With over 15 years of experience as a pediatric sleep consultant, I’m happy to share sample 4 month old sleep schedules with feedings. These sample schedules include milk feedings for breastfeeding and formula-feeding babies, solids, naps, and nighttime sleep.
4 Month Old Baby’s Sleep and Development
Pediatricians disagree high and low about when a baby is capable of sleeping through the night and only a handful of parents who reach this page will have a 4 month old who sleeps all night without even a single feeding (those that do are LUCKY!).
Most 4-month-olds need 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 hours during the day. And, many 4-month-olds are still eating 1-2 times a night and some naps are just 30 minutes. In addition, most 4 month olds will take 4 naps a day. Consequently, short naps are normal development at this age as it’s highly unusual for babies to take four 1-hour naps.
At this age, if you are not lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the night, many 4-month-olds are still waking 1-3 times to eat at night and many breastfeeding babies will continue to eat 1-2 times until 9+ months of age. On the other hand, formula-fed babies will often be night-weaned by 6 months old. More night feedings than that and likely you have a sleep association problem.
How Many Naps for a 4 Month Old?
Most 4-month-old babies take 4 naps each day totaling 3-4 hours of sleep. The reason for so many naps is primarily because babies this age can’t stay awake longer than 1-2 hours at a time. 4 month old wake windows are still short. Therefore, t’s still common to spread out daytime sleep among multiple sleep periods. However, some babies this age can stay awake longer and drop the fourth nap transitioning to a 3-nap schedule early.
4 Month Old Wake Windows
The typical 4-month old wake window is 1 to 2 hours with the first wake window being one of the shortest. Sometimes, that first wake window is just 75 to 90 minutes.
When Your 4 Month Old’s Sleep Gets Worse
If your baby has recently started sleeping worse, you may want to read more about 4 month old baby sleep. Keep in mind that one of the biggest sleep challenges families face around 4 months is the 4 month sleep regression. During this time period, babies change their sleep permanently and will wake up frequently at night and take shorter naps.
Obviously, all babies vary, but here are some sample (loose) schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby. Most babies, at this age, can’t be on a strict schedule because many babies are still taking shorter naps while their brain matures and they simply can not stay up very long to get to the next scheduled nap-time. So, at this age, it’s likely naps are still on the short side, but come frequently and every day will still likely be different.
Don’t worry, that will change!
Babies typically transition to just 3 naps around 6 months or 7 months.
If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap better.
4 Month Old Feeding
Breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Below are the amounts we recommend if your pediatrician recommends solids before 6 months, the age at which most are recommending now. For more information on starting your baby on solid food, we have a series of blog posts dedicated to the subject. We include recommendations about how and when to start solids, as well as helpful information on food allergies, recommended products, baby-friendly recipes, and more.
Average amounts per day:
• At least 5-6 breastfeeding sessions per day or 2 1/2 ounces formula for each pound of weight (approx. 20-30 ounces) (decrease solids if your baby is not taking in at least this much)
• Water is unnecessary (breast milk and formula have plenty of water in them).
And, ONLY IF your pediatrician recommends solids this young (it is now recommend at 6+ months):
• Up to 1-2 servings baby cereal (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons dry)
• Up to 1-2 servings fruit or veggies (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons)
Note: With your doctor’s approval and guidance, you will start with just one teaspoon of solids (before mixing w/ breast milk or formula) and work your way up. Don’t forget to wait at least 3-4 days before introducing a new food for food allergy reasons.
“Thank you for your articles, they’ve shown me that my 4 month old baby is perfectly normal and I’m doing the right things in relation to his sleep. This is such a relief! So many sources just don’t seem to give realistic information about baby sleep – not for myself or for any other mum I know.
Great care has obviously been taken by The Baby Sleep Site in reflecting a realistic and true picture of what a ‘normal’ baby is. Thank you.”
-Sincerely, Elizabeth
Sample 4 Month Old Schedule
This schedule assumes a baby can stay up 1 hour 15 minutes before needing to sleep again. At this age, wake-time should be 1-2 hours TOPS, to avoid baby getting overtired.
| 4-Month-Old Sleep Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Wake and Breast milk or Formula |
| 7:15 AM | Solids (Only if your pediatrician has recommended starting this early) |
| 7:45 | Nap |
| 8:15-8:45 | Breast milk or Formula |
| 9:45-10:00 | Nap |
| 10:45-11:15 | Breast milk or Formula |
| 11:45-12:00 | Nap |
| 1:15-1:45 | Breast milk or Formula |
| 2:00 | Nap |
| 3:45-4:15 | Breast milk or Formula |
| 4:45 | Nap |
| 5:45 | Begin bedtime routine |
| 6:00 | Breast milk or Formula |
| 6:15 | Bedtime (Goal to be asleep at this time) |
+Plus probably 1-3 nighttime feedings
Note: This schedule follows the eat-play-sleep routine, however, it is sometimes hard to do at this age when the amount of time between naps is not long enough and your baby wakes too early from his nap because of a feeding.
Want more information about how to help your 4 month old sleep well? Check out our detailed case study about Nadia, Brad, and their 4 month old, Abigail.
Abigail’s Story
Read how they helped Abigail learn to sleep longer stretches at night and take better naps – and how they helped to change those sleep associations that were keeping her awake! Just join our VIP Members Area, and access the case study instantly. And that’s not all – our VIP Members Area is packed with additional premium content and resources: e-Books, assessments, more case studies, peer support, and more. It actually costs much less to join than buying products separately!
