What is sleep regression in a baby?

When you are pregnant and expecting a baby, you realize that sleep will soon be a thing of the past. Newborns are notorious for having poor sleep at first. And when you think your child is starting to sleep more at night, sleep regression can occur.

What are the sleep habits of newborns?

During the first 2 months of your baby's life, he will sleep intermittently between 14 and 17 hours a night. Their sleep can last from 2 to 3 hours with periods of wakefulness in between day and night. There is no pattern to your baby's sleep as it adjusts to life outside the womb.

Your baby is:

Learning how to react to the world around them
Adjusting to daylight and nighttime
Adapting to feeding on their own
Experiencing their body's movements and functions

Every child's development is different. Typically, at 3 months, your baby will begin to establish a sleep pattern. They will sleep about 14 hours a day and may have more fixed sleep times or sleep longer at night.

What is sleep regression?

Sleep regression is normal in infants and toddlers. It is possible that even older children will experience this. Regression means going back to a previous, less developed state, and that's what happens with your baby's sleep.

With sleep regression, when your child begins to develop a supportive and more predictable sleep pattern, everything changes. Your child may be more restless and refuse to sleep before or before bed.

While sleep regression can be discouraging, it's actually a good sign. Sleep regressions occur when your child goes through periods of intense development. They may approach new milestones such as:

Smiling and interacting
Rolling over
Becoming more aware of their surroundings
Sitting up
Learning spatial awareness
Crawling
Talking/babbling

When do sleep regressions occur?

While sleep regression can occur whenever your child goes through intense periods of development, there is a predictable age at which sleep regression occurs.

Four months. Your baby is moving away from his newborn sleep pattern and his sleep biology is changing.
Six months. Your child is experiencing rapid development and gaining new abilities and knowledge. At this age, teething can also cause changes in sleep patterns.
Eight months. With the emotional development that occurs at this age, your child may experience separation anxiety, which leads to changes in their sleep patterns.
Twelve months. Increased activity and environmental awareness can lead to restlessness while your child sleeps.
Eighteen months. A heightened sense of independence and a desire to test boundaries can lead to sleep deprivation.

How can I help my child with sleep regression?

-When sleep regression sets in, be patient. Your child is not struggling with sleep because he is cranky and may not be struggling with sleep at all. Instead, your child may simply be unable to fall asleep and sleep. Try these tricks to help your child get back on track.
Maintain a routine. Even if your child is not ready for bed at the usual time, follow your normal bedtime routine. Your child will be comforted by the familiarity that routine provides. This applies to both sleep mode and sleep mode.
Wait before responding. If your baby cries when you first put him to bed or in the middle of the night, don't react right away. Give him a few minutes to calm down and see if he goes back to sleep on his own.
If you get up to hold your baby, stay in a dark room. This will help your little one understand that it's always night and not play time. Taking a child to another room where they usually play can be confusing.
Provide comfort. You may feel like you've tried everything, but your baby is still crying. In this case, you can still provide comfort. Your child may also be insecure about his feelings. Hold your child and let him know that you are there for him.