Sleep Regressions – what’s really happening?

Sleep Regressions

Feb 4

Has your child’s sleep suddenly changed, and your child is sleeping terribly out of nowhere? Babies and toddlers often go through developmental changes, and this could be the cause for a sleep regression to happen.

I remember my son hitting just about every sleep regression there is. Just when you might think you got your child on a sleeping schedule and sleeping longer stretches throughout the night, a sleep regression hits. I know you are tired so let’s dive into my guide to sleep regressions and how to get through them.

Babies change quickly – their diets, sleep patterns and milestones all change.

What is a sleep regression?

Your baby is growing at a rapid pace. Their tiny little bodies are going through a lot of changes and their brain is constantly developing. Babies change quickly – their diets, sleep patterns and milestones all change. When these patterns change, it can bring on what we know of disrupted sleep as possibly a “sleep regression.”

So why is a sleep regression dreaded by parents? Shouldn’t we be excited that our little one’s brain is growing and developing. Your little one is taking leaps and creating new milestones. While it is exciting, these new changes often come with disrupting sleep. When your child “regresses” it is most likely because your child has achieved a new milestone! A new milestone can be physical like sitting up, rolling, or standing. They can even achieve new cognitive milestones as well, like use of their imagination, their feelings and understanding them, fears, separation anxiety just to name a few. Since your baby is growing and learning, sleep to them is getting in the way. Babies and toddlers would much more like to practice these new skills than sleep.

Below, I will talk about what some of the most common ages are for sleep regressions, why they are happening and what you can look out for and do to get through this temporary stage. Although these are temporary, some sleep regressions can last from 2-6 weeks, each vary by child. The best way to get through these sleep challenges is to be a little extra patient with yourself, continue to follow your sleep routines and to allow your child extra time during the day to practice their new skills or express their emotions.

Your child *may* need some sleep guidance after their sleep regression, but typically I see babies and toddlers get right back to their sleeping routines they once had before. Not every child goes through every sleep regression listed below, my son was right one time for each one however – so I want you to be sure you know what warning signs to look out for and how you can combat each one. Always remember a sleep regression shall pass.

4 Months

What is happening –

Your baby is no longer a newborn, they have transitioned into an infant and are really starting to get their own personality at this point. Your baby at 4 months is becoming more aware of sounds and what is going on around them. They are becoming more visual and like to know what is going on in the world. Babies might also start to develop their own personal preferences at this age, you may find your baby now getting easily distracted with feedings as well. At 4 months, this is typically when babies can start to really connect their sleep cycles just like adults. Babies can often connect 90–120-minute sleep cycles and stay asleep without overnight feedings. Babies tend to now be able to hold their neck up and move from side to side, start giggling, and rolling from their belly to back. Around the 3-to-4-month mark, is usually when caregivers return to work. This may be a big change for your baby, as they may be trying to get used to a new caregiver as well. If it hasn’t happened already, your baby is probably now transitioned out of being swaddled. This could result in a temporary sleep disruption as your baby is learning how to sleep with some freedom – arms out!

Signs to look out for –

As your baby becomes more and more independent, they are aware of their surroundings and often can get upset if their caregiver leaves the room. Babies at 4 months now understand their comfort levels. As your baby is developing more neck strength, they may become easily distracted as well. Babies may not be able to sleep as easily anywhere now because they become affected by light, sound, and overall environment. With these changes happening, it may take your baby longer to fall asleep, or disrupt their sleep as well. As your baby is learning to roll, they may have a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep, as they are practicing this new skill!

How to manage it –

This is a sleep regression parents don’t normally look out for, because either they hear more about the 6/9-month regression, or they are just caught off guard since sleep may have just been getting easier for them! The 4-month sleep regression for me hit hard – my son was sleeping through the night, and I was starting to feel better postpartum. The best way to get through this sleep regression is to stay consistent and give your baby some time. Stick to your schedule and follow your awake windows throughout the day to ensure your baby is getting adequate practice with their unrestricted floor time to practice rolling and tummy time and to ensure your baby is not overly tired at bedtime. If you find your baby is not back to their normal sleep patterns by 6 weeks, a new sleep habit may have unintentionally been created. A new sleep habit could be feeding to sleep, rocking, or paying attention every time, they cry. Try to stick to your sleep methods and what you feel comfortable with as much as possible to prevent creating these new habits.

