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Have you noticed changes in your baby’s sleep pattern? Was baby sleeping well and now all of a sudden your routine has gone out the window? You haven’t made any changes so what’s going on? It just may be a sleep regression!
Many babies go through stages of sleep regression in the first few years of their life. Sleep regression is not a “bad” term. Even though your baby may be sleeping a little less or waking more often. A sleep regression is a sign that your baby is certainly developing in a positive way. Babies wake more when they are trying to learn a new skill…it might be learning to roll, crawl, walk, talk etc. These are amazing developmental milestones that are visible and rewarding to watch, but not something that you would normally associate with disrupted sleep.
Sleep Regression = Learning Progression
Sleep regressions happen because a baby’s brain is hot wired for new activity at this time. At the 4 month mark your baby is learning how to roll over, control their arms and legs and is also starting to notice when Mum or Dad might go away. It is a time of great neurological development and your baby’s sleep is becoming more like an adult. It may seem like a “regression”, but actually it is a “progression” as baby’s sleep habits start to mature. Babies start to experience REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement Sleep) or light sleep more like adults do. They are more easily woken during REM sleep than they were as a tiny newborn. Gone are the days when it seemed like they could sleep through everything – if you were ever that lucky to begin with!
The 4 month sleep regression is an important one for setting up your baby’s future sleep habits. During this developmental growth spurt, as well as waking more during the night, your baby may show signs of irritability, clinginess or increased hunger. He is trying to make sense of the new world that is opening up to him through his senses. Your baby may need more attention and comforting during this time.
Some of the ages that your baby may experience a “sleep regression” are:
4 month Sleep Regression
Baby is starting to express themselves more with noises and smiles, baby may start to roll over, baby is also starting to become more dexterous and gaining head control. Baby’s sleep is becoming more like an adults with cycles of deep sleep and REM sleep.
8 – 10 month Sleep Regression
At this age baby might be learning to crawl, pull up on their own weight, learn to feed themselves finger food, dropping and throwing toys and crying if you leave them. Don’t worry, “separation anxiety” is actually a good thing – another developmental milestone. It means that baby is learning what he should – who is a familiar face and who is not.
18 month Sleep Regression
Baby is now becoming an active toddler, teeth are coming through, nap times are changing, they will be walking, be able to press buttons, play with blocks, and follow simple instructions. 
As you can see there is a lot going on in your baby’s brain in order for them to develop these new skills. No wonder sleep gets a bit of a shake up! Remember that these are rough guides for what a baby may be doing at each age. Each child gains skills and achieves developmental milestones at their own pace.
Wonder Weeks
You may be familiar with the term, ‘Wonder week”? A term developed by Dutch doctors Frans Plooj and Dr Hetty van de Rijt that describes a huge leap that your baby may take in a short time. Your baby may discover that he can do things he couldn’t do before. He is becoming more and more aware of his surroundings and some weeks this is more pronounced than other weeks. During a “Wonder Week” you may find it wonderous and amazing that your baby has learnt a new skill. The day your baby rolls over or takes his first step, you may suddenly realise why your baby has been a bit fussy lately, because their brain has been so busy working on this new skill.
Sleep regressions may last for varying amounts of time. The good news is that after periods of wakefulness and restlessness, you may discover that your baby has a period of blissed out happiness and contentment. You may have a glorious week, after a bit of a challenging week. This is the rollercoaster ride of parenting.
Sleep Routines
No one can tell you how long a “sleep regression” may last so it’s important to set up good habits in general so that baby gets used to the routine. Usually if a sleep regression happens, parents are exhausted and will try anything to get baby back to bed ASAP. This is where bad habits can form and and long term sleep associations may develop. The 4 month sleep regression is a time of great change for baby’s sleep patterns. Baby needs to learn ‘how to go to sleep’ now rather than be ‘put to sleep’ as may have been the case from birth to 3 months.
You need to implement an age appropriate sleep routine and to get through the sleep regression and beyond. Do what it takes, but at the same time try not to initiate too many habits that you will have to undo later. Habits such as cuddling baby to sleep or feeding baby to sleep. We’re in no way suggesting that baby doesn’t need lots of cuddles. We simply want you to be mindful that too much cuddling at the particular point of falling asleep may not be a wise move.
Babies must eventually learn to settle themselves to sleep, but not all are able to do it on their own. Sleep experts, Caroline’s Angels suggest comforting baby and then placing a drowsy but awake baby into the cot. This way baby is given an opportunity to self soothe. If baby falls completely asleep in your arms, baby will wonder why when they wake up that they’re still not in your warm embrace.
Some babies may have dropped a few night time feeds by this age. Others may be feeding more during this time of growth and sleep regression. Sometimes baby’s nap times may also change at the time of these developmental milestones. There may well be other times when your baby digresses from their usual sleep routine. For example, around 8- 10 months maybe the 3 sleeps a day your baby currently takes will cut down to 2.
Sleep Environment
If you’re unsure whether baby is experiencing a sleep regression, a good strategy is to try to eliminate possible causes of wakefulness. Take stock of your baby’s sleep environment. As your baby grows they will become more active and more aware of light and sounds. Make sure the room is dark for night time sleeps (or early morning sunrises) and that there are not distracting toys or brightly coloured objects around the room at nap time. For more information on nursery design, you can read our blog here.
A change in the weather or season could also be a factor causing your baby to wake more often. At Bubbaroo our philosophy is to help you dress your baby appropriately for the temperature of the room. For example, in early autumn as the weather cools you may find overnight that you need to adjust baby’s bedding or Joey Swag Baby Sleeping Bag. The same applies when the warmth of summer hits. Be aware that dressing baby too warmly might cause them to sleep more heavily. A baby not being able to rouse from sleep could pose a health risk. Refer to our blog on Sudden Infant death Syndrome (SIDS) here. Dressing baby too warmly could have the opposite effect of baby becoming dehydrated so they wake more often to feed.
Our products come with a “What to Wear Guide” so you’ll know how to dress your baby no matter the season. Our blog “Is baby too hot or cold for sleep”, may also be a very helpful guide.
Medical Warning
If your baby wakes more often than usual, it is wise to check that there is no medical condition that could be causing him to wake. Such as food allergies or teething. Ear infections are also difficult to diagnose because you can’t see the problem and baby can’t tell you. Always check with your health are professional if you are concerned about your baby’s health. You should also seek help from a health care professional if you’re not feeling well.
Summary
If you’ve had a particularly “difficult sleeper”, you may feel a bit deflated. Especially if you’ve just got baby sleeping well and then a sleep regression hits. On the other hand you may have had a relatively “good sleeper” and are now finding it all a bit difficult.
The best thing to do is to be aware of the possibility of a sleep regression and try to be prepared for what changes could take place. When you are armed with the knowledge of what may lie ahead, you may find it easier to cope. As a parent you can be confident in the knowledge that you know your child better than anybody. Feel empowered to parent your baby with the realisation that you can sense your baby’s good days and bad days better than anybody else.
Sleep regressions are tiring, and I know it’s hard to be consistent when you’re just so tired. It’s really important to look after yourself too! Even though your baby may be older now, it never hurts to have a nap when baby has a nap! If having a nap is what it takes to get you through the day and night. Looking after yourself means that you’re better armed to deal with challenging situations. The calmness you feel will permeate through the whole family. “Sleep regression” is only temporary while baby is learning a new skill. You should be back to “normal” before you know it. Until the next sleep regression…believe me they will continue throughout your child’s life! Then when their teenagers you’ll be needing to drag them out of bed!
