Are Sleep Regressions Real?

Jul 19, 2025

Let’s Talk About What’s Really Happening with Your Baby’s Sleep

As a professional sleep consultant, I hear people dropping the “R” word a lot. It’s often used as a blanket explanation for just about any change in a baby’s sleep pattern.

So, are sleep regressions even real?

Yes—very much so. There are several developmental changes happening in the first 3 years of your child’s life, and these can absolutely affect sleep. Some of these are physical, like teething or learning to sit, stand, crawl, and walk. Others are cognitive—like language development and understanding object permanence. And then there are emotional shifts, like separation anxiety.

All of these are beautiful and healthy milestones. And they don’t need to be feared.

What Does a Sleep Regression Look Like?

For a temporary period—usually 1 to 3 weeks—a sleep regression can cause:

More resistance at bedtime
Longer time to fall asleep
More frequent night wakings
Shorter or more disrupted naps

This often happens because your child is practicing new skills in the middle of the night or is emotionally more aware of separations at bedtime.

When Do Sleep Regressions Typically Happen?

You may have heard of specific regressions tied to particular months—6 months, 8 months, 12 months, and so on.

But I don’t believe regressions follow a strict calendar.

While sleep disruptions do commonly occur around these ages, the timing is more closely linked to your child’s individual development. Regressions often coincide with milestones like crawling or separation anxiety. They may happen earlier or later, and in some cases, they may not happen at all.

It’s best not to worry about them in advance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Handling Sleep Regressions

These strategies will help you manage sleep regressions—whether your child is going through a developmental leap, teething, or is temporarily sick.

Step 1: Rule Out Other Causes of Sleep Disturbance

Before assuming it's a regression, ask:

Is your baby unwell or showing signs of discomfort?
Does their cry sound different than usual?
Did something unusual happen during the day?

Also assess whether:

Your baby may be overtired at bedtime (wake windows might need adjusting)
They are getting too much daytime sleep (consider shortening or dropping a nap)

If none of these apply, and your child is showing signs of developmental progress or separation anxiety, it could be a sleep regression.

Step 2: Don’t Add Additioanl Sleep Associations and Night Feeds

Sleep regressions typically last between 1 and 3 weeks.

Avoid adding new sleep associations or night feeds during this period, even if it feels tempting to get them to sleep faster because that can cause a sleep regression to last longer.

How you ask?
Maybe till now you were feeding your baby your baby 1x at night. A sleep regression hit as baby learned how to crawl and to get them back to sleep as fast as possible to started feeding them at every waking. Cut to 1 week later, your baby has mastered crawling but they continue wake several times at night expecting feeds as now they are no longer used to other ways to settle and have also started reverse cycling (i.e. consuming a bulk of their calories in the day time).

Or your baby was sleeping okay in the crib but during the regression, you started bringing them into your bed. And now you have no idea how to get them back in their crib.

Now you’ll be spending the next few weeks or month correcting this new problem. So to prevent a regression from snow balling into other sleep challenges, don’t introduce additional sleep associations and night feeds as a quick solution to sleep regressions.

Step 3: Don’t Make Major Routine Changes

Your child’s behavior during a regression may feel confusing—but don’t rush to change everything.

A 10-month-old refusing their second nap doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ready for a one-nap schedule.
A baby waking more during the night might not need additional feeds.
A 2-year-old resisting bedtime doesn’t mean they need a drastically later sleep time.

Stay consistent with the routine that was previously working. Let the regression pass before making adjustments.

Step 4: Layer in Soothing—Gradually

If your child is struggling more than usual, don’t jump to bedsharing or drastic changes.

Try this step-by-step approach:

Comfort with your voice and presence from a distance
Try in-crib settling like shushing or patting while staying nearby
If needed, pick them up to soothe and place them back in the crib

Give each soothing step time before moving to the next.

These are the kind of gentle techniques I often teach in my baby sleep training programs for parents in Singapore and across the globe.

Step 5: Practice New Skills During the Day

If your baby is waking because they’re stuck sitting up, rolling over, or pulling to stand—rescue them calmly, then leave the room so they can fall asleep independently.

Then, give them plenty of time during the day to practice these skills so they’re less likely to do so at night.

Trust Your Instincts

Yes, sleep regressions are real. But not all night wakings are regressions.

They can also stem from illness, overtiredness, under-tiredness, or accidental reintroduction of sleep props. Sometimes, they signal a genuine need for comfort or support.

Stay