Just last week you were bragging to your friends and family about what a good sleeper your baby is. All those horror stories about waking up 10 times a night to a cranky, fussy baby don't apply to you anymore. Your 2 or 3 month old is practically sleeping through the night already! Your baby can nap on command!

And then suddenly this week, those nightmares come to haunt you again. Your baby starts waking up frequently during the night, waking up early from naps (or refusing to nap at all) and you have no idea why or how?  

In this article, we give you the low-down on everything you need to know about the inevitable:

What is a sleep regression?

At what ages do sleep regressions happen?

How long does a sleep regression last?

How to survive sleep regressions?

What is a sleep regression?

A sleep regression is a period of time when a baby who was previously sleeping well experiences a temporary setback in sleep patterns. During a regression, your baby will go from sleeping soundly to waking up frequently during the night, is harder to calm or settle before sleep, wakes up early from naps, or fights nap times altogether. In many cases, it’s a combination of all three – which can be extremely exhausting, not to mention frustrating, on the parents!

More often than not, sleep regressions seem to come out of nowhere. Parents are usually taken by surprise when their baby goes from sleeping great one night, to barely sleeping at all the next without warning. The most common time frames for sleep regression to occur are when the baby hits 4 months, 9 months, and/or 18 months of age.

What should I expect during a sleep regression?

A decrease in sleep and an increase in fussiness/crankiness are the most common effects of a sleep regression. The decrease in sleep might happen during nap times, night time sleep, or, in some cases, both. 

It's common for your baby to be much hungrier during a sleep regression. Some parents also report that their babies are more "clingy" than normal, constantly wanting to be snuggled or held. The Zen Swaddle and Zen Sack are gently weighted to provide comfort that can help babies self soothe.

Real Mom Review “4 month sleep regression...who knew it could be so awful! After 2 nights of waking up hourly and comfort nursing literally all night and him not wanting to be put down during the day, I broke out our [Zen] swaddles. He's been asleep for 3 straight hours so far! I'm a Nested Bean believer!  -Chelsea W. 1/1/2018

What causes sleep regressions?

A sleep regression usually coincides with developmental and/or physical milestone(s). So, while you’re probably very proud of your baby for learning to crawl, sit up, or seeing that first tooth pop through, these are most likely the same reasons their sleep is suffering.

What specific milestones are affecting your baby’s sleep will depend on their age. Keep in mind, you might not always be able to see these milestones. For example, the 4-month sleep regression occurs when your baby’s sleep cycle starts to change. It’s not a visible change, but a change in how often they shift from light sleep to deep sleep. Whereas the 8 or 9 month regression can be caused by milestones like crawling and pulling up- new tricks that you’ll notice your baby trying to master.

As soon as your baby gets used to these new changes, tricks, or skills their sleeping patterns usually return to normal.

Some also might notice that, uncoincidentally, the most common sleep regression ages align with common nap transition periods (3 to 2 naps, 2 to 1 nap, etc.). These transitions often play a role in sleep regressions. 

At what ages does sleep regression happen?

A bit less common is the 12 month sleep regression. This is experienced much less but is similar to the 18 month sleep regression in that it is often associated with separation anxiety. However, the 12 month sleep regression mostly effects naps, as it’s around the age babies start wanting to transition to a single nap per day.

How long does sleep regression last?

Usually sleep regressions (at any age) will only last 3-6 weeks. The most important thing to remember during a sleep regression is the implication of the word itself. A “regression” implies a return to a former state, that it’s not a permanent change! To an exhausted parent, that can seem like forever! Luckily, we'll be sharing some tips that can help you survive. Read along!

Although sleep regressions shouldn’t last more than 6 weeks, it’s important to keep any bad habits that may form during regressions from lingering. During sleep regressions, it’s easy to revert to old habits you’ve already broken with your baby or even form new habits like rocking to sleep, feeding to sleep, picking up to sleep, etc. Yes, you should do what you have to do, to make sure your baby (and you!) are getting the right amount of sleep during a regression – but be sure these methods don’t become habits, or else you’re in for a whole new set of sleep challenges after the regression ends! Our tips for surviving sleep regressions will help prevent this.

How do I know if it’s a sleep regression or if it’s something else?

What’s the difference between the start of a sleep regression and a few nights of uncharacteristic sleeping for your baby?

If you’re experiencing a sudden (sometimes literally overnight) change in your baby’s sleep accompanied with some illness or a tooth pop that follow in 1-3 days it may not be a sleep regression, there is a chance that it could be something other than a sleep regression. However, such a shift in sleep, with no other symptoms, could signal a sleep regression. Use your intuition – you know when something’s up with your baby!

Surviving Sleep Regression

Our number one advice for surviving sleep regressions is simple: take a deep breath and hold on to the fact that it won’t last forever.

Sleep regressions aren’t fun for anyone – you or your baby! It’s a confusing time for her, and a frustrating one for you. Since there’s not much you can do to “stop” or “avoid” sleep regressions, just remember to focus on it being temporary.

Here’s 9 tips and pieces of advice that will help you survive sleep regressions:

1. Be flexible. Sleep regressions will more than likely put a stop to your normal nap and bed time schedules. For the time being, you’ll need to adjust. It’s temporary…remember!

2. Try to Keep Routines Consistent. Even though sleep regressions are bound to mess up your usual schedule, you should try to keep up with performing your soothing bedtime routine before sleep. It may not happen when it normally does, but in a time where your baby is experiencing and learning new things, it helps to keep some things familiar. This will also help settle them before putting them down for the night.

3. Keep a calming routine and environment. Try adding in a soothing massage, bath, swaddling, or story time to your routine to keep your baby relaxed. Also make sure their environment is soothing – the room should be dark and at a comfortable temperature. Maybe even try adding a white noise machine to help calm them during sleep. 

4. Comfort them but avoid creating bad habits. It’s okay to give those extra snuggles and spend a few extra minutes rocking your baby to help soothe them! Do what you can to offer comfort but try to limit this contact and place them in their sleep environment again. Tar=ke care not to revert back to habits you’ve already broken and don't create new habits! Avoid regularly rocking or nursing your baby to sleep to be sure they don’t form any sleep associations.

5. Try the Zen Swaddle or Zen Sack. The Zen Swaddle’s and Zen Sack’s lightly weighted parts can be very effective in helping calm fussy, overtired babies. Try using the Zen Swaddle or Zen Sack during a regression and you may find the added pressure helps baby to relax and self-soothe.

6. Alter your sleep schedule. Sleep regressions usually mean less sleep than normal, which leads to an overtired baby, which leads to crying and fussiness, which leads to less sleep, which leads to…you get the idea. It’s a vicious cycle! Try to avoid an exhausted baby by altering daytime sleep schedules and trying an earlier bedtime to make up for sleep lost at night.

7. Give them the fuel they need. Don’t be afraid to give your baby those extra feedings if they are asking for them. The developmental changes and growth spurts that your baby often experiences during a sleep regression will usually increase their appetite.

8. Ask for and accept help. While you do your best to take care of your baby during sleep regressions, remember to take care of yourself too. Sleep regression for baby often leads to sleep deprivation for parents. If you’re able to, take shifts with your partner. Call on friends and family to take over for a bit so you can get some rest. And when someone offers to give you a hand, do yourself a favor and take it!

9. Lastly, lean on other moms for help and guidance. Talk to a mom who’s been through it before – create a support group. It helps to know others have gone through them and there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you don’t know another mom who’s been through a sleep regression, take some advice from some of our customers in the Zen Mom Zone!