Baby Sleep Consultant Shares the ‘Key Ingredient’ to Coping with Sleep Regressions
Many parents notice a sudden shift in a baby's sleep patterns, where seemingly out of nowhere, their little one who once settled peacefully can start waking more often, refusing naps, or struggling to settle down at bedtime. Often discussed in parenting circles, these periods of disruption are commonly referred to as sleep regressions.
To support tired parents through this tricky phase, Kiddies Kingdom spoke with paediatric sleep consultant, qualified midwife and mum of three, Clare O’Brien from The Motherhood Midwife, who reveals why sleep regressions aren’t what you might think – and how to survive it.
Sleep regression isn’t a scientific term but one coined by parents and experts to describe sleep disturbances. Clare explains, “The term ‘regression’ suggests a return to a less advanced state. This isn’t what’s happening – babies aren’t regressing in development, only in sleep behaviour.
Sleep disruption is often caused by an advance in their development as their brains are working overtime, such as learning to crawl, talk or stand. There are several signs a baby may be experiencing a sleep regression, including difficulty settling baby to sleep, more frequent night waking, early waking or nap refusal.”
What is the 4-month sleep regression and why does it happen?
There is a reason most parents begin to experience this phenomenon around the four-month mark, Clare shares, “Around four months, often called ‘the 4 month sleep regression’, there is a fundamental shift in the way a baby sleeps. They move away from simple active and quiet sleep into cycles more similar to adults, including REM, light and deep sleep.
This is often when parents find that what had been working to settle their baby no longer works. In this sense, only the 4 month sleep regression represents a true change in sleep development, and all other ‘sleep regressions’ are usually related to behavioural or physical developments, such as teething or learning new skills.”
4 tips to survive sleep regressions
Parents navigating sleep regression will be glad to hear there are ways to make this period a little easier. Clare and Kirsty Carroll, parenting expert at Kiddies Kingdom, share four helpful tips to support parents through sleep regressions.
1. Gently practice self-settling
Teaching a baby to self soothe or self-settle, without the assistance of being rocked or fed to sleep, can be a daunting task for parents. Clare says that the 4-month mark is a good milestone to begin introducing this at your own pace. “It’s often at this stage that I start to work with parents to, very gently, support their baby to learn self settling to sleep. This is one of the key ingredients in reducing night waking.
Parents often worry this means leaving their baby to ‘cry it out’, which is absolutely not what I would recommend. We can slowly support them to self settle by being present and fully responsive to their needs, even including picking them up for a cuddle if they get upset.”
2. Consider other developmental factors
Telling the difference between sleep regressions and disrupted sleep can be difficult for parents and caregivers. There may be other factors that mean a little one has a hard time settling down for naps or bedtime. Clare says, “For other ‘regressions’ or periods of bad sleep, it’s important to consider what else might be going on, if they are unwell or teething, it is often a case of riding it out until they are better.”
3. Practise new skills during the day
As sleep regressions are often caused by advancements in baby developments, your baby will be eager to practise their new tricks. The disruption happens when they are testing these out at night. Clare suggests, “If they are learning a new skill, let them practice as much as possible during the day.”
4. Create a calming sleep environment
Kirsty understands the challenges parents face during this time. She shares, “Sleep regressions can be tricky, but creating a comfortable and calming sleep environment can help your baby adjust. Consider investing in a high-quality cot and mattress that meets the needs of your little one, so they are safe and comfortable when it comes to bedtime. Also, blackout blinds and curtains are a great idea to reduce any distractions, particularly at naptimes, to help your baby settle down before bed.”