month old stretches to about 1 and a half -2 hours at a time. Your baby is becoming more active. This hopefully means that he will play hard- and sleep well!
Try to keep naps between 30 minutes and 2 hours to avoid oversleeping during the day.
Sample 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Remember this sample 4 month old schedule is meant to serve as a guide not a rigid routine. Your child is unique, and you’ll want to adjust the schedule to fit your baby’s needs.
Here’s a FREE printable template for your 4 month old schedule here! This way, you can create your own 4 month old sleep schedule that’s perfect for you.
Sample 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule / 4 Month Old Feeding Schedule
| 7:00am | Wake / Feed |
| 8:30am-9:45am | Nap #1 |
| 10:00am | Feeding |
| 11:15am-12:15pm | Nap #2 |
| 12:45pm | Feeding |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | Nap #3 |
| 4:00pm | Feeding |
| 4:30pm- 5:30pm | Nap #4 |
| 6:30pm | Start Bath/ Bedtime Routine |
| 7:00pm | Feeding |
| 7:45pm | Bedtime |
Tips For a 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule That Works
If you’re having trouble getting your 4 month old to sleep at night, here are a few tips:
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Keep the days active and bright, and night times dark and calm.
Play and interact with your baby throughout the day. Distinguish daytime naps from nighttime sleep by keeping the lighting in the room a bit brighter during the day. It also helps to make your daytime nap routine short and sweet. Make sure it is different from your nighttime bed routine
2. Keep Stimulation to a Minimum at Night
Keep the room dark and quiet, even during nighttime feedings. I fed my babies by nightlight, and I made sure I didn’t play with them at night. I wanted them to learn that nighttime is for sleeping
3. Have a Bedtime Routine and Stick To It
It doesn’t have to be complicated- just simple and consistent. Our routine was simply bath, feeding, book, and bed.
4. Start your Nighttime routine 30 minutes before you plan to lay your baby down to sleep.
5. Lay your baby down when they are drowsy, but awake.
This will help him learn to get to sleep on his own.
4 Month Milestones
Your baby is really moving now. Her large muscle groups are getting stronger in preparation for some serious locomotor activity in the next few months.
Don’t stress if your baby isn’t reaching these milestones just yet. Milestones are based on averages, and some infants will reach them earlier, some slightly later. That’s totally normal.
Even my twin boys reached milestones at different times- sometimes even a month apart!
As always talk with your pediatrician if you are at all concerned about your child’s development.
4 Month Milestones:
This month your baby may begin to:
- Bring objects to his mouth
- Begin rolling from belly to back during tummy time
- Sit with support
- Recognize familiar faces and objects
- Hold head steady in sitting position
Suggested Activities for Playtime
At this age your baby is more interested in toys than he was in previous months. Provide age-appropriate toys in a variety of colors and materials for her to explore.
Here are some activities you can try with your 4 month old:
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Talk and Sing to you Baby
Imitate her babbling sounds and see if you can get her to imitate some of your own sounds. This kind of interaction helps her practice the basics of conversation. Singing songs together and moving to music is also great interactive play.
2. Tummy Time
Her large muscle groups are really developing. Allow her to lay on a play mat or play gym on her tummy. Place a few toys or a mirror in front of her to entertain her as she plays.
3. Read to your baby
Keep reading to your baby. She will likely be more engaged in colorful board books now, especially ones with textures, crinkle books, and books with high-contrasting colors.
4. Water Play
Help him sit in the bath (with support) and allow him to splash and explore with a few small water toys.
For more ideas of how to play with your 4 month old, I recommend the BabySparks app. The app features activities (with demonstrations) that you can do with your baby. Each activity encourages your baby’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development. You’ll never run out of ideas for how to play with your baby.
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