Updated on
November 29, 2024
"My baby sleeps through the night." "My baby is a super sleeper." "My baby has always been a great sleeper." Maybe you've heard these kinds of comments about sleeping through the night and now you're wondering, "What am I doing wrong?" Sleeping through the night? Yeah, right. Just one look in the mirror says it all: dark circles, unbrushed hair – the works.
After countless sleepless nights, the longing for a good night's sleep grows stronger—whether it’s day or night. It’s totally understandable and normal. It’s just as normal to ask yourself, "What am I doing wrong? Why isn't my baby sleeping through the night? And when do babies actually start sleeping through the night?"
Here’s the most important thing: You’re not doing anything wrong. Every baby is unique, and that goes for their sleep patterns too. When a baby starts sleeping through the night varies and depends on a number of factors. What are those factors? What does “sleeping through the night” really mean? How can your baby learn to sleep longer stretches? You’ll find all that out right here.
So, your baby is between three and four months old (or older) and suddenly doesn’t want to sleep anymore? No wonder you’re concerned! Don’t blame yourself; it’s not your fault. The reasons for this challenging sleep behavior are biological—and completely NORMAL. Spoiler alert: Along with learning many new cognitive and motor skills, your baby is also learning how to sleep.
How does all of this connect? What do growth and developmental spurts have to do with it? And why shouldn’t you fear the infamous 4-month sleep regression? You’ll find out next.
Below, we answer the most common questions about the 4-month sleep regression:
Remember this? It’s 3 AM, and you're jolted awake by a little kick to the ribs. Ouch! Isn't baby supposed to be sleeping? Another kick quickly follows – it’s like your baby’s training for the next Olympics! Why isn't my baby sleeping? You'll probably be asking yourself this question a lot. But let’s take it one step at a time.
Your baby is here, and suddenly everything is upside down – especially your sleep schedule. But why is that? The reason: Newborns don’t have a day-night rhythm like adults do. For the last nine months, your baby was in a cozy, warm, and constantly dark environment - your belly! Even though babies start experiencing sleep and wake cycles around the 36th week of pregnancy, these cycles are still pretty unstable and irregular. After birth, your baby continues this seemingly random sleep-wake pattern – at least for the first three months. Stay strong!
During this time, newborns typically sleep for 16 to 18 hours within a 24-hour period, waking every 2 to 4 hours to be fed, changed, or comforted. So, it's completely normal—and necessary—for your baby to not sleep more than 2 hours at a stretch during the newborn phase. Stay strong!
The Game-Changer: The 4-Month Sleep Regression – dreaded but essential. Starting around the 4th month, your baby’s sleep patterns go through a big transformation. Little by little, your baby’s sleep rhythm starts to resemble that of an adult. This means your baby’s sleep cycle is getting longer – and that means more sleep for you too! Hooray!
While newborns typically have sleep cycles lasting only 30 to 45 minutes, by 4 months, babies can sleep for 90 to 120 minutes at a time. Over time, your baby will learn to link multiple sleep cycles together, leading to longer, uninterrupted sleep stretches.
Four, six, or eight hours? What exactly counts as "sleeping through the night"? Find out in the next section!
What does "sleeping through the night" actually mean? Four, six, or eight hours? With or without nursing or bottle-feeding? With or without mom and/or dad by their side?
The concept of sleeping through the night raises a lot of questions. Simply put, sleep experts define sleeping through the night as when a baby is able to link multiple sleep cycles together and fall back asleep independently—without any help from mom or dad.
When your baby is able to do this is just as unique as the idea of sleeping through the night itself. Every child has their own needs and develops their sleep rhythm at their own pace. Factors like sleep routines, self-soothing skills, and sleep associations like nursing or feeding patterns can all influence when your baby starts to sleep through.
There’s no universal answer or clear definition for what sleeping through the night looks like.
It's important to understand that babies first need to learn how to fall back asleep without help from mom and/or dad. Some manage this as early as 6 months, while others don’t sleep for longer stretches until after their first year. It’s completely normal and developmentally appropriate for newborns and babies who wake due to hunger, discomfort, or growth spurts to need help from mom or dad to settle back to sleep. Every baby develops at their own pace—and that’s perfectly okay! So, no worries. With patience and your loving support, your baby will eventually learn to sleep through the night on their own. How to help them do that? We'll explain next.
