4-8 Months

Total Sleep Hours: 13-15
Night time Hours: 10-12
Daytime Hours: 3-4 (typically 3 naps per day until 8 months)

  • Nighttime sleep is becoming consolidated now and feedings may be non-existent or he may still need up to 2 feeding per night around 12am and one in the early morning.
  • Now is the PERFECT time to teach your baby how and when to sleep. The daily schedule should look like this. Put your baby down to begin falling asleep in these time frames:
    • 1st nap 8:30-9am
    • 2nd nap 12-1pm
    • 3rd nap is within 2 hours after 2nd nap ends
    • Bedtime within 4 hours after the 2nd nap ends if there wasn’t a catnap, 5 hours if there was a catnap
    • A dark sleep environment is important! Any light effects sleep. Darkening shades are a must for naptime!
    • It’s ok to wake your baby to keep her on the sleep schedule. This is recommended so that her sleep periods will always be in line with her biological rhythms.
    • Self-soothing skills are VERY important. Protest crying is ok at this point!
    • Until 6 months of age, the sleep schedule is a work in progress. It takes patience to wait for his rhythms to develop. We provide him with the tools (teach him how to soothe himself, consistency, a good sleep environment, etc.) and it’s up to him to fall into the right patterns as his biological rhythms develop.
    • By 6 months, nighttime sleep and naps will be established easily as long as he has been taught how to self-soothe.
    • Some babies are short nappers, long nappers, intermediate nappers…all are fine as long as they are getting enough nighttime hours to fill in the gaps. Remember that when it comes to naps, quality is more important than duration, so make sure her naps are occurring at the right times!

    Looking for a certified child sleep consultant in Atlanta, Georgia or any other state?  Happy Healthy Sleep can help your family get the sleep you all deserve.