Did your child sleep well and suddenly find it hard to fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night agitated and crying? It is a situation that can generate a lot of frustration in parents and that on many occasions has its explanation in sleep regressions.
Sleep regressions cause exhaustion in both babies and their parents. It is comforting to know, however, that they are temporary and that normally after a prudent time that can last from two to six weeks, their sleep patterns return to normal. What happens during those weeks and why? What is the origin of sleep regressions? Today we clarify all your doubts.
What are sleep regressions?
Sleep regression is the period of time when a baby who used to fall asleep easily and was a sound sleeper begins to have trouble falling asleep or wakes up easily at night. A period, therefore, in which they experience a regression in sleep patterns already acquired.
This period of time is usually short, although it may last up to six weeks in some cases. And it is that not all regressions are the same, although they do respond, generally to certain patterns as we explain below.
What causes them?
Sleep regressions are generally associated with what is known as development milestones. And what are developmental milestones? These are moments in which babies and children acquire new skills such as starting to turn, sit, walk or speak.
One of the most common sleep regressions is the 4 months. Their biological sleep rhythm changes and babies who used to sleep well begin to have trouble falling asleep or waking up continuously, which causes them some irritability. This one, unlike others, which barely last a couple of weeks, can last up to six o'clock.
Is your child going to go through this regression? He doesn't have to. And neither does going through this mean that he has to go through others later. And it is that although the one of four months is the most common, there are other popular regressions at 6 weeks, 8, 12 months, 18 months and 2 years.
How do they affect you?
What are the symptoms of sleep regressions? How can you identify them? There is various symptoms, so to speak, which often come together in sleep regressions. The most common being the following:
- trouble falling asleep. It is usual that in these regressions children find it more difficult to fall asleep both at night and at nap time.
- Night awakenings: Were you used to sleeping through the night and now waking up several? It is another symptom of regressions.
- Irritability and crying. Not resting makes us irascible, both children and adults. That is why it is common for him not to want to go to sleep, for him to cry at night...
- Appetite changes: Due to lack of rest your appetite may change and have more or less.
How can we help you?
How can we help parents to make these periods as bearable as possible? Although they must be passed, as they say, and there is little we can do to avoid them, if we can contribute to alleviate them somehow or, at least, try, following the following tips:
- Create a sleep routine: It is important that babies and children have a sleep routine, that they go to bed every day at the same time and that they do not suffer great alterations in their hours of rest.
- Give him a bath before bed. A warm bath relaxes babies a lot and prepares them for sleep. They end up associating that after the bath, it's time to sleep.
- Read to them or play music. Share a while with them before going to sleep, either by reading them a story or singing some lullabies or songs that help relax them. It's always a great strategy to get them to relax.
Did you know about sleep regressions? Without complicated periods but nothing that has no solution.