Sleep regression is when something disrupts your baby’s pattern of sleep. It is when your baby has been sleeping well, and your nights have been calm as well. But all of a sudden, your baby starts waking up very often and does not know how to go back to sleep. The change can feel very tiring and confusing for both you and your baby.
One of the most common growth stages in a baby is sleep regression. This doesn't usually have to be a big problem, because a baby's needs and nature of sleep change as they grow. It could be these changes that usually cause a little bit of a mix-up in their usual sleep routine for a while. Let's talk through the steps on how to help fix this problem:
Why Does the 6-Month Sleep Regression Happen?
While some babies experience the infamous 6-month sleep regression, many don't. Actually, some parents report an improvement in their baby's sleep, including longer night sleep, around this age.
At about the age of six months, babies are busy learning new skills. They might be rolling, sitting, or maybe even getting ready to crawl. All these major milestones can make your baby more excited and energetic, even in times that are meant for sleeping. Plus, their brains are developing super fast, and it can actually change how they go to sleep.
Another cause is the fact that babies become more aware of their environments and realize that you are not there with them. That is why they might wake up in search of you. This is likely to disrupt their sleep more at an earlier age.
Understanding the 6-Month Sleep Regression
6-month sleep regression can cause changes in the sleep pattern of your baby. They may start waking up more often during the night and take shorter naps throughout the day. You can find this hard, but it's because of the new developmental milestones they are hitting. For example, sitting up or getting very curious about the world can sometimes make them too excited to sleep.
On the other hand, introducing solid food can interfere with your baby’s digestion while sleeping. Understanding these changes will help you to adjust your routines so you can easily keep up with your baby’s changing needs.
Common Symptoms of the 6-Month Sleep Regression
At 6 months, the 6-month sleep regression starts hitting, and you can observe the following signs:
- Frequent Night Waking: Your baby can start to wake up much more often during the night as compared to before.
- Difficulty in sleeping: Even if they are tired, it may be hard for your baby to actually settle to sleep.
- Shorter Naps: Their naps can be shorter than usual during the day, more than before, leaving them feeling cranky.
- More Irritability: Tired babies become fussier and cry more during their waking hours.
- Changes in Appetite: They may become hungrier or be less interested in food because of their tiredness.
Step 1: Maintain a Consistent Schedule
The key to surviving the 6-month sleep regression is to maintain consistency with your schedule. If the baby has a schedule, then they will know the night is for sleeping. Try to have hours that are consistent for both bedtime and waking up time. A good quiet activity could be reading a book or making a playlist with some calming music.
It can act as a signal for the baby to wind down. The response should be consistent even if the baby wakes up at night so that he or she is expecting the same thing each night, which actually helps him or her to sleep better.
Step 2: Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment
Make the place where the baby sleeps comfortable. Make the baby's room safe, quiet, and comfortable. The space should be cool; however, he or her can use blackout curtains to make it dark and cozy.
For some parents, a white noise machine has been useful to drown out other noises from the house. This setup also helps teach your baby that their crib or bed is for sleeping so that after waking in the nighttime, they can relax and go back to sleep more easily.
Step 3: Encourage Self-Soothing Techniques
Teaching your baby self-soothing skills to fall back to sleep is really effective during a sleep regression. You can continue laying your baby down in his crib drowsy but awake. If he starts to fuss, you can try to soothe him with a gentle touch or soft voice without taking him out of the crib.
Over time, they will realize that they can, in fact, fall asleep without being rocked or fed. Independence is a big step for them to overcome sleep regression.
Step 4: Adjust Daytime Activities and Nap Schedules
Managing the baby's sleep duration and needs during the day can have an effect on his or her night-time sleep. You can experience difficulty in putting the child to sleep at night because they have slept too much during the day. You have to make sure that naps are maintained at a duration that only refreshes them and does not keep them awake during the night.
Make sure that the baby is busy with activities that take most of their waking time and get them tired by the time it is bedtime. Also, you should try not to let them take too many late naps, because it can make it difficult for them to sleep at night.
Step 5: Be Patient and Flexible
The 6-month sleep regression can be a tough time, but you should remember that it will pass. You should always be prepared to make changes and adjustments in your routine if your baby shows signs that something is needed.
Also, don’t forget to take care of yourself, too. It can be quite demanding to work with sleep deprivation, so you should ask for help when needed, and give yourself time to rest whenever it is possible.
Step 6: Seek Professional Advice if Needed
You should always feel free to ask the pediatrician or any other doctor if you worry about the health or developmental effects of sleep regression on your baby. They may help you with possible advice and even assurance. Sometimes, professional advice can guide you to find the available strategies that might be customized according to your baby's needs.
These few measures are really helpful to survive this common phase of the 6-month sleep regression. With great strategies and patience, you can make it through.
Conclusion
Coping with 6-month sleep regression means you have to figure out why it happens and adjust your actions to help your baby sleep better. You should also allow yourself to get enough restful sleep.
Throughout this process, you have to be patient and positive. Remember, it's only another phase that your little one is going through developmentally. You can do it!
