Your baby has been sleeping through the night for a while, so why have they suddenly started waking up again? You’re once again facing issues with their sleep and putting them to bed, as well as more frequent night awakenings. As a result, both of you are losing sleep. But don’t worry, this is a completely natural phase that mostly occurs between your baby’s eighth and tenth month of life.
What Does Sleep Regression in Babies Involve?
This disruption in your baby’s sleep cycle is likely related to the rapid growth and brain development your little one is experiencing, along with the major physical skills they are now learning. At the age of eight to ten months, your baby may be on the verge of some exciting new milestones, such as crawling, pulling themselves up, or even taking a few steps and starting to speak. That’s why this disturbance has an emotional component.
It can also happen that your baby wakes up due to separation anxiety, leading to sleep regression at four or six months, as well as at eight or ten months of age. When you leave the baby to sleep in their room, in their crib, and you leave the room, they might think you are not coming back, causing anxiety. The same situation occurs when you leave them at home with someone else, and you go out. Some babies calm down more easily, while others take longer. Babies experience this feeling at night, which is why they wake up and cry. During this period, you will need to be persistent in repeating, “Mommy/Daddy will come back, don’t worry, we love you.” After a few days or a couple of weeks, everything should return to normal.
How Long Does Sleep Regression Last?
Breathe easy, because regression doesn’t last long. To overcome this hurdle, it’s usually necessary for your baby’s new skills or emotions to settle – and once that happens, they should return to their usual sleep rhythm in their crib. Keep in mind that you’ve worked hard to teach your baby how to sleep and the rhythm they should follow, so they will likely remember what to do at night and easily return to their usual pattern without much fuss. If it doesn’t happen quickly, teach them again how to sleep. You should know that it isn’t as rough as it seems, and your baby’s crying is harder for you to bear than it is for them.