6/9 Months

What is happening –

The 6 month and 9-month regression can either happen separately or somewhere between the 6–9-month mark. I have also seen this regression happen as early as 5 months and as late as 10 months. I always tell my families if sleep is suddenly disrupted between 5 or so months to 10 months, a sleep regression could possibly take place. These regressions can be similar, and the culprit is usually the cause of teething and achieving new milestones. Babies around this age are usually cutting their first tooth and could be developing some kind of pain in doing so, meaning they are now distracted and could be irritable. There is also a ton of brain development going on at 6 months. At 6 months, most babies can sit up on their own and are ready for solids. Babies are also rolling around and may even begin to try to scoot around. At 9 months of age, some babies may begin to be able to “surf a couch” or pull themselves up on surfaces. You may find your baby pulling themselves up in the crib in the middle of the night, disrupting their sleep as they are learning this new skill. Babies may also start to notice around this age object presence. They understand when their mom or dad leaves the room and can become resentful of this.

Signs to look out for –

Your child is now sleeping through the night but now is suddenly waking up every few hours, possibly rolling around, standing, or sitting up. You may also notice your little one is suddenly screaming as soon as you put them in their crib or down for a nap or bedtime. Babies can become a lot fussier and more irritable and show signs of separation anxiety. Another sign to look out for is early morning wakings, you may find your baby is now suddenly waking up at 6 am and unable to fall back asleep on their own.

How to manage it –

Sleep regressions normally last 2-6 weeks. You may feel like you are back in the newborn stage or even cleared a 4-month sleep regression, so this timeframe is hard! Your baby is growing and getting smarter each day. They are so much more aware and going through a lot more physical and cognitive developmental stages right now. It is important to continue to stay consistent in your day and nighttime routines. Try to stick to age-appropriate awake windows and practice these new skills they are learning all throughout the day. You can practice sitting up, rolling, and pulling up during the day to help with nighttime sleep. Remember your baby is trying to master these skills, so the more practice they get during the day, the less likely they will be to do this in the middle of the night. Babies at this age also learn if they cry, mom or dad will come back. Stick to your routine as you normally would when putting your baby to sleep. You can gently show extra love and comfort when putting your baby to sleep but stay consistent with setting boundaries. If you find at the end of 6 weeks your babies sleep has still not improved, it may be time to drop a nap. You may need to transition from 3 to 2 naps to help with nighttime sleep. Through all of this, your baby may also have picked up on new sleeping habits and a new sleep training technique may need to be put in place. If you find teething is culprit still, speak to your pediatrician to discuss relief as well.

12 Months

What is happening –

Your baby is learning new things daily! They have found their voice and are starting to babble. This is your babies way of trying to express themselves, use their brains when playing, and become more independent. Your baby may even know a couple words like, “mama” or “dada.” Not only are toddlers at this age going through so much mental development, but they are also going through a lot of physical development as well. Your baby is no longer a baby, they are growing into a toddler and have a lot on their minds and a lot to accomplish throughout their days. They are working on taking their first steps and sleep is the last thing they want to do. Your toddler may only be interested in learning this new milestone and sleep can impact this. Your toddler may also be cutting their first molar or additional teeth, which can be quite painful. Cutting molars usually tend to be more painful than other teeth.

Signs to look out for –

Just like all other sleep regressions, you will find the same common sleep issues. These issues include resentment going to sleep, crying when putting to sleep, separation anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, middle of the night wakings and early morning wakings.

How to manage it –

The best way to get through this sleep regression is just to give it time. Like other regressions, it typically lasts 2-6 weeks. By now you probably have some type of steady sleep routine, so don’t let this regression disrupt all the hard work you have done. Stay consistent and offer a lot of practice throughout the day. Connect with your child, so that they can learn not only physically but mentally as well. Allow plenty of practice walking and standing time!

