RestRest+Kids
Nap schedules for 3-4 month olds
Ashley Abramson
Three and four months of age, for babies, is a period of major development. Along with becoming more social, expressive, and mobile, your little one is starting to develop an internal sleep clock called a circadian rhythm. That means it’s the perfect time for you to start implementing a sleep routine for your 3-4 month old baby.
Your job as a caregiver is to set the stage for consistent habits. Over time, your baby will start to associate these habits with rest, further strengthening your circadian rhythm (read: more and better sleep). Hatch Rest, the baby white noise machine and nightlight, is all about helping you create routines you can stick to, with comforting songs and sounds and cozy bedtime light options.
Below, learn more about how to start a sleep routine for 3-4 month old babies, and best practices that can set you and baby up for the best rest possible.
What to know about sleep routines for 3-4 month olds
After a few months of constant Zzzs as a newborn, babies start consolidating sleep around 3-4 months old. You might notice consistent patterns emerging, with your baby falling asleep around the same times and staying asleep for predictable periods. This is a good sign: It means your little one’s circadian rhythm is developing!
This is a great time to start implementing sleep routines, like a gentle nap and bedtime schedule. Keep in mind routine is more of a guideline than a strict rule — every baby is different, and even the same baby can need different things from day to day.
That said, most 3-4 month-old babies have similar sleep patterns. Here’s what to know:
- At this age, your baby can sleep 11-12 hours a night, with one optional night waking for feeding.
- For naps, your 4-month-old will need about four hours of daytime sleep spread across four naps.
- Some naps may be an hour long, but it’s more likely you’ll see a mix of two 30-60 minute naps and two 1-2 hour naps.
- Babies this age should be awake no longer than 1.5-1.75 hours at a time. This wake window is a sleep spot that helps your little one build just enough sleep pressure to fall asleep smoothly without becoming overtired.
- Rather than focusing on set nap times, aim to prioritize wake windows — timing naps based on how long your baby has been awake rather than the clock.
- While the length and timing of each nap will vary slightly from day to day, the overall routine remains consistent.
- The morning wake window is usually the shortest wake window of the day, so adjusting accordingly can set the tone for smoother naps.
- Ensure that 2 of the 4 naps take place in your baby’s crib to promote independent sleep and better rest.
Example sleep schedule for 3-4 month old baby
- 7:00 AM: Wake up
- 8:30 AM: First nap in crib
- 9:00 AM: Wake up
- 10:30 AM: Second nap in the stroller
- 12:00 PM: Wake up
- 1:30: Third nap in crib
- 2:45 PM: Wake up
- 4:30 PM: Fourth nap in the car
- 5:15 PM: Wake up
- 7:00 PM: Bedtime
How to use wake windows for 3-4 month old babies
During the 1.5-1.75 hour awake windows, feed and play with your baby. The eat-play-sleep routine is generally a good framework for babies this age. Following this cadence, you’d feed your baby when they wake up, then spend time interacting, whether you read aloud, play with toys, or go outside for a walk.
As you implement the 4-month-old sleep schedule, try to stick to the 1.5-1.75 hour wake windows and avoid exceeding them. Don’t wait for your baby to yawn, rub their eyes, or show other sleepy cues — those signs often indicate they’ve already become overtired.
Instead, use the clock to guide you. Follow wake windows with fidelity, and when it’s time for your baby to nap, offer them a calm, comfortable place to sleep. This structure will help support more restorative naps and smoother nights.
When should I start creating a sleep routine for my baby?
Newborn babies need lots of sleep (living earthside is a big adjustment). Around 3-4 months old, a baby’s natural biological rhythms start to emerge as more predictable patterns, which means you can begin to implement a basic sleep routine.
Following a loose eat-play-sleep routine — and paying attention to your baby’s needs — can help guide you in the process. Need help staying consistent? Hatch Rest can be an effective way to help your baby transition into a more predictable routine. For example, you could play the same lullaby and heartbeat sound a few minutes before nap to create a sleep cue that helps baby drift off.
How many naps should be in the baby’s crib?
While it’s perfectly fine for some naps to happen on the go, we recommend trying to offer your baby’s first and third naps in the crib. These naps are typically the most restorative and can set the tone for better overall sleep throughout the day and night. Following this approach now will help set you up for success when it’s time to transition to a two-nap schedule later on.
The good news? If you offer naps one and three in the crib, the second and fourth naps can be more flexible — taken in a baby carrier, stroller, or car if you have errands to run. Independent sleep can still happen in a stroller or carrier, but we recommend focusing on independent sleep spaces. At this age, contact naps can lead to sleep disruptions, so prioritizing consistent, independent sleep spaces is key.
When should I feed my 3-4 month old?
At this age, your baby likely needs to breastfeed or bottle feed every 3-4 hours. The eat-play-sleep rhythm is ideal for most babies this age, but it may not happen perfectly during every single wake window. Feeding and sleeping schedules will vary slightly for every baby, and from day to day.
You’ll likely find yourself offering some feedings right before a nap once in awhile, and there will be times when your baby finishes feeding and needs to go down for a nap 10-20 minutes later. Both are totally normal!
The goal isn’t to hold on to the Eat-Play-Sleep rhythm so tightly that it restricts your ability to enjoy your baby’s sweet, fleeting babyhood. Flexibility and responsiveness to your baby’s unique needs are just as important as maintaining routines.
What’s the difference between a sleep routine and sleep schedule?
The terms “sleep schedule” and “sleep routine” can be interchangeable, but generally, schedule is more rigid and by-the-book. Routines are meant to be consistent and build healthy habits. For example, putting your baby down for bed every night around the same time can help create healthy sleep habits over time. But routines also involve flexibility: Some nights, your baby might go to bed a little earlier or later than normal. The key is to return back to your routine when you can and stay as consistent as possible!
Hatch Rest’s white noise, soothing audio, and cozy nightlight features can help with creating sleep routines for your baby. And when you’re not at home? Hatch Rest Go is a great way to help your baby get restorative sleep by swapping unwanted background noise for comforting sound, from rainfall to lullabies.
Summary
At 3-4 months, babies are ready to start building basic sleep routines that can support restorative rest. Most babies at this age need two short naps and two long naps each day, with 11-12 hours of sleep at night. While nap and bedtime routines can help your baby get consistent sleep, it’s also important to be flexible and responsive to your baby’s needs.
Incorporating Hatch Rest into your baby’s routines can create a calming environment for sleep and help form cues for rest that communicate to baby when it’s time to wind down for sleep.
