197. Drowsy But Awake: Your Key to Avoiding the 4-Month Sleep Regression
Description
Is the 4-month sleep regression inevitable? Not necessarily. In this episode of How Long 'Til Bedtime?, pediatric sleep specialist Allison Egidi explains how practicing “drowsy but awake” before 4 months can help your baby sleep longer stretches and avoid the most disruptive parts of this sleep shift. Learn what "drowsy but awake" really means, how to start practicing it, and what to do if it’s not going smoothly.
Whether you’re a brand-new parent or you’ve got a 3-month-old who’s suddenly waking every 45 minutes, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can start using right away.
What you’ll learn:
-
What the 4-month sleep regression really is—and why I call it a progression
-
Why sleep starts to fall apart around this age (and what to do about it)
-
What “drowsy but awake” actually looks like in real life
-
A simple, gentle approach to helping your baby fall asleep in the crib
-
How to build the skill gradually—starting with just one nap a day
-
What to try if your baby wakes the second they hit the crib mattress
-
How to troubleshoot naps and wake windows to make sleep easier
Resources mentioned in the episode:
-
🎯 Have Baby, Need Sleep Program: Get week-by-week personalized guidance from birth through 20 weeks
-
📋 Listener Survey + Free 15-Minute Call: Tell me what you love, what you want more of, and get a free consult
-
🍼 Want help teaching independent sleep? Book a private consultation with Allison or a member of her team here
Click here to watch or listen on YouTube
Want to hear more from Allison? Provide your email address here to receive Allison’s weekly email about the podcast and other fun topics.
Enjoying How Long ‘Til Bedtime? Please consider rating and reviewing the show. This helps Allison support more parents. Click here, scroll to the bottom, rate the podcast, and select “Write a Review.” And if you’re a Spotify listener, you can now leave reviews on Spotify by clicking here. Also, if you subscribe to the show, you won’t miss any episodes!
Connect with Allison:
United States
