Isn’t it frustrating when your little one is up all night and resisting naps? You could be dealing with a sleep regression, which is a normal and temporary phase in your child’s development.
Over the past weeks, we have been sharing insightful videos on Instagram and Facebook that highlight Anna’s expertise in managing sleep regression, understanding its signs, and providing practical tips to help your little ones navigate through this temporary disruption in their sleep patterns.
Anna, a sleep expert from Seed To Sleep explains that Sleep Regression is a short-term disruption in your little one’s sleep that often happens with developmental milestones. These milestones can be cognitive, physical, emotional, or linguistic and they affect children of various age groups. During this period, you’ll often see noticeable changes in their sleep patterns.
Signs of sleep regression
- Disrupted Naps – Your baby might move from having long, consolidated naps to catnapping. They wake up between the 30-45 minute sleep cycle and struggle to fall back asleep.
- Inconsistent Night Wakes – They may increase their night waking. While your baby used to sleep through the night or wake up only 1-2 times, they may now wake every 1-2 hours seeking comfort or a feed.
- Difficulty Settling – Your baby may suddenly have trouble self-soothing or settling to sleep. They may become fussy and resistant to naps, showing a newfound reliance on you to help them sleep.
How can you help your little one during a sleep regression?
Addressing sleep regression involves first looking at three critical environmental factors – light, temperature, and noise. Ensuring the room is dark enough and light isn’t creeping in can significantly affect their sleep patterns. Maintaining a comfortable room temperature—not too hot and cold—is equally important. Reducing noise interruptions by incorporating white noise can be an excellent addition to the sleep routine.
Patience and consistency can also when sleep regression hits. Stick to your daily routine, as sleep regression is typically a short-term disruption, and with time and patience, it will pass. Avoid forming new sleep habits that you’ll later need to break. Once the regression passes, revert to the established routines.
You need to be patient and consistent when dealing with sleep regression. Stick to your daily routine, as this phase is typically short-term and will pass with time. Avoid creating new sleep habits. Once the regression passes, revert to the established routines.
When do you start with a sleep routine?
Anna recommends starting to train your child with a sleep routine by the age of 3 months. Before this age, it might be challenging. However, being consistent from an early age can set the groundwork for a healthy sleep pattern.
Problems with sleep routine
Skipping naps can disrupt your baby’s routine. Here’s a quick guide on handling this challenge.
- Under 6 Months: Offer a short bridge nap (10-15 minutes) to keep the schedule on track.
- Over 6 Months: Push through the day and aim for the ideal nap times as closely as possible.
- Last Nap of the Day: If the last nap is skipped, consider bringing the bedtime forward to as early as 5:45 – 6:00 PM.
But how can you maintain a good sleep routine?
- Aim to wake your baby at the same time each morning, allowing a 30-minute flexibility window on either side.
- Follow age-appropriate awake windows or set nap times and keep them consistent daily.
- Focus on a consistent bedtime every night to reinforce the routine.
Understanding sleep regression and implementing practical expert tips, you can help your little one through these disruptions and develop healthier sleep patterns.
Remember, it’s a phase that will pass with time, patience, and the right approach to help little ones during this stage. If you have any questions about sleep, send us a message or reach out to Anna, a sleep expert from @seedtosleep.
