While there are a lot of great nights when babies sleep well, there are also a lot of sleepless nights when they don’t sleep so well. One such phase when this happens is with the 8 Month Sleep Regression. This isn’t something that you should panic about though.
Understanding the Phase
This is a phase that typically appears when your baby is between 8 – 10 months of age and is characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep. During this time your baby will wake up more frequently throughout the night so both of you are getting less sleep. Doctors feel that this is caused by your baby’s rapid growth and brain development (e.g. crawling, talking, separation anxiety). However, it may also occur due to separation anxiety.
Fortunately, this is a temporary stage that usually wears off when the newness of your baby’s skills or emotions wears off. Your baby should remember what to do at night and get back to their regular sleep pattern without much fuss. However, you may need to work on sleep training with your baby again.
Signs You’re Facing This Phase
There are some things you can look for to know if this is indeed what’s been happening to your baby.
First, your baby may be crankier than usual because they aren’t getting enough sleep. This is why it’s important to stick to your regular bedtime routine and make sure that your baby gets 12 – 15 hours of sleep within a 24 hour period. To make up for their lack of sleep most babies will take a longer daytime nap.
Secondly, your baby will wake up more frequently throughout the night. When they do sleep they’ll oftentimes be restless and this may even make it harder for them to fall asleep.
Third and finally, most babies are clingier than usual. They’ll act upset whenever you aren’t around and cling to you more when you are around.
Working Through the Phase
There are some things that you can do to help your baby rest better throughout this stage. One of the most important being to take time to practice separation. These brief moments apart while your baby is playing will help them rest assured that you’ll return.
Unfortunately, the 8 Month Sleep Regression can be a challenging time for you as a parent and your baby too. However, now that you hopefully have a better understanding of it you can see that this is something that won’t last forever. Hang in there and know that sleep is coming.