Babies at 8-10 months are learning so many exciting new skills. Unfortunately, that can also come with some less exciting sleep struggles. You may have heard this called the 8-10 month sleep regression. Let’s talk about it.
What is a sleep regression?
When a baby’s brain is going through huge developmental changes, sleep can be impacted. Here is what I want you to know: Sleep regressions are a sign of developmental progressions. Your baby’s brain is working hard!
Can I talk you through my approach to sleep regressions?
What is your baby learning at 8-10 months?
Your baby might be learning things like sitting up, crawling, pulling up, babbling, stacking, and more. He might also be learning the important idea of object permanence. Object permanence is the understanding that things exist when I can’t see them, which can lead to a surge of separation anxiety.
There is just SO MUCH going on inside that little brain.
What can you do?
There are a few ways you can help:
Practice new skills during awake time.
Encourage lots of floor-time so your little one can scoot, crawl, pull up, and stack toys. If your baby is pulling up, practice putting a toy by her feet and help her reach back down to get it. The more you practice during the day, the less exciting those skills seem when your baby needs to sleep.
Pay attention to bedtime.
With a baby who is on the move, it can be easy to miss those normal signs of tiredness, but preventing overtiredness is still so important. Shoot for about 3.5 hours of awake time before bed. A bedtime routine and good wake windows will set your night up for success.
Continue to prioritize restful daytime sleep.
So much is going on in your baby’s brain right now, which means that naps and night sleep are both vital. A consistent (yet flexible) daily routine is important. If you need help with schedules, check out this blog.
Understand how your baby thinks.
Developing object permanence can often lead to separation anxiety because your baby’s emotional attachment to YOU is so strong. Check out this blog for ideas on supporting your baby as they learn about object permanence.
Stay consistent.
Don’t start new habits or patterns that you don’t want to maintain. This regression may be tough for several days, but the more consistent you are, the more quickly it will pass.
If your nights and naps are rough beyond just a few days, I have a class for you that is safe during the regression. The ABCs of Sleep will give you a step-by-step plan to restful nights and solid naps through ALL regressions.
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