How to Navigate Sleep Regressions

Has your baby hit a regression in their sleep? Although we hate them, sleep regressions are normal, temporary and often coincide with surges in development.  As our baby’s grow, new skills will emerge and as the skills develop we often see disruption in their sleep. 

In 2015 a case study was conducted on the correlation between babies learning to crawl and their sleep. What they found was that there was a noticeable decline in the quality of a baby's sleep during this period of developmental achievement. This study reaffirms that babies' sleep patterns change as they grow and develop. That means we need to be prepared to see some set back in our little ones sleep as they are learning a new skill. 

So what exactly are developmental milestones? Developmental milestones are progressions in our child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills that occur around certain ages. From rolling to crawling, cooing to talking, our children amaze us as they transition right before our eyes.

Sleep regressions often appear around the same time as these growth surges occur. A baby who was sleeping well can have temporary changes or setbacks in their sleep patterns. They can present more fussy, they may fight sleep for both nap and bedtime and often will have night wakings. The reason regressions in sleep often occur during a time when progressions in development are happening is simply due to the work that’s put in well learning a new skill and sometimes getting stuck!

As Babies begin to practice their emerging skills it is not uncommon for them to practice during naptime, bedtime and throughout the night. What can happen during this time is that they get stuck, stuck on their tummy, stuck in the sitting or standing position. When this occurs they will often call out to you for assistance. 

Most parents who have a good sleeper are often alarmed, panicked or worried when this occurs. Even as a sleep consultant I’ve been there and totally get that the mere thought of going back down the tunnel of no sleep is terrifying. If your little one has hit a recent bump in their quality of sleep don’t worry all is not lost. Check out some tips below to help you navigate those challenging times. 

Tips to Help you Through the Sleep Regression

Stay consistent! Our first response when we see a problem is to try and fix it. Even though sleep regressions are bound to mess up your usual schedule, you should try to keep your bedtime and naptime routine before sleep the same. During a time where your baby is experiencing and learning new things, it helps to keep some things familiar.  If it looks and feels the same, it provides predictability and comfort which will help settle them before putting them down for the night. 

Provide comfort- You may need to provide a bit more comfort, or help assist them out of the uncomfortable positions they get themselves into but try not to change up their whole routine or introduce old sleep props to help get them back to sleep. This can create an external dependency and will make things substantially harder for you in the long run. 

Lean on your Support System- There will likely be some frustrating days and nights with less sleep than normal. During those tough days reach out to those supporters around you. Remember it takes a village to raise a child and it’s ok to ask and accept help.

Adjust bedtime- Nap times may be a bit more challenging during this period. If naps are a bit short and your little one is tired feel free to move bedtime a bit earlier. This will help them catch up on sleep and to avoid them from becoming overtired.

Extra feedings- During big developmental and growth changes comes an increased appetite. Don’t be afraid to offer some extra feeds if your little one is asking for it.

Practice- Practice, practice, practice those new skills during their awake period. The more we can help them master their new skills the quicker we can all go back to sleep.  

Sleep regression can last anywhere from 1-6 weeks. That can feel like a FOREVER when you are in the thick of it but try to hang in there, lean on our supports and stay consistent. If we do our part our little ones should go back to being great sleepers once they’ve mastered their new skills! 

Bio 

Ashley Fricker has been working with children for over a decade. She has her advanced diploma as a child and youth worker, her certificate as a sleep sense consultant and is a recognized member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants. She is a proud mother to a 3 year old and the owner of Mountains of Sleep. Ashley believes in community support especially when navigating parenthood. Her passion and empathetic approach for helping others makes her the perfect support companion along your child's sleep journey. 

Connect with Ashley or visit Mountains of Sleep to learn more about the sleep supports she offers. Also check out her instagram page to get continuous sleep tips and be part of the motherhood community! 

Anat Scher and Dina Cohen; Sleep as a Mirror of Developmental

Transitions in Infancy: The Case of Crawling; Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (2015) https://doi.org/10.1111/mono.12145