8 Things You Can Do To Survive A Sleep Regression
But first what is sleep regression? When a baby takes a step forward in their development journey, but another step backward in sleep. I would actually call it a “progression” because it’s a sign that the baby is developing and growing, during such periods, the baby is developing and learning a lot of new skills.
Starting from rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, along with emotional development, to understanding categorization and sequence … all these and much more are key developmental milestones that cause sleep regression.
A baby who is experiencing a sleep regression might experience: short naps or resist naps, more / new frequent night wakings, trouble falling asleep at bedtime. The baby might be fussier with a change in appetite as well.
I am here to remind you that sleep regressions are temporary, and they are a sign that your baby is about to develop a new skill or reach another milestone.
Key sleep regressions happen around:
4 months
8 months
10 months
12 months
15 months
18 months
24 months
So, how can you handle a sleep regression?
Stay consistent with the routine and sleep schedule.
Offer early bedtime to fight overtiredness.
Help the baby to practise during the day any new skill he/she is learning.
Be mindful about introducing new habits, if your baby is sleeping independently, don’t go back to the rocking or feeding to sleep.
Set up a supportive sleep environment (cool & dark).
Watch the sleepy cues and catch bedtime and naptime before your little one becomes overtired.
Offer nap on the go if needed (stroller) - for the 3rd nap in case the child is on 3 naps.
Make sure that the child is getting full feeds during the day.
And of course, offer extra comfort and love!
Got any questions? feel free to reach out to me at hello@yasminegaddis.com
