Understanding The Sleep Of Babies From 4 To 6 Months Old – Being Parents
A 4 month old baby can sleep eight hours without food, at 5 months he can sleep between 10 and 11 hours and by the time he is 6 months old he will need an average of 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night and a nap of 3 and a half hours during the day, divided into two or three naps.
But each baby is in their own world, and if your child is sleeping less or longer, you shouldn’t worry because each baby will need more or less time to feel rested and energized. A 4 month old baby who sleeps 8 hours a night without getting food doesn’t mean everyone does, every baby is different and you have to respect their biological rhythms.
After how many months is it time to change rooms?
When babies are between 4 and 6 months old, there are parents who prefer to move them to another room so that they can have their own resting place and create a good sleep routine. But this is something relative because not all parents decide to do it so early and prefer to wait. This is a very personal decision and you should weigh the options based on the space in the home and your personal (and baby’s) needs.
Sometimes the decision to move a baby to another room is due to fatigue. A father can sleep with his baby for much longer if needed, but sometimes battling fatigue can make it too difficult. Prolonged exhaustion can be a risk factor for depression.
Establish routines and stick to them
To properly regulate the baby’s internal clock, it will be necessary to create a daily routine and perform it every day. Babies need to feel safe, know what will happen next, so they can predict it and know when to sleep.
This is why it is important to have an established sleep time for the baby (routines should accompany it throughout childhood). Once the internal clock starts to balance, you will notice how your baby will start to know when to sleep and he may even show you signs (rubbing his eyes, yawning…).
Don’t forget the naps
At nap time, babies should not sleep in complete darkness, as this could be confused with nocturnal bedtime. It is also not necessary for the house to be completely silent when the baby is sleeping, as this will help him know that it is daytime and that bedtime has not yet arrived.
In addition , it is important to respect the naps of babies because they are sleeping what they need. Never waking baby up for a shot but letting him sleep what he needs, taking into account the first few months of life is ideal because babies know how to regulate themselves when they are hungry or when they prefer to stop eating.
Recognize the signs of sleep
When a baby is between 4 and 6 months old, it is very important to recognize the signs that indicate that he is ready to sleep. Knowing them is very important in order to create healthy sleep habits and make the baby happier. When your child tells you that he is falling asleep without words, he is showing these signs:
- He has a lost or fixed gaze on a point
- Yawning
- He rubs his eyes
- He loses interest in interacting with people or toys
- He is irritable
- He screams
- He has temper tantrums
These are all signs that tell you that your child is sleepy and wants to get some rest as quickly as possible. It is therefore important to keep this in mind throughout the day. Once you understand your baby’s sleep patterns, help regulate it through routines and your love. Plus, you can understand the obvious signs that show you that he is tired and would rather sleep than be awake. Observe how predictable your baby’s sleep is.