Overview
Around this age, you may start to see more regular sleep patterns happen. At this age, babies typically sleep for 14-15 hours a day altogether, but still wake up regularly due to short sleep cycles. Your 3-4 month old baby, can sleep anywhere from 1 to 3 hours at a time, but sometimes it may be shorter, possibly only 30 minutes. At this age it is typical that babies will still wake for feeds at night. Babies that are 3-4 months old typically have more predictable day and night-time sleep patterns.
Example 3-4 Month Old Routine
Feed: Watch for hunger cues, babies at this age may have more predictable feeding patterns, however growth spurts, sickness or hot days happen. Your baby may need more feeds at different times.
Play: Your baby’s awake times are becoming longer; they are moving their hands and bodies more. They might enjoy more play time on the floor and playing with toys that are appropriate. Keep talking, singing and reading with your baby, they love watching you at this age.
Sleep: Your baby may have longer wake periods at this age, approximately 1.5-2 hours at times. Continue to look out for tired signs, responding promptly to tired signs can help your little one with going off to sleep easier
Do I need a sleep routine?
Patterns are helpful for babies. Patterns, like feed, play, sleep patterns, help babies to expect what’s coming next. As they grow they will learn to associate certain events with sleep time. Following flexible patterns, which are responsive to your baby’s cues is also important to meet the needs of your baby. It is helpful for babies to have simple patterns that signal time for sleep. Being consistent with these patterns is what helps your baby learn it is time for bed. Some examples of what your sleep routine could include are:
- A warm bath
- A gentle massage after their bath
- Wearing pyjamas
- Reading together and speaking softly as you wind down
- Wrapping your baby (if they’re not yet rolling), for more information click here.
- Playing a lullaby,
- Lots of cuddles
- A familiar phrase that signals it’s time for sleep - something like “sleepy time baby, mummy loves you”
- Placing your baby on their back in their cot ready for sleep.
Responsive Settling Techniques
Being responsive to your baby’s cues is important to help them feel safe and secure. This helpful resource can help you be responsive to your baby’s needs for settling to sleep.
Responding to your baby as your baby wakes:
- When your baby wakes during the night, pause to see if they will settle themselves. If they don’t, enter the room quietly and provide comfort with minimal stimulation—no bright lights or active interaction. Use soft words, gentle pats, or a soothing shush to calm them
- Over time, watch your babies cues and allow them time to settle themselves. For example, you might like to try to start by shortening how long you stay in the room or reducing the amount of physical touch as your baby calms down while settling. Responsive settling ensures that your baby feels supported and can help your baby start to learn to settle themselves over time, helping your baby to have longer stretches of sleep at night.
We acknowledge that it can be hard initially when making any sort of change. When settling, an upset baby, regularly question how you and your baby are coping. Keep baby safe and notice if you are getting frustrated or angry. Try taking deep breaths, slow speech, lowering your voice, and using only gentle pats. Use positive self-talk or put your child in a safe place and take a short break to calm yourself and get support when you need to. Lean on support from family and friends and reach out for help if you need to. Judgement-free support is available to you from Karitane.
