Remember to always stay flexible and keep calm. Sleep regressions are a natural phenomenon for every baby! If all else fails, give a little more love and go with the flow.
How to Deal With 4-Month Sleep Regression
The 4-month sleep regression, something we never think about happening until it does. But what exactly is a 4-month sleep regression? Well, it’s a brief shift in a baby’s sleep patterns, where they wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to fall back asleep. Some signs include:
- Fussiness
- Less napping or structure in nap routines
- Changes in appetite
- Overtiredness
This can be attributed to a baby learning a new skill and/or being more interested in their surroundings. Typically, this happens around the 3-12 month mark and could last up to an entire month!
Now, how do you manage 4-month sleep regression? There are quite a few ways of going about it:
Full Feedings
Since changes in appetite could be a large cause of the sleep regressions, it’s time to focus on making the daily feedings less stimulating. Turn off the TV, get rid of any distractions, and create a relaxed environment. Make sure not to feed them when they wake up crying, as they might associate the two together.
Don’t Introduce Solid Foods Too Early
Following up with the feedings, a 2010 study showed the correlation between the early introduction of solid foods with more sleeping difficulties in babies. Keep it in mind when you’re deciding what’s best for your little one.
Soothing and Self-Soothing Exercises
It truly goes on a case-by-case basis, but implement any type of soothing technique you can. As for soothing exercises you as parents can do, try slowly rocking and/or gentle face massages. This is calming for babies. As for the self-soothing, wait a few minutes before going to them. While your instinct is to rush to their side the second they start crying, wait a few minutes to see if they can calm themselves down.
Dark Bedroom
There are many reasons why keeping a dark bedroom is the optimal environment for babies and children alike. A dark bedroom causes better sleep because it blocks out light that would otherwise make sleeping difficult. Investing in some black-out curtains could be the key to keeping the sleep regression as short as possible. Another good purchase could be a white-noise machine to dull out any stimulating or loud noises that could wake up the baby.
Pay Attention to Unique Sleeping Cues
Whether it be rubbing their eyes or being a little fussy after dinner, if you see it a few times, it’s probably one of their sleepy cues. Pay attention to these signals and get your baby to their room as soon as possible.
Strengthening the Sleep Routine
Reinforcing good nighttime habits is essential to both a healthy lifestyle for your baby and getting rid of the sleep regression as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that the regression is temporary, but strengthening the sleep routine will only be beneficial in the long run!
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