Sleep Regressions
Sleep regressions are normal and something that all children can experience, even children that usually sleep very well. They can happen a few times in your young child’s life. Some children have a harder time than others during these phases.
What is a sleep regression?
During their first 2 years of life children develop at a very fast rate. There are some ages where they go through a leap in their development. These can cause a shift in sleep patterns and this can result in new issues with sleep, such as protesting, shorter naps and more night wakes.
The good news is that these are signs that your little one is growing and developing and will soon be showing you a new skill! Unfortunately, sleep is often disturbed during this time.
Signs of a sleep regression
The main sign is that sleep is not as good as it usually is. Some common signs of a sleep regression are:
· Protesting and resisting naps and/or bedtime
· Frequent night wakes
· Shorter naps
· Fussiness
· Unable to fall asleep on their own
· Baby is more tired than usual
· Baby is not eating as well as usual
· Easily woken up from a sleep
What ages do sleep regressions typically occur?
· 4 months
· 8-10 months
· 12 months
· 18 months
· 2 years
Not all babies will experience regressions at the same time, however if your little one was a good sleeper and then all of a sudden is showing some of the signs above (and is around one of the ages mentioned) then likely they have hit a sleep regression.
What is causing the regression?
4 MONTHS
I like to think of this one as a sleep ‘progression’ as your baby is now starting to sleep like an adult. The newborn sleeping pattern disappears and babies start sleeping in sleep cycles like we do. This causes more night wakings, fussiness and shorter naps. Whilst this regression will pass within a few weeks, your baby’s new sleeping pattern will not. Which means if they are relying on help to get to sleep (feeding, rocking, patting etc) then they will continue to wake up regularly throughout the night and have short naps. This will not improve until they are falling asleep independently.
8-10 MONTHS
At this age your baby has several developmental changes happening at the same time. First baby can be learning to crawl and to pull themselves up to stand. They also have a greater environmental awareness and they are really absorbing language. Finally there is a lot of emotional development going on which is when we start to see separation anxiety.
12 MONTHS
This is not as common as the other regressions however we do sometimes see sleep disruption due to restlessness and overstimulation due to physical growth. Separation anxiety can also occur again at this age due to heightened emotional and social development. Finally sleep can be disrupted at this time due to a shift in a child’s day sleep needs. Sometimes we can see issues with the second nap (the child could start refusing). My advice would be to continue to offer 2 naps per day for 2 weeks. If they are still having difficulty with that second nap after 2 weeks, then I would start the transition to 1 nap.
18 MONTHS
This can be the most challenging sleep regression. Your child is now a toddler and has an increased sense of independence. You may start to regularly hear the word ‘no’ and see a lot more protesting. This often means at bedtime too. You can start seeing tantrums at this age. It is also common to see some separation anxiety again at this age and your child might be distressed when you leave the room at naptime or bedtime. Finally I sometimes see sleep disruption due to teething at this age.
2 YEARS
There can be lots going on for your child at this age and this can cause issues with sleep. This could be potty training, a new sibling or even moving to a bed from a crib. You might see more protesting at bedtime, night wakes and possibly some early morning wakes. This can be due to a leap in physical abilities and a huge burst in language skills. At this age toddlers are still craving that independence, they can have a very strong will. It is also possible that your little one can start having nightmares around this age.
How long do these regressions last and how can I get through it?
A sleep regression can last anywhere between 1 and 4 weeks. If you can be consistent with your healthy sleep habits then it should pass within a few weeks and your little one should go back to sleeping well.
· Keep up with your usual routines and schedule for consistency.
· If your little one needs more comfort it is ok to offer more than usual when putting to bed. However try not to start rocking or helping them to sleep. This is a habit that will then have to be broken after the regression has passed.
· Give lots of love and cuddles during the day. Try to remain calm if little one is very upset.
· If your baby is learning a new skill (crawling, standing, walking) give them the chance to practise this new skill lots during the day.
· You might need to temporarily extend the wake windows during this period by 15-30 minutes.
· For teething pain give your child a cold washcloth or teething ring to chew. Also speak to a pharmacist about suitable pain relief.
· If you child is experiencing separation anxiety, practice during the day having short periods apart (leave with another adult for a short time and then gradually build up the time apart). When you leave make sure you use the same goodbye ritual. Play peekaboo. If your little one is upset in their bed, try to just comfort without taking them out of the bed.
· For the toddlers it can really help to have some outside play twice a day (mid-morning and mid-afternoon). Also, for your toddlers make sure you are sticking to firm boundaries as this can really help with any behaviour issues that are cropping up.
· If your child is over 1 it can be a good time to introduce a soft animal that they can sleep with. You can even ask your child to pick which one.
If you have tried all of this but feel like you need some more support please contact me, I offer one time advice calls or different packages depending on the level of support you need.