18 Months

What is happening –

Your toddler is continuing to develop at a rapid pace, they are most likely walking now, even running! Their brains and little bodies are moving, and they have places to be and things to see. Your toddler is also developing emotions as well. They are starting to understand their own emotions and trying to also cope with their “big” emotions. With learning emotions comes with tantrums as well. Your toddler may not even know they are throwing a tantrum or mean to, but it is their way of expressing themselves and developmentally totally normal. Toddlers at this age grow their own opinions and may face the challenge of now choosing when and when they do not want to sleep. At around this age they may also have gotten their first set of molars, or if they already have their first set, they are working on getting their second set. Teething and molars face a whole new set of challenges due to being uncomfortable and could cause much irritability, therefore disrupting their sleep.

Signs to look out for –

Your toddler may have trouble falling asleep at nighttime, just like any other regression. You may also find that your toddler may be fighting or protesting their naps. Protesting naps can look like throwing a tantrum when trying to go down for a nap or even skipping their nap altogether.

How to manage it –

For bedtime, ensure you are keeping your bedtime routine to a maximum of 30 minutes, anything more can be too much and can stimulate your toddler, making it harder for them to fall asleep. Keep lights dimmed during your nighttime routine and things calm. Toddlers at this age have developed more independence, so make sure throughout the day you are providing lots of opportunities for your toddler to practice their independence skills. Practicing independence skills can also help with their emotions and allow them to express how they feel – believe it or not practice will help with overall nighttime sleep. Follow your toddlers lead, some ways you can do this is to start asking questions, like “do you want to pick out your pajamas?" or "do you want to go pick out your bedtime book”? It may be hard to keep a routine when things seem out of place or when things have shifted in the way you used to do things, but toddlers thrive off predictability, so routines are a must every day. If the regression lasts more than 6 weeks and your child is still taking 2 naps, it may be time to drop to one nap for better nighttime overall sleep.

2 Years

What is happening –

At around 2 years of age, your child may develop some serious separation anxiety and become dependent on their caregivers. Their imagination has now taken off – which is so much fun to watch, however it comes with learning more feelings and even learning the fear of the dark. Your child may now tell you that they fear the dark or there are monsters in their room. Some children at this age also develop nightmares and night terrors. Since there is a lot going on in their brains and a lot of new things they are trying to learn and cope with, this may cause a regression. Some children may be transitioning to a toddler bed (I always recommend 3-4 years of age if there isn’t a safety issue and if your child is doing fine in their crib still). At 2 years old, your child may also start potty training as well, which can lead to an overall disruption and distractions during the day and nighttime.

Signs to look out for –

Just like other sleep regressions, you will find that your child is taking longer to fall asleep, protesting their naps, dropping their nap, waking up multiple times throughout the night or having early morning wakings. You may also notice that your child is crying when being put to sleep or doesn’t want you to leave the room.

How to manage it –

I find that the 2-year-old sleep regression to be one of the hardest because there are so many new things happening and new emotions to learn. This is such a fun age because your child is starting to communicate, use their imagination and develop at a rapid pace. It is important to acknowledge and validate your child’s feelings to help them understand what they need. Toddlers at this age take patience, but they really do need the patience back from their caregivers so that they understand you are listening to their feelings. Be open with your child. For example, if your child is afraid of the dark, you can ask them questions to help understand why they are saying these things, by doing this you are allowing them to express themselves. Once you ask questions, you can get a better understanding of the troubles they are facing so that you can navigate these things. At this age, you can use a comfort item in their bed to make them feel more comfortable while they are sleeping or a small nightlight to help with the fear of the dark (I like to use a dimmed red light).

Overall sleep regressions can be hard and confusing.

The main goal when it comes to sleep regressions is to stay consistent in your day and nighttime routines so that you do not create new habits that can regress your child’s sleep outside of their regression. Give yourself much grace when these regressions happen and know that these regressions happen not because it is just an age timeframe – but because your child is growing and developing physically, mentally, and emotionally!

Hang in there –