WHEN SLEEP SLIPS BACKWARDS

TA L K I N G P O I N T

true sleep regression generally also causes more daytime crankiness, and increased hunger during the day. While the neurological changes going on in that baby brain may be changing sleep patterns, Petro says that ironically, it’s often not the baby that regresses but the parents. “For example, the baby has been happily sleeping through without drinking milk. He is 11 months old and a good weight. Suddenly he wakes up at night and the parent responds by feeding him or her. In the next 24 hours the baby will drink less milk and then wake up again the following night now wanting the feed.” self-soothe when he is fussy at night. Digestive reasons are also a factor to consider when your baby is young. If your baby suddenly starts solids, or is introduced to iron-rich food for the first time, or anything that might cause the digestive system to adapt, he may be waking up because he feels a bit uncomfortable.

Another factor is mobility. “Around the four- to sixmonth mark, when they can turn over but not turn back, babies tend to get themselves into uncomfortable positions at night, needing their parents to help them out,” says Petro. Help your baby get comfy when this happens, but don’t talk or cuddle him.

Nap transitioning can also cause a baby to regress at night. “When a baby suddenly needs two day naps and not three, or one nap and not two, and the mom does not follow baby’s prompts and understand when this needs to happen, it very well might cause the baby to wake up during the night,” says Petro. Another common sleep regression period Petro encounters in her practice is around 18 months. “When a baby goes from babyhood to toddlerhood, the big developmental jump nearly always causes them to start testing the boundaries. They become toddlers in full force, and if a parent does not stick to their guns and sleep routines, these little ones will regress massively,” she warns. And just because your toddler is resisting bedtime, this does not mean you need to make bedtime later, she emphasises. Perhaps the best thing to remember about sleep regressions is that they’re temporary, usually lasting about two to three weeks. Your toddler or baby may be a bit more snuggly, needy, or sleepresistant during this time, but follow your gut, don’t change the rules, and they will bounce back quickly.

And so will you!