8 Month Sleep Regression
Sleep regression is a word that NO parent wants to hear! At 8 months of age, your baby’s naps are probably starting to consolidate and he or she may be sleeping through the night! You even may feel that you finally have a predictable schedule…. and now a SLEEP REGRESSION!
What is a sleep regression?
A sleep regression is a period of time when your baby’s sleep patterns change. It is a temporary set back from your normal sleep habits. It is a time when your baby would typically be sleeping but they are awake more during the night and are having a hard time going BACK to sleep! Sleep regressions also present itself in naps!
Common signs of a sleep regressions:
night wakings
Short or skipped naps
Increased fussiness and crying
Extra clingy
Changes in appetite
The most common sleep regressions are at 4 months, 8 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. This blog post will be all about the 8 month sleep regression!
The 8 month sleep regression most often occurs between 8-10 months of age.
Causes for 8 month sleep regression:
Physical milestones such as crawling, sitting, standing
Cognitive milestones such as absorbing language, object permanence and separation anxiety
Sleep needs change with the 3-2 nap transition
Physical Milestones that contribute to the 8 month regression:
One study found that out of all of the milestones, crawling was the most disruptive to sleep! “When the researchers looked at individual babies’ night wakings before, during, and after learning to crawl, they saw that the babies did indeed wake more frequently in the night when they started crawling.”
Physical milestones such as crawling, sitting and standing interrupt sleep because there is so much going on in your little one’s brain! It is important to give your baby all the time to practice these new skills during the day when they are AWAKE so they are not inclined to stay up all night practicing! All this practice can also lead to them becoming overtired very quickly! So continue to watch for wake times and be sure to use an early bedtime if your baby has shorter naps!
Cognitive Milestones:
Separation anxiety is a normal and necessary stage of development. The anxiety is a result of babies being able to differentiate themselves from their caregivers. Playing peekaboo is a great game for this stage.
At 8 months of age is also a time when you may hear them saying “mamamama” or “dadadada” or even “no!” intentionally.
Sleep needs change:
At around 8 months of age, naps consolidate from 3 into two naps a day! If you haven’t transitioned to 2 naps, now is definitely the time to do so.
8 month regression tips:
Double check that you do not have any sleep associations that’s are causing the regression (feeding or rocking to sleep).
Stay consistent with your schedule and sleep routine during the regression
Give extra snuggles and attention during bedtime and naptime routines!
Let baby practice all their new physical and cognitive skills during the day
Consider an earlier bedtime with the 3-2 nap transition
Still struggling through the regression and can’t find your way out? Schedule a basic chat today!
