What is a Sleep 'Regression?'

When you hear the word sleep regression it sounds doom and gloom right!? However the good news is that its not all doom and gloom. When our little ones have these 'regressions' or glitches in their sleep, it's often in line with some great PROgressions that they are making in their mental & physical abilities. Such as, when they learn to roll, crawl, walk, or talk are just a few examples. During these developments you might find that your little one is taking shorter naps, awake more in the night or harder to settle. There are various apps / documents that give us time frames of when to expect these regressions to hit which are in line with babies developments, however it is important to remember that not all babies & children reach these stages at the same time and guess what that is totally OK- so use timeframes as a guidance not gospel. For example our first born Albie started walking at 8 months old and Marlie didn't until he was 13 months, we just worked with them at their own pace. One of the most spoke about 'regressions' is the first- The 4 Month Regression. (Can come just before 4 months or just after) This regression is in fact an exciting one in many ways as it signals to us that our little ones sleep cycles are maturing, allowing their cycles to look more like ours and for important phases to take shape. These phases help with the replenishment of energy & cells, memory storage, growth and for mental & physical developments to occur. Sleep really is magical! So when we notice shorter naps, harder to settle and more night wakening's, although its not 'ideal' for hours clocked in our sleep banks please do take some reassurance that your little ones body is doing some pretty amazing things. So how can we make these 'regressions' pass smoothly? With the first development of our little ones sleep cycles around 4 months this is a good time to see if your baby is able to self settle as this will help them when they have micro wakening's throughout the night in between their new sleep cycles. This doesn't me leaving them to cry but just introducing some gentle techniques to help them to fall asleep more independently opposed to you 'putting' them to sleep. Check that your little ones sleep environment is aiding them, not hindering them. A nice safe sleep space, without distractions that is dark will encourage your baby to sleep. You can look to get in a good nighttime routine- this can start small from an early age and build up as our little ones get older. Having the same routine each night helps send cues within our little ones brains that signal to their body it is time for bed and helps them to wind down in preparation. Again when our babies are old enough, having a daytime routine will also help them to know what's coming and the predictability will work for them and these routines will pay off over the years when other 'regressions' hit by providing our little ones with the security of knowing what 'the norm' is. If you need any advice on self settling them get in touch through my socials or via the contact form and I will get back to you! :)