The period between 36 and 40 weeks is a time of significant changes in a baby’s life. During this stage, babies begin to explore and try to master new skills. For example, you may notice your baby squishing a banana with their hand while eating. Your baby starts to categorize their environment, recognizing that certain things, objects, and feelings belong together and fit into groups and categories. For instance, they might understand that both bananas and spinach are foods, even though they look different. When your baby sees four different blocks, they grasp that each one is unique, but all are still blocks. They begin to understand people around them, their emotions, and even their own feelings. Your baby’s comprehension increases significantly. All of this is supported by newfound mobility, such as crawling, sitting up unassisted, and standing on their own. However, with these new abilities comes sleep regression.
The introduction of these new skills and understanding turns your baby’s world upside down.
Behavioral Changes Parents Might Notice:
- The baby may become more tearful and seem discontent.
- With increased mobility, they might follow you everywhere, want to be held often, cling to your legs, indicating potential separation anxiety.
- Suddenly shy and less open towards strangers.
- Wants only mom or dad (sometimes just mom).
- Sleep may worsen (for a while).
- They may become quieter and less talkative.
- May suddenly resist diaper changes.
- Appetite might decrease.
How Parents May Feel:
- Uncertain (wondering why their baby is behaving differently).
- Tired and exhausted (babies tend to sleep worse, which affects the parents too).
- Frustrated (some mothers may consider weaning or moving the baby to another room).
Sleep Regression and Sleep Disturbances
The 8-10 month sleep regression is a phase where your baby’s sleep patterns, both day and night, may temporarily worsen. Babies may refuse to fall asleep, stand up in their crib and cry, play, shout, clap their hands, or jump around. This could last an hour or more, often between 1:00 and 3:00 AM.
This phase can last 3-6 weeks, leading to sleep deprivation, early morning awakenings, nap refusals, and general irritability for both baby and parents, often accompanied by tears and protests.
Common Sleep Issues During This Period:
- Nap refusal or bedtime resistance: The baby may cry in the crib to see what happens.
- Standing in the crib and subsequent frustration: The baby may not yet know how to get back down.
- Late-night parties: Playing or feeling frustrated because they want to sleep but can’t.
- Short 30-minute naps with crying upon waking.
At this age, babies begin to understand many things and categorize them in their minds. If they start crawling, sitting up, standing, or walking, they’re constantly thinking about it, feeling the need to practice. Reaching these developmental milestones can significantly impact and disrupt their sleep.
Despite this regression, your baby still needs 2-3 hours of daytime sleep (preferably 2.5-3 hours) and 11-12 hours at night. If they don’t get enough sleep, they become overtired, making everything even more challenging.
Not all sleep problems are due to sleep regression. Inconsistency from parents can also contribute to a baby developing worse sleep habits than they had before the regression. Parents may feel confused and unsure whether the baby is crying due to discomfort, tiredness, or other reasons.
How to Handle This Major Sleep Regression
This sleep regression is one of the toughest. The constant standing in the crib can drive many parents to despair. However, it will pass in a few weeks, and it would be a shame to adopt habits you don’t want to maintain long-term.
Here are some tips to help you get through this regression more easily:
- Continue your usual bedtime routine.
- Provide extra comfort with more frequent check-ins or longer intervals at the crib, or even stay by the crib the entire time.
- Avoid putting your baby to sleep if they already know how to do it themselves.
- Put your baby to bed earlier in the evening to help them catch up on accumulated fatigue.
- Be consistent with your sleep routine.
- Offer a longer, calming pre-sleep routine.
- Provide extra comfort at night but stick to your usual nighttime routine.
- Be patient.
If you think it will help, put your baby down for their scheduled nap 15-30 minutes later.
However, if your baby has been sleeping poorly since the 3/4 month regression, waking frequently at night, and taking short, irregular naps during the day, it’s likely not a regression but a sleep association issue.