Published by Actually Sleeping · Reviewed by Dr. Samantha Abrahamson, PharmD · Review policy · Updated 2026-11-10

What is a good sleep schedule for a 4 month old?

At 4 months most babies take 3–4 naps and, as a rule of thumb, stay awake 1.5–2 hours at a time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 12–16 hours of sleep in 24 from 4 months, including naps. Bedtime usually falls between 7 and 8 p.m., with 10–12 hours in the crib overnight and often 1–2 night feeds.

What is typical at 4 months

Measure	Typical range
Total sleep per 24 hours	12–16 hours (AASM, ages 4–12 months)
What studies of healthy babies found	Night wakings at 3–6 months averaged 0.8, with 0 to 3 within the normal range (Galland 2012)
Night sleep (common practice range)	10–12 hours
Naps (common practice range)	3–4, totalling about 3.5–4.5 hours
Wake windows (rule of thumb, not a research finding)	1.5–2 hours; shortest in the morning, longest before bed
Night feeds	Commonly 1–2 a night. Whether to keep, reduce or drop night feeds is your pediatrician’s decision.

Rows marked AASM are the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendation, which the AAP supports. Rows marked Galland 2012 come from a systematic review of observational studies. The other rows are common practice ranges, not research findings. They describe an average baby; healthy babies sit on both sides of every one of them.

Four months is when a schedule on paper and a baby in the crib most often part ways. The sleep cycles change, and a baby who needs feeding or rocking to fall asleep starts needing it again at every cycle. A schedule cannot fix that on its own. Actually Sleeping does it with a plan Dr. Sam writes for your baby, bootcamp-style coaching before night one, and daily 1:1 check-ins. It is not cry it out and not wait it out.

What is changing developmentally

The AAP says babies have regular sleep cycles from about 4 months. In infancy each cycle of light and deep sleep lasts about 50 minutes, with a brief arousal between them. This change is permanent. A baby who falls asleep with help notices that the help is gone at each arousal and calls for it. Rolling arrives for many babies, and feeds get distractible in daylight.

Why the average 4-month schedule often does not fit

Waking every 1–2 hours: often the new sleep cycles meeting an old way of falling asleep. See 4-month sleep regression or sleep problem.
Short naps: one sleep cycle and done, usually for the same reason. See 30-minute naps.
Feeding back to sleep at every waking: see the feed-to-sleep association.
3 naps or 4: the answer depends on how long your baby’s naps run, which no printed schedule can know.

These are the reasons the same timetable produces a calm evening for one family and a 2-hour bedtime for another. Most families who come to us have already tried things on their own.

Safe sleep at 4 months

The swaddle must be gone once rolling attempts begin. Keep placing your baby on the back in an empty crib; the AAP says a baby who rolls both ways comfortably does not need to be turned back.
Room-share without bed-sharing for at least the first 6 months (AAP).

Is this age right for sleep training?

For many families, yes, once the pediatrician is happy with growth and feeding. The AAP’s parent site advises putting babies 4 months and older to bed drowsy rather than asleep. Teaching independent sleep does not require dropping night feeds; those decisions belong to your pediatrician, and Actually Sleeping plans never force them out. We guarantee that your baby will sleep 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days of consistent, correct implementation of your sleep plan. Parents who started at exactly this stage talk about it on our 4-month regression reviews. Read the best age to sleep train, then book a free consultation with Dr. Sam.

Want this fixed for your baby?

Actually Sleeping is 1:1 coaching: a sleep plan written for your baby by Dr. Sam, bootcamp-style coaching before the first night, and daily check-ins until it is working. 700+ families coached, 129 video reviews, and a written guarantee: 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days, or a full refund.

Book your free consultation → See what families say

Frequently asked

Should a 4 month old take 3 or 4 naps?

Either can be normal. Four short naps or three longer ones can add up to similar daytime sleep. Which suits your baby depends on how long their naps last and when they wake, which is what Dr. Sam works out in a custom plan.

What time should a 4 month old go to bed?

As a common rule of thumb, between 7 and 8 p.m. The right time for your baby depends on the last nap and on how they fall asleep, so it is set in the plan rather than copied from a chart.

How long does the 4-month regression last?

The change in sleep cycles is permanent, and there is no research-defined length for the disruption. Babies who depend on feeding, rocking or holding to fall asleep tend to keep waking at each cycle. That pattern is what Actually Sleeping coaches.

Does a 4 month old still need night feeds?

Many do. Ask your pediatrician what is appropriate for your baby’s growth, and do not cut feeds on your own. A plan from Actually Sleeping keeps every feed your pediatrician wants.