If you’re a parent or carer, you know that the phrase “sleep like a baby” is often used too loosely. A baby’s sleep can be fickle at best, and sleep patterns can vary from child to child. There’s so much advice on sleep training, routines and ways to help your baby (and you!) get a good night’s sleep because what works for one family may not work for another. Even if you’re fortunate to have babies who sleep well, they too will go through a common and challenging phase: sleep regression. This is all part of the many fast-moving changes that take place as an infant grows.
Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned parent, it’s good to know what baby sleep regression is and how to cope when uninterrupted sleep feels like a fantasy. Here is advice and reassurance to get you through a rough, but temporary, part of your baby’s first couple of years.
What is baby sleep regression?
Sleep regression is when a baby’s sleep pattern starts to suffer from more frequently waking up, increased fussiness and increased crying — especially when falling asleep or waking up. It constitutes a consistent shift in how your baby sleeps… for the worse. Instead of a sudden change, look out for a gradual pattern of more difficult nights emerging over a period of several weeks.
What are signs of sleep regression in babies?
Since our babies can’t tell us what’s going on, it’s comforting to name what’s happening so that we can help them and ourselves get more rest.
Signs of sleep regression to be aware of include the following:
- Having difficulty separating at bedtime and falling asleep
- Waking up more often during the night
- Waking up very early in the morning
- Shorter naps
- Resistance to napping
As sleep regression is common and unavoidable, the best thing to do is use it as a learning opportunity for you and your baby, helping to develop sleep routines and self-soothing skills that will continue to serve your child going forward.
What causes sleep regression in babies?
Typically, two things cause sleep regressions: age-related developmental phases, such as starting solid food, and physical developments, like learning to sit or stand. Experts believe sleep regressions occur because of the incredible speed with which infant brains grow and develop. Each developmental milestone, such as the ability to roll over, has its own special sleep regression to go with it. These landmark moments in a child’s development give their brains a lot to process.
Ages and milestones that coincide with sleep regressions
According to the experts we spoke to, sleep regressions typically occur around 4, 8 and 18 months and 2 years of age. Nap strikes usually occur at around 12 months and 2.5 years. The notable sleep regression that happens at around 4 months can establish patterns of difficulty for parents and children.
Like clockwork, and across generations, babies will repeat patterns and go through phases of development. Sleep regressions remain, but parents will learn about them in new ways. Though these milestones may seem to come in quick succession, they gradually become fewer and farther between, offering opportunities to return to a good night’s sleep.
Here are some of the reasons and milestones that are connected to a baby’s sleep regression. Ages may vary based on your individual child’s growth and development.
Four to six months
- Learning to roll over
- Learning to sit up
Six to 12 months
- Learning to stand
- Learning to crawl or walk
- Starting solid food
12 to 18 months
- Transitioning from multiple naps to one nap a day
- Learning and honing fine motor skills
- Separation anxiety
- Greater awareness of the environment
18 months to 2 years
- Separation anxiety
- Circadian rhythm changes
- Nightmares
- Life changes such as moving from the cot to a bed or if a new baby is added to the family
Tips for coping with baby sleep regressions
While you can’t fix or cure sleep regression, you can have a realistic expectation for your nights and find ways to cope as a family. Here are tips to help you manage your child’s sleep regression.
Choose a response you want to maintain
Forming new habits isn’t recommended during periods of sleep regression. If your baby has been falling to sleep independently, then try to avoid feeding or rocking your baby to sleep if that has not been part of your usual routine. After all, any quick-fix options you reach for in the moment may become an entrenched expectation on the part of your child. Carefully consider how your solutions to sleep issues may impact them over a longer period and whether they are practical or appropriate habits to get into.
If a parent is confident that their child is healthy and not in any other form of discomfort, then it’s OK to do sleep training during a sleep regression. If you used the cry-it-out method before the first sleep regression (or even after) to get your child to sleep, it’s OK to try it again as you hit different regression stages. Babies can have remarkable memories for the sleep routines that served them before these tricky periods. A child should return to their previous healthy sleep habits, usually within a few days.
Maintain a bedtime routine
Create a bedtime routine that promotes a relaxed, comfortable time of adjustment to sleep that babies will enjoy. Creating a dark, peaceful space and reading stories can help make bedtime pleasant. Feasibility is a crucial element of any routine: make sure you introduce habits you can stick to each night.
Be proactive during the day
Good sleep often stems from habits we’re engaged in during the day and in the patterns we create. This includes getting outside and finding ways for your baby to be active. Exposure to morning and afternoon light is helpful to establishing their circadian rhythms, while playing on the floor is a good way for baby to get moving.
That also means limiting time in a pram, car seat, carrier or bouncer. Consider short periods only a few times a day. While practicalities may get in the way, in an ideal world babies are on the floor for a few hours every day, broken up into short, manageable periods of time. All that play and exploration of their new skills will help ensure that infants are ready to sleep when the time comes.
Sleep regressions that come with physical developments can often be improved just by practising during the day. Regular mini-sessions a few minutes long spent lying on their belly or back, or standing or sitting upright, can help your child practise the coordination required to shift between each position. This can have a positive impact on sleep regression.
Find support
Resources such as the Wonder Weeks App are a helpful resource for understanding the different stages of your child’s development. In the app, potentially rough patches and difficult days, based on your child’s due date, are marked with a storm cloud. This helps indicate developmental shifts that may impact sleep. This can help prepare and remind parents and carers that this is par for the course in early parenting. Another way of avoiding overwhelm is touching base with a parenting community. Other parents and carers you know, online and IRL, are likely to have experienced similar issues with sleep and to have tips and support they’ll be happy to share.
Here are some potential sources of help and support:
- Speak to a professional.
- If you are a two-parent family, sleep in separate rooms so at least one parent gets a full night of rest.
- Try baby massage. Research has shown profound impacts on sleep quality for babies.
- Remind yourself that no behaviour is permanent. This too will pass.
When to talk to a doctor about baby sleep regressions
It’s important to trust your instincts when concerned about your child. If your baby is not able to sleep for more than 45 minutes by themselves on a flat surface, there may be something else going on. Common culprits may include viral infections (look out for other symptoms), reflux or sensory sensitivities.
Even with all the information available, it’s normal to want to talk to your GP about your baby’s sleep regressions. It can be helpful, too, even if it’s just to get confirmation that nothing is “wrong”.
The bottom line on baby sleep regressions
Sleepless nights are hard on parents and carers, and unfortunately, sleep regressions during the first few years can make sleep even more elusive. Consistency and patience are crucial ingredients of an appropriate, helpful reaction to any sleep regression. Know that you are not alone in your frustration or exhaustion. With some daytime planning and conversations with your co-parent, you can find a path that helps you survive the rough patches.
