Sleep regressions - 3 frequently asked questions

If there’s anything I’ve learned as a mom, it’s that sleep is not linear, especially the first few years of life.

We sleep trained my eldest at 7 months, and luckily, he didn’t experience too many sleep regressions due to development. However, we certainly did when he was sick! He got tonsillitis and was very sick. I had the need and instinct to bring him into our bed. He was just too sick and needed to be monitored around the clock. I didn’t want him on his own. He slept with us for 2-3 nights. 

He did fine with sleeping on his own after the illness passed and he was feeling better. This isn’t the case for all children though, and don’t worry - we will get into it more - just keep reading!

There will be some situations where you will need to have more flexibility or give more support, and that’s okay.

Sleep regressions will occur during the first 2 years and are typically linked to developmental leaps and new motor skills of babies and toddlers. They occur around timelines I’ll list later in this blog and can last from two to six weeks. 

What causes sleep regressions?

Both development and sickness can cause regressions with sleep, as well as travel.

And guess what??

Your child is developing at an incredibly rapid rate their first three years of life especially. This means there is the potential for a lot of sleep regressions due to all this development that’s occurring.

“Your child will have a physiological shift to their sleep cycles, they’ll learn to roll, seat, crawl, pull to stand, and walk. They’ll learn to talk and communicate. ALL of these things can affect their sleep.”

As your little one approaches the cusp of skill mastery (for example, crawling) you may notice that their sleep is interrupted; more night wakings, potentially shorter naps (or nap refusals), and possibly even early morning wakings. Your child’s body has the urge to “practice” these developing skills when they should be sleeping.

This is normal.

It’s also annoying and can be frustrating as a parent.

It’s okay!

Sickness and travel can throw things off, too.

If sick, do your best to keep your child comfortable so they can sleep better. Sleep heals. They may have more wakings if they’re uncomfortable or need medicine. Sometimes a few extra snuggles can help too. My best advice is to try to maintain sleep skills, but know that you can always get back on track when your little one is feeling better

When traveling, do your best to recreate their normal sleep environment - dark, cool, and white noise should be playing for the duration of sleep. Also, if it’s possible, try to stick to their normal schedule. If you can plan your travel around their nap times and follow their normal routines, really the only thing that may throw them off a bit would be the different environment.

And, it’s the same idea…as soon as you get back home, you can refocus and get sleep back on track.

When are sleep regressions common?

Probably the most famous of them all, the 4-month sleep regression occurs around 3.5-5 months. This is the one true “sleep” regression that is caused by a physiological change to the organization of your child’s sleep cycles. Sleep cycles are maturing, moving from two stages to four. Each sleep cycle lasts for 40-50 minutes and babies will generally need the same assistance they received when falling asleep initially to go back to sleep after each cycle. From some families this is a great time to start working on sleep training. You can read more about what happens during this regression here.

Then, shortly after you’ve survived the 4-month sleep regression, there’s another around 6-9 months.

During this time, regressions are linked to new motor skills like rolling, seating, crawling and standing. Object permanence and separation anxiety will also appear together with teething that can also be disrupting sleep. 

Around 12 months, the regression is heavily influenced by the physical milestone development of walking and cognitively by a bout of separation anxiety.

The signs to look for are: increase of night wakings, early mornings, shorter naps, resistance to fall asleep at night and during naps.

Once you get through that one, there may be a few months of a break! :)

By 18-months, though, there’s another regression linked to emotional development. Your child is no longer a baby but a toddler who has a desire for independence and control. Use visuals and give choices when you can to help your little one feel somewhat in control of themself.

Finally, around 2 years, your child will have their final sleep regression. Their need for independence increases but they’re also suffering from another bout of separation anxiety…this could happen every 6-months or so and is more common for some children than others.

“The signs to look for during any of these sleep regressions are: increase of night wakings, early mornings, shorter naps, refusing to nap and  battling bedtime. ”

How do you get through a sleep regression?

Finally, what you really want to know!

The easiest way to get through a sleep regression is to have a solid sleep foundation to begin with, either by helping shape your baby’s sleep from the start (within reason, of course) or by sleep training later on. A sleep regression is actually a great opportunity to start sleep training. If your baby has been sleep trained previously, we’d expect the regression to pass fairly quickly. If your child hasn’t, though, it may take longer to get through, and sleep training can certainly help to get through it. Once they’ve got this foundation to fall back on, the regressions may only last a few days to a week (if you experience them at all) instead of a few weeks.

During these challenging weeks it is very important to keep consistent and to not implement any new sleep crutches or revert back to old ones. 

It’s also very important to encourage your child to practice any new skills (rolling, crawling, walking, etc.) as much as possible during the day and to give as much attention and love as possible during this time through play and connection.

If you’re looking for help with teaching your baby to sleep independently or get through a regression, I’d love to help you! You can fill out this form on my website, and I’ll be in touch soon!