Are wonder weeks real?
If you stick around the internet long enough, you’ll see the term “wonder weeks” being blamed for a lot of normal baby fussiness, development, and sleep disruption. I get it– knowing “why” something may be happening can give it meaning and answers the question of what could be going on with our little one.
Let’s dive into the nitty gritty details about wonder weeks!
What’s wonder weeks
Are wonder weeks real
Are wonder weeks accurate
Are wonder weeks growth spurts
Is wonder weeks evidence based
Can wonder weeks be off
Do wonder weeks affect sleep
Why is wonder weeks based on due date
What to do during wonder weeks
Wonder weeks chart
What’s wonder weeks?
Wonder weeks uses leaps to define specific developmental changes a baby will go through in their first (or more) year(s).
Their premise is that “all babies go through a difficult period around the same age. Research has shown that babies make 10 major, predictable, age-linked changes – or leaps – during their first 20 months of their lives. During this time, they will learn more than in any other time. With each leap comes a drastic change in your baby’s mental development, which affects not only his mood, but also his health, intelligence, and sleeping pattern.”
Are wonder weeks real?
Not really.
The idea that every child will go through these “10 major, predictable, age-linked changes” is a little out there. We know children develop and do things at different times. As much as we would LOVE to predict when a “stormy” or fussy period may happen (and better yet, when it’ll end!), the best descriptor we can give it is…. Baby horoscopes.
Are wonder weeks accurate?
Have you ever heard of confirmation bias?
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values.
What that means is that when we constantly look for a reason for our child’s fussing, disrupted sleep, etc, and ONE time we are validated that they are in fact going through a “leap”, our mind makes the connection that it’s real/accurate.
Just like horoscopes, they’re bound to get it right SOMETIMES– but to think it’ll be spot on every single time is not as likely.
Are wonder weeks growth spurts?
According to their website, yes, their “leaps” can coincide with growth spurts.
The problem is that there isn’t a ton of research on actual growth spurts. I go into the research about growth spurts in this blog but the gist is that they’re not predictable, linear, happen at specific ages, or follow an increase in overall intake like we might’ve believed before.
Is wonder weeks evidence based
Here’s the kicker.. No.
In order for research to be VALID and accepted, it must be replicable and ethical (among other things).
Wonder weeks meets neither of those criteria. The original professor who “discovered” the wonder weeks and coined the term was found to have falsified his research making it unethical AND when his research assistant attempted to replicate his study/results, he was unable to do so.
However, it doesn’t keep them from selling books and apps!
This is the original paper which Prof. Plooij used as basis of the wonder weeks https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8444994
This is the follow up study by Prof. Plooji's research assistant which could not find any timed leap (I.e. Could not be replicated)
Can wonder weeks be off?
Absolutely! Development doesn’t necessarily follow a strict timeline and any regressions caused from new milestones may not even affect your child.
Just like horoscopes, they’ll be right for some, partially right for others, and way far off for the rest.
For some more blog posts to read about regressions check these out:
Do wonder weeks affect sleep?
Any time a child is learning something new developmental, it has the potential to disrupt sleep simply because the brain will prioritize that skill over sleeping.
Research has found crawling to be the most disruptful milestone for sleep!
Why is wonder weeks based on due date?
The author of wonder weeks states that the brain develops both inside and outside of the womb. So when a baby is born early, they still need those weeks to catch up to their due date.
What to do during wonder weeks?
We get it, it’s tough having a fussy kid! And we just want to fix it (for our sanity and theirs), but the best thing YOU can do is provide consistent routines and responses to their crankiness.
One of our favorite things is to get outside or do some water play. “Just add water” is usually a good motto!
Wonder weeks chart
Here’s an example of a chart showing the “clouds/fussy phase” and the “sunny/happy” phase!
Here’s my final takeaway: wonder weeks is “woo” but it’s pretty harmless woo. If it helps you, great. If it causes you more stress, then maybe delete the app and just ride the normal waves of ups and downs with your little one!
If you’re really struggling to get through or past.a regression, check out our 1:1 options for getting sleep support!