You May Also Be Interested In:
- The 4 Month Sleep Regression: What It Is and How to Fix It
- Which Sleep Coaching Method Fits? (VIP Members Area quiz)
- Abrupt Changes in Sleep Habits (VIP Members Area article)
- 4 Month Sleep Regression Checklist
- Baby Immunizations and Sleep
Related posts:
8 Month Old Baby Feeding and Sleep Schedule: With Milk, Solid Food, Naps, and Nighttime Sleep – For Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Babies
6 Month Old Baby Feeding and Sleep Schedules: Samples for Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Babies
7 Month Old Baby Feeding and Sleep Schedule: For Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Infants
11 Month Old Baby Feeding and Sleep Schedule With Milk, Solid Food, Naps, and Nighttime Sleep – For Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Infants
My son is 4 months and one week old. He has been catnapping during the day for at least 6 weeks now. He wakes up at 28-35mins after we put him down and if we go in before he wakes up, sometimes we could put him back down but not alway. If we successfully put him back down we would still have to stay there for another 30-50 mins in case any stirring. His bed time is between 6-7:30pm, depends on the day. And he usually wakes up 2-3.5 hours after and we’d try to put him back down without feeding. But sometimes it’s ready hard and we end up feeding him….then he wakes up every 3 hours for the night feeds…most of the days he drinks more at night than during the day. At this point he is pretty good at falling asleep on his own after nap routine and bedtime routine. The issues bother us a lot is his catnap and night wakings/feedings. Can you give us some suggestions?
Thank you!!
Hi @Ashely –
Thank you for writing to us! Sorry to hear that your 4 month old baby is not sleeping well! We definitely understand, and are here to help! While short naps are still common at this age, it’s a good time to start working on helping your little guy fall back to sleep independently when he wakes! This article can help:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/baby-fall-asleep-alone-5-steps/
Night feeds, many wakings, and short naps can be so tough, and you’re not alone! We’d love to help you with this! A great place to start is our VIP Members Area, which has TONS of expert advice and help! You can read more here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/diy/
And please contact us if you would like more info about any of our offerings, and hang in there!
My 4 month old wakes at 7/7.30 for a bottle feed then goes back down around 8.15 for another hour. He is fed every 4 hours or so until his last feed around 10/10.30. He doesn’t wake for a night feed. He is currently napping for 2 hrs in the afternoon, which I believe can be a growth spurt or teething (I think its both in his case) with some 20 minute naps at other times of the the day. Would like to get him down around 9 and still not have a night feed.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for writing! It sounds like your son is sleeping about average for his age. Most formula-fed babies are not able to go a 12 hour night without feeding until at least 7 months, as they are just not big enough to stay full for long. We have a baby night feedings by age chart to give you a sense of what to expect here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/baby-night-feedings-age-chart/
Hope that helps!
The article on the 4 month sleep regression which also linked to the 4 month schedule was INCREDIBLY helpful! I was encouraged but also surprised that you all listed wind down around 5:45p, bedtime routine ~6pm and down for the shortly after. I think our nighttime stressors have been stemming from too late bedtime (8:00p) plus some early signs of the 4 m sleep regression…. don’t want it to stick around!
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for checking out The Baby Sleep Site! I’m so glad to hear that you found the 4-month sample schedule helpful! Bedtime this age can be anywhere between 6 and 8, depending on when baby is waking up from that last nap, but generally, earlier is better 🙂 Please let us know if you ever have further questions!
My 4 months only has 20 mins naps during the day, usually 1hr after her feeding. She goes to bed at 8:30pm and wakes up at 6:30. She does not wake up for feeds is this ok?.
Hi @Kaya – Thanks for writing to us about your 4 month old! You may want to ask your pediatrician about her sleeping all night. The doctor can tell you if her growth and development are on track and if she may need a night feed. Babies are all different and sleep through with no feeds at different times, and it’ll be best to get your doctor’s recommendations on this. Regarding those short naps = short naps are common at this age! Check out this article for some tips and help: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-naps-2/short-baby-naps-explained/
Good luck Kaya!
My son is 4 and a half months old. He is exclusively breastfed at this point.
His sleep schedule is actually pretty great.
Wakes at 7:30 am
Naps at 9am for 45mins
Naps at 11am for 2 1/2 hours
Naps at 3pm for 45 mins
Catnap at 5pm (20mins)
Bedtime at 7/7:30pm
During the night he wakes up once to feed (around 2:30am), and sometimes wakes up twice to feed (2:30am and 5:30am).
The only problem is, is that he will only sleep on me for naps. We co-sleep at night time and that is not an issue for us. But having him sleep on me during nap times is starting to become a little exhausting as I have no time to myself/ to get things done around the house. When I try to put him down for a nap he either wakes right away, or wakes after 20 mins.
Just wonder what steps I can take to getting him to sleep on his own during nap time.
Hi @Megan –
Thanks for writing and we’re happy to hear that your 4 month old is sleeping pretty well and on a good scheduel that works for all of you! It sounds like you’re ready to start teaching him to nap on his own, and we get it! Holding a baby for every nap can be so tough, and definitely makes it way too hard to get anything else done!
This article should help with some great tips:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/25-baby-toddler-nap-time-tips/
You may want to consider our eBook: Mastering Naps and Schedules. This eBook includes over 45 sample daytime nap and feeding schedules, as well as pages and pages on how to lengthen and extend short naps. This book is perfect for helping you teach your child healthy napping habits now and into toddlerhood.
You can read about this here:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/mastering-naps
Good luck and hang in there Megan!
Hi, I would like to how I transition my 4 month old from the 3 month schedule that has a 9pm bedtime to the 4 month schedule that has a 6:15 bedtime. Right now he wakes at 8am and has 3-4 naps totalling in 4-5 hrs during the day. He goes to bed at 9pm and wakes up twice for feeding. Total sleep 14-15 hrs.
@Claudia – Thank you for reading! Please let us know if we can be of any help as you work on adjusting your little guy’s bedtime. This is something we regularly help families through. Hang in there!