Guide to identifying and coping with your baby's sleep crisis

The 4-month sleep regression is, without a doubt, the most frequent and talked about. Unlike the other regressions, the 4-month regression is due to a change in the sleep structure that your baby is experiencing. During the first months of life, your baby's biological clock is still immature and, precisely, around 4 months, he goes from newborn sleep to gradually connecting and consolidating his sleep cycles.

What is sleep regression ?

The infant sleep crisis is a period of time that some children experience as important developmental milestones occur according to their stage of life.

We call it “regression” because a baby who used to sleep well and had certain established sleep patterns suddenly starts sleeping poorly or experiencing nighttime awakenings.

As your baby approaches 4 months, his or her sleep pattern begins to become more similar to that of an adult. This means that his or her sleep cycles begin to consolidate and have distinct phases, where REM (active) sleep decreases and deep sleep increases.

How do I identify the 4-month sleep regression?

 This crisis usually occurs between 3 and 5 months of age . Your baby, not being used to these changes in his sleep, usually manifests itself through:

• Multiple night awakenings.
• Lots of short naps .
• The dreaded early morning wake-ups.
• Difficulty falling asleep.
• Crying and irritability

How can I help my baby during this regression?

If your baby is less than 12 weeks old , we recommend taking the online newborn sleep course today. You will learn how to establish healthy sleep routines from day one. Babies who have an established routine are less affected by this sleep crisis.

Now, if you have a 3 or 4 month old baby, take a look at these tips to help you cope with this regression:

• Establish a sleep routine for naps.

• Pay attention to their sleep windows . At this age, they should be between 90 and 120 minutes.

• Practice putting your baby to bed when he or she is not yet showing signs of sleepiness or overtiredness.

• Try not to incorporate new habits into your routine that you won't want to keep up.

• Provide adequate caloric intake throughout the day.

• If you notice that your baby is already starting to turn over on his own while sleeping , practice this new skill when he is awake. This way it will not interfere with bedtime.

• Using white noise and a dark room at bedtime can make a big difference in your baby's sleep.

Sleep regressions can be challenging and frustrating, but keep in mind that they are only temporary episodes that usually last between 2 to 6 weeks . You will see that after this period, your baby will sleep properly again and remember that this type of sleep crisis is always accompanied by a great learning experience for your baby .

Be patient! Don't hesitate to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed.