Understanding sleep regression in babies can be a challenging task. It is important to remember that this situation is temporary and you will not have to do this forever. Although sleep regression will most likely end on its own if given some time, never hesitate to call your doctor if you have concerns or questions about your baby's sleep or the possible cause of sleep problems (such as persistent nightmares). The first sleep regression usually occurs when the baby is about 4 months old, and others may occur in the future.
Other developmental milestones, such as learning to roll over, can also contribute to sleep regression at 4 months. And it's hard to know whether an episode of moodiness is due to "sleep regression" or just the baby being a baby. Controlled crying, or allowing brief periods of crying with soothing in between, is another common method of sleep training that can be employed during sleep regression at 8 months. Some 6-month-olds have sleep problems around this age, but there is no 3-6 week period with chronic sleep problems like the other regressions listed on this page.
This 12-month regression can occur regardless of the child's previous sleep experience. Sleep regression is a period of time, usually two to four weeks, when a baby who sleeps well suddenly has trouble falling asleep or wakes up fussing in the middle of the night. Once the worst of this regression is over, you should focus on helping your baby to break his or her sleep associations and learn to fall asleep without your help. Although there are other problems that can cause disruptions in a baby's sleep habits, you can distinguish a regression from other sleep disturbances based on when it occurs, how long it lasts and whether there are other problems. With sensible sleep training, you may be able to improve sleep patterns and help your baby get back on track.
If you have concerns or questions about your baby's sleep or the possible cause of sleep problems, never hesitate to call your doctor.
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