4 Month Old Nap/sleep Schedule

Updated on January 04, 2011
W.M. asks from Bloomington, IN
3 answers

Hi, mamas! My 4 month old son has been a great sleeper--up until this past week he's slept about 11 hours a night from 8 weeks old. This week, however, he's dropped it to 9.5-10 hours at night (which is fine, too, of course). My question is about the naps. He takes two morning naps, totaling about 50 minutes each. Then one afternoon nap for about 45 minutes, and an evening nap (from 6-7). He usually goes to bed at 9:30. He was getting up at 8:30 or 9, but now he wakes up at 7:30. He is not waking up from hunger, as he still waits until 9 am to eat, even when up at 7:30. I do not "schedule" the naps--these are just the times he seems to want to nap. I'm wondering if I should try to move the evening nap up or eliminate it altogether and keep him up? Is it possible that he doesn't need quite as much sleep now? Thanks!

Thank you for all the comments so far. To clarify--he is fed on demand. But he is never hungry in the morning until about 9:00, no matter what time he wakes up. He plays and has tummy time for a while before he will eat.

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Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Sleep is NEVER static in a baby or child... it gets affected by:
Hunger
growth-spurts
teething
illness
changes in development
when hitting milestones
changes in motor-skills
changes in cognition
cluster-feeding needs
MANY things.

3 months, was/is a growth-spurt period in a baby.
every 3 months is a growth-spurt period.
If not getting enough intake for example at these junctures, they will be hungry/hungrier... until intake keeps pace with... their growing and intake needs.

You said he 'waits'... to feed. How come?
Do you not just feed him on-demand????
Or are you feeding him by a schedule?

Do not eliminate naps. An over-tired baby... actually sleeps worse, wakes more and over-tired children/babies.... do not get enough sleep.

Babies also get over-tired very quickly and they get over-stimulated quickly.... which all affects their sleep, as well.

1 mom found this helpful

A.A.

answers from Anchorage on

My opinion! Kids make there on schedule at that age,I think that if it works for you it works for him, :) Things will change though in the next few months.... Thats when you will have to take charge of hes nap's. Sounds like your doing a great job if hes sleeping like that! Get all the sleep you can!! You just got a little lucky! ( for a while) -lol

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I would just let him set his own schedule - sounds like things are going great.

1 mom found this helpful
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