Understand Your Child’s Need For Sleep At 4-6 Months Of Age

When a baby is born, it has an uncontrollable internal clock. It can not distinguish between day and night. A healthy sleep pattern can be established during the first months with your help. At four months of age, babies can sleep around 14 hours a day.

A four-month-old baby can sleep eight hours in a row without waking up to eat. At five months, they can sleep between 10 to 11 hours.

When they are six months old, they need around 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep per day. Six-month-old babies need three to five hours of naps spread over around two to three naps a day.

Every baby is different. If your child sleeps more or less than we said, do not worry.

Every child may need more or less sleep depending on how energetic it is. If your four-month-old baby sleeps eight hours a night without waking up and wanting food, that does not mean that all babies are like that.

Every baby is unique and you must respect your baby’s biological clock.

Is it time for your own room?

When the children reach four to six months, some parents choose to move them to their own room. It gives them a private space to sleep so that they can develop good sleeping habits.

This is of course relative because some parents prefer to wait longer. It is a very personal decision and you have to weigh both the pros and cons.

Factors such as enough space, the parents’ personal needs and your child’s need for sleep may need to be considered before your child gets his or her own room.

Sometimes parents choose to move their child to their own room due to sheer exhaustion. A parent can also sleep longer with the child if needed.

But sometimes exhaustion can make it very difficult to get up in the morning. Prolonged fatigue can also be a risk factor for depression.

Create sleeping routines for your child

In order for the child’s internal clock to be normalized, it is important to follow a set of routines every day. Babies need to feel safe and know what to expect, e.g. when it’s time to sleep.

It is therefore important to have a fixed schedule for the child. Routines should be established already when they are small.

As the internal clock begins to normalize, you will notice how your baby begins to feel when it’s bedtime. It may even start asking for sleep using certain signals (such as rubbing its eyes and yawning).

Think about your child’s nap

During the nap, the child should preferably not sleep in total darkness as it confuses the internal clock. The house also does not have to be completely quiet while the child is sleeping.

In this way, the child understands that it is daytime and not even bedtime (a long period of uninterrupted sleep).

It is important that you respect your child’s need for sleep and naps because it will sleep as much or as little as it needs. Do not wake it.

Let it sleep for as long as it needs. Your baby will take a nap if needed during the first months of life. It will also learn to regulate when it is hungry and when it has finished eating.

Recognize the signs that your child is tired

For children between four and six months, it is important to recognize the signs that they are ready to sleep. It allows you to create healthy sleeping habits and your baby will be happier.

Here are some signs your child may use to indicate that they are tired:

• It stares straight into empty nothingness
• It yawns
• It rubs the eyes
• It no longer wants to play with its toys
• It’s annoying
• It’s crying
• It’s going to be noisy

Once you understand these signs, you can begin to help your child regulate his sleep routine. You will also know when it is tired and wants to sleep, and when it usually wakes up.