Photo by Tara Raye on Unsplash
Is your four to six-month-old baby having trouble sleeping for longer stretches at a time? If so, it could be because of a phenomenon known as sleep regression.
As your child gets to about six months old, you will notice that, as a parent, you are finally able to squeeze in a full night’s sleep! Your child will start sleeping through the night and take longer naps during the day.
However, this can change quickly, and you may suddenly be faced with the challenge of having your baby waking up sporadically at night, or having difficulty sleeping again.
In this article, we will understand why this happens and what you can do to minimize and overcome sleep regression while promoting better sleep for your child, both in the short and long run!
What Is A 6-Month Sleep Regression?
It is important to understand that 6-month-old sleep regression signs are perfectly normal in babies and are generally a sign that your baby is developing well.
Even though the term ‘regression’ means taking a step backward (and it will certainly feel like that if your baby was sleeping well and now isn’t), this phase doesn’t last long.
It also indicates that your baby is likely undergoing significant physical and mental growth and getting more aware of sounds and their environment.
However, not all babies go through sleep regression. Some do, and some don’t. Also, sleep regression doesn’t happen right on the six-month mark. It can happen earlier or later, but what is important is being aware that such a phenomenon is normal and part of a baby’s development phase.
Causes of 6-Month Sleep Regression
As such, there is no one cause or factor attributed to 6-month-old sleep regression signs. As your child grows, they can go through stages of sleeping for longer periods and phases where their sleep seems to worsen.
Many factors can contribute to the quality of infant sleep, such as an increase in physical and mental abilities, increased sensitivity to sound and light, separation anxiety, and a change in sleep cycles.
Teething could also be a cause of sleep regression. Six months is around the time when teeth start coming in and this can cause pain and discomfort, upsetting your baby’s sleep and causing them to wake up crying.
Symptoms of a 6-Month Sleep Regression
How can you tell your baby may be going through 6-month-old sleep regression signs?
You do so, by keeping a lookout for the following symptoms:
- Waking up in the night and having trouble going back to sleep
- Napping for longer during the day with lesser nighttime sleep
- Crying or being in discomfort when waking up
- Skipping day-time naps and struggling to go to sleep at night
- Being cranky due to a lack of quality sleep
5 Ways To Deal With Sleep Regression
Even though sleep regression is normal and usually doesn’t last long in infants, it can be unnerving and even frustrating for parents to deal with.
Luckily, there are ways you can help your baby and yourself better cope with sleep regression. Here’s how!
- Establish A Bedtime Routine
Ensuring that your baby follows a consistent schedule for naptime and bedtime is crucial to getting through their sleep regression phase. It can be hard at times, but staying patient and diligent with your baby’s sleep pattern is the key to better sleep both now and later.
Another good idea is to come up with a bedtime process as a way of signaling to your baby that it is time to sleep. You can associate feeding before bedtime, cuddling, or singing as a way to calm your baby and wind them down before sleeping.
- Make The Bed/Crib As Comfortable As Possible
You must follow safe sleep guidelines to keep your baby as safe and comfortable as possible while sleeping. This includes making sure your baby is sleeping on its back on comfortable bedding, and there are no soft toys or other items in their crib or bed.
- Wean Off Nighttime Feeding
At six months old, your baby is likely getting enough calories during the day and can sleep through the night without feeding. However, they will likely continue to wake up to feed as a force of habit. This is the ideal age to try and break that pattern and wean off nighttime feeding over a period of a couple of weeks.
- Make Sure The Environment Is Distraction Free
As your baby is becoming more aware of its surroundings, and more sensitive to sound and light, their room must be kept dark and quiet when napping or at bedtime. Keep toys and any distractions away and you can even add white noise to create a calming atmosphere in the room that will assist with better sleep.
- Start Sleep Training
Six months is the ideal age to start sleep training your baby, which means helping your baby go back to sleep on their own in case they wake up at night or during a nap. There are several methods to sleep training and to learn more check out this post on sleep training by the Sleep Foundation!
FAQs
Q) How long does 6-month sleep regression last?
6-month sleep regression can last for a few days or a few weeks depending on the cause of the regression. The good news is that it is almost always temporary.
Q) At what ages can babies have sleep regression?
Sleep regression usually occurs at the ages of 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. The likely causes of sleep regression include development changes, teething, and growth spurts.
Consult With Sleep Experts At Wonder Wise!
If you are looking to improve sleep quality for your baby or as a parent, you should seek the aid of Wonder Wise, a powerful AI tool designed to help you achieve your sleep goals and understand your unique sleep patterns and preferences.
Simply join us on WhatsApp and get the best wellness tips and sleep knowledge at your fingertips for free! You can also join our Wonder Wise Sleep Challenge to experience a life-changing sleep transformation in just two weeks!
