The 4-Month Growth Spurt (Not a Regression!)
If you’ve heard about the infamous “4-month sleep regression,” you might be dreading this stage. But what if we told you it’s not a regression at all? Instead, it’s a sign of incredible growth.
At around 4 months, your baby’s brain and body are going through a massive developmental leap, which can naturally disrupt sleep patterns. While it’s challenging, understanding what’s happening and reframing it as a growth spurt can make a world of difference in how you approach it.
What’s Really Happening at 4 Months?
Around this time, your baby is hitting exciting milestones. Their sleep cycles are maturing, and they’re becoming more aware of their surroundings. They’re learning to process the world in new ways, which is why naps might be harder and nighttime wake-ups might increase.
Developmental Milestones: Your baby may be rolling, laughing more, or showing interest in toys and people. These new skills require brain power, and that mental work can disrupt sleep.
Heightened Awareness: As babies become more alert, the world becomes an exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) place. They may resist sleep because there’s just too much to see and learn.
This isn’t a step backward—this is a leap forward! Their little brains are developing at lightning speed, which temporarily shakes up their usual sleep routine.
Signs To Watch For
Waking Up During the Night
When your baby starts waking up frequently at night, even if they had previously been sleeping soundly, it can indicate a growth spurt.
Shorter Naps
If your baby, who once took longer naps, suddenly begins taking shorter, less restful naps, it’s a sign that their sleep patterns may be changing.
Increased Fussiness
Babies experiencing a growth spurt might be more irritable or fussy, especially around bedtime or naptime.
Difficulty Falling Asleep
It may take longer than usual (more than 20 minutes) for your baby to settle down and fall asleep, which can be a sign of disrupted sleep patterns.
Refusal to Sleep Without Being Held
Your baby may only want to sleep when held or rocked, making it harder to establish a consistent sleep routine.
How to Support Your Baby Through This Growth Spurt
The key to navigating this phase is to focus on helping your baby adjust while maintaining as much consistency as possible. Here’s how:
Stick to Your Routine
Babies thrive on predictability. Keep your bedtime and nap routines the same, even if they seem less effective. A calming bath, a familiar song, or a cozy swaddle can signal to your baby that it’s time to wind down. The consistency helps them feel secure during this big transition.
Increase Daytime Feedings
During a growth spurt, your baby may need extra calories to support their rapid development. Offering more frequent daytime feedings, whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, can help them stay full and may reduce the need for extra wake-ups at night. Watch for hunger cues and don’t hesitate to add an extra feeding session if needed.
Know Your Baby and Watch Their Sleepy Cues
Every baby has unique signals that they’re tired. These might include red eyebrows, staring off into the distance, big yawns, fussiness, or even subtle changes in behavior. By learning to recognize these cues early, you can help your baby get to sleep before they become overtired, which often makes settling down much harder.
"Force" Naps When Needed
When your baby is overtired, sleep becomes even harder. If naps are a struggle, don’t be afraid to get creative:
Contact naps: Let your baby nap on you to ensure they get some much-needed rest.
Movement: A stroller walk or a car ride might help them drift off.
Pacifiers or rocking: Comfort measures can soothe them into sleep.
Be Patient and Flexible
While you want to keep your routines intact, it’s also important to meet your baby where they are. If they wake up more at night or resist naps, know that this phase is normal and temporary. Give yourself grace and lean on your support system when needed.
How Long Does it Last?
If you’re proactive in making adjustments, sleep challenges can improve in as little as two days. It’s essential to know your baby and their unique cues to make decisions that foster better rest.
In our owner’s experience, with her 4-month-old daughter, she faced a night where her baby woke up 12 times. Instead of feeding during each wake-up, she used alternative methods like offering a pacifier, shushing, setting gentle cry timers, and providing comforting snuggles when necessary—but avoided feeding entirely.
The next day, she adjusted by increasing feed amounts, extending nap times, and putting her baby to bed earlier. These changes made a significant difference - In this case, her daughter slept through the night immediately following these simple changes!
Every baby is different, and some may require less sleep than others. This is why observing your baby’s cues is so important. For her daughter, red eyebrows are a clear sign of tiredness. Other indicators might include staring off into the distance, big yawns, fussiness, or subtle changes in behavior.
Pay attention to these signs and try to prevent over-tiredness, which can lead to further sleep difficulties. Understanding your baby and their needs is key to building healthy sleep habits!
Why Reframing Matters
Calling it a “regression” makes it sound like something is wrong, but nothing could be further from the truth. Your baby is growing, developing, and learning at an incredible pace. This temporary disruption is a sign of progress, not a problem.
By seeing this as a “growth spurt” instead, you can approach it with curiosity, patience, and positivity. Remember, every wake-up and fussy nap is part of your baby becoming the amazing little person God made them to be. Speak kindly over them during this time and remember to hang in there—you’re doing great, and so is your baby!
If you’re needing help with your baby’s sleep, we offer expert sleep training services that can help gently establish healthy sleep habits, fostering better rest for everyone in the household!
For more tips, explore our other blogs or follow us on Instagram at @choosejoynursing.
