What’s that sound at three in the morning, you ask? Yep, it’s your baby – crying – again. This isn’t a nightmare, and to be fair, your baby might not be as fussy as you might think; they could just be going through sleep regression.

Motherhood is already a big responsibility and without the right guidance it can be a nightmare, so remember to equip yourself with our handy mother care products which are guaranteed to make your life that much easier. As much as you may want a decent night’s sleep, babies going through sleep regression make it impossible to attain peace at nighttime. However – and fortunately for all the parents of the world – it’s just a phase that marks your baby’s mental development milestone, not that it makes the entire process any less of a nuisance.

So if – like every other parent to have ever lived – you’re searching for an answer to this problem that can have you sleeping like a baby, you’re in luck!

We’ll be going over everything – from the factors that play into sleep regression to how you can counter them, so be sure to stick with us till the end.

What is Sleep Regression?

We’ll be starting off by understanding the belly of the beast – Sleep Regression itself. In layman’s terms, sleep regression is a period during which your baby goes through a naturally occurring growth spurt, which is good for developing their brain. However – like most things baby-related, multiple factors come into play, a few of which are as follows:

• Growth spurts that make them extra-hungry.
• A change in their sleeping environment.
• Disruptions in their daily routines.
• Various illnesses.
• Teething pain.

These are some of the major causes for babies to experience sleep regression and restlessness. After all, babies do tend to triple their body weight during their first year, so these minor inconveniences should just be treated as a bump in the road to great parenting.

How Long Does it Last?

Circumventing back to the question on everyone’s minds, you’ll be relieved to know that it only lasts an average of three weeks, but it should be noted that sleep regression can happen at any time and is usually different for every child.

There are periods where identifying sleep regression is relatively easier, especially at the ages of 4,6,9, and 12 months. These numbers may vary since sleep regression can also be caused by illnesses and teething.

Before we move on to the actions that you can take to ensure this doesn’t get out of hand, you should also know that toddlers often go through sleep regression as well, usually because of nightmares and fear of the dark, but that’s a problem for another time.

Managing Sleep Regressions Like a Pro

Now that you’ve acclimated yourself to the problem, it’s about time we get to the solution. Like we said before – sleep regression is temporary – but here are a few tips that’ll make this period a whole lot easier.

1. Stick to a Consistent Routine: We’re talking dinner, bath, lullabies, hugs, goodnight kisses, and everything in between. You must keep a strict routine if you want to get some shuteye yourself.
2. Avoid Overtiring Your Baby: This little trick may work on adults, but you won’t have nearly as much luck with it when it comes to babies. So make sure that they’re getting enough sleep during the day.
3. Love Don’t Spoil: Should your baby wake up in the middle of the night, don’t run to them, instead wait them out for a few minutes because there’s a good chance they’ll fall back to sleep. If that doesn’t work, try to comfort them back to sleep, it’s possible they’re suffering from separation anxiety. And try not to rock or cuddle them too much as it may encourage them to pull this stunt more often for your attention.
4. Make Them Feel Secure: If your baby’s gone through a change in their routine or suffers from separation anxiety, pay extra attention to them during the day and especially before bed, so they feel secure before getting tucked in.
5. Get Them a Comfortable Bedding: The best course of action to counter sleep regression is to provide your baby with a comfortable bed matched with a cute and cuddly baby pillow that’ll get them snoring in no time. To take it up a notch, you can also buy them snuggly baby toys and give them bubble baths to rejuvenate their energy.

Now, if you’re still wondering if you can somehow prevent sleep regression, then we’ve got some bad news for you. It’s a natural part of baby and toddlerhood, so all that’s left for you to do is see it through gracefully.

A word of advice from the mothers in our team: “Don’t work yourself too hard; motherhood is hard as is, so be grateful for the opportunity and enjoy the journey.”

And if you’re looking for affordable and convenient baby toys that your little one will love, then we’ve got your back! Check out our store.