Abracadabra, and suddenly your baby sleeps through the night? If only it were that easy. Predicting when a baby will sleep through the night is as tricky as predicting the date of their next developmental leap.
It’s completely normal—and even essential—for newborns to wake up frequently during the night in those early months. At this age, babies spend most of their time in light REM sleep, which allows them to wake up when they’re hungry, uncomfortable, or too warm or cold.
By around 6 months, some babies are theoretically able to go several hours at night without needing to be fed and can fall back asleep without the support of mum or dad. But hold on a minute! What does "without support" really mean? It refers to things like rhythmic patting on their bottom, gentle stroking, singing, or light rocking —basically anything, including a pacifier, that helps soothe your baby and guide them back to sleep.
That said, these are often exceptions. Many children don’t learn how to self-soothe or regulate themselves enough to sleep through the night until after their first birthday—or even later. There’s no set age for when babies start sleeping through the night.
Remember: Even if your baby has been sleeping through the night for weeks or months, there will still be phases when they wake more frequently and call for you. These “bad sleep phases,” also known as sleep regressions, are often linked to growth and developmental leaps. Teething, illness, or changes in their sleep environment can also disrupt your baby’s sleep patterns.
Do you want to support your baby and learn more about their sleep patterns? Happy Baby creates a daily sleep schedule tailored specifically to your child’s age and current needs.
There are two main factors that influence your baby’s ability to sleep through the night: First, your baby’s age, and second, their ability to self-regulate and fall back asleep without external help—like from mom or dad. How you can lovingly and patiently support your baby in becoming an independent sleeper is explained in the following sections.
Age: In the first few months, newborns are still adjusting to their environment—including the new sensations of hunger, tiredness, and more. It’s completely normal for newborns not to sleep through the night and to wake up as soon as they feel hungry. No surprise here—after all, a newborn’s stomach is only the size of a cherry! By around 6 months, some babies can theoretically go several hours without nursing or a bottle, sometimes even up to six hours. Others manage this around 8 or 9 months, and some not until after their first birthday. What does this tell us? First: There’s no set time when a baby will start sleeping through the night. Second: It’s completely fine if your baby isn’t sleeping through the night at 6 months.
Self-regulation: A baby who wakes up between sleep cycles and falls back asleep without help from mom or dad is considered an “independent sleeper.” But this is something babies have to learn first. Every baby develops this ability at their own pace. Early on, babies soothe themselves by sucking on a pacifier, their thumb, or nursing. Once your baby can lift their head on their own, roll over, and sit up independently, it’s safe to introduce a comfort item like a stuffed animal or lovey to help them calm down and fall asleep.
Growth spurts, overtiredness, or those first teeth coming in — there will always be a reason why your baby goes through phases of poor sleep. Just remember: everything is temporary. Your baby’s development is not a straight line, and that affects their sleep too.
Here are some common reasons why your baby might not be sleeping through the night:
Here are some tips to help encourage your baby to sleep through the night:
Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for getting babies to sleep through the night. Babies need security, comfort, and routine to sleep well. Whether you provide that by rocking, nursing, or cuddling, your baby will learn to sleep independently with time and your loving support.
It’s completely normal for babies and toddlers not to sleep through the night, so don’t panic. However, if you’re feeling uncertain or need support—whether it’s about frequent night waking, early rising, night weaning, or other sleep-related concerns—reach out to your pediatrician or a sleep consultant for guidance.
Sleep regressions are phases in which baby's and toddler's sleep pattern can temporarily change due to growth spurts. This is a normal part of child development and often occurs around four, eight, twelve, 18, and 24 months of age. During these phases, babies and toddlers may have difficulty falling asleep and sleep poorly - at night as well as during the day. Fortunately, sleep regressions are not permanent; after a developmental leap, your child's sleep should return to normal. Parents can help their child navigate a sleep regression with a personalized sleep plan, along with consistent routines and rituals.
Are you unsure whether your baby has sleep regression and would like to understand your baby's sleep patterns? With Happy Baby, you can record your baby's sleep and create an individual sleep plan that helps you through the difficult phases.
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