Bumps In The Road
We’ve all been there. You think your child is completely good to go. Sleeping through the night, having a decent bedtime and even going to sleep on their own. Until that one night seems to throw everything off. Do you ever wonder what happened? What happened to that dream sleeper and now they’re up every couple of hours calling or screaming for you. In this blog I will be going over some of the issues that could be going on and disrupting your little ones sleep.
3-4 Month Sleep Regression
Yes there is one and if your lucky enough that this one did not happen to your little one you are one lucky momma. This is the first sleep regression they will go through. I like to lighten the mood by explaining the parents that this regression is due to their little ones learning new skills. As frustrating as this can be it’s also amazing watching them develop and learn. With this sleep regression the only thing you can do is give them extra time to practise these amazing new skills during the day. Unfortunately sometimes little ones like to practise these new developments at night as well. When a baby learns how to roll and they keep flipping onto their bellies it’s ok to leave them sleeping that way. Chances are that’s their comfortable way of sleeping and this can actually result in a better sleep. Make sure that if your baby is rolling your not swaddling as well.
5-7 Month Sleep Regression
Yup… just when you think sleep regressions are behind you this lil number pops up. The culprit for this one….Sitting and growth spurt. Again with the sitting extra daytime practise will help with this. If your little one is sitting but having troubles laying back down you might need to go in and assist. However don’t go in every time he sit’s up and give him some time to try before going in. Too many in’s and out’s can become a game for your baby.
With the growth spurt you’ll want to make sure that your little one is nursing often during the day and not just playing tricks to get you to nurse at night. Those lil sweethearts are smart. During this regression keep your same routine and keep calm. This will pass within a few days.
7-9 Month Sleep Regression
Not another one!!!! You may be lucky enough that even during these milestones and growth spurts it doesn’t disrupt your little ones sleep at all. And others may get every single regression known. There is no rhyme or reason however lot’s of practise with these new found skills will help move the progress a bit faster. 7-9 months babies start crawling. If they are practising this new skill in their crib quietly there is no reason to intervene. Just know it might take them a bit to fall asleep. However at this age babies start to understand object permanence at this age. Meaning they know something still exists even if they don’t see it. This can sometimes look like separation anxiety and some special one on one time during the day and an extra snuggle can sometimes help through this. Also staying in their room while they fall asleep will work through this.
9-10 Month Sleep Regression
At this age is when separation anxiety starts to peak. Extra one on one time and extra night snuggles can help with this. Also staying in the room until your little one is asleep for a few days is completely fine at this age. At this age sometimes leaving their door open a crack so they are not in the pitch black alone will help them feel a bit more connected to you. Then there is the standing. This one can become difficult as sometimes your little one will need a hand laying down. Just make sure your giving them the opportunity to learn to lay down themselves before going in. As well as not going in too soon and this can become a game for your baby to get you in the room. And yes they do usually win.
11-12 Month Sleep Regression
12 months is a huge age for babies. Usually at this age they are learning to walk, climb, talk and yup you guessed it…test their parents. At this age is when they start seeing how their parents start reacting to certain behaviours. At this point you need to remain calm and stick with your routines. Ensuring that you stick with the same routine no matter what and not caving into bad habits will help this pass quickly.
In conclusion these may not affect your household and you might hit every single one. The main thing is to stick to your routines and stay calm. They can be frustrating and overwhelming. And what to do if these regressions don’t pass? You call me and we will work through them together!
Thanks for reading this weeks blog. If your struggling with any of these regressions and need a bit of help getting through them, we have sleep packages available to get you on the right track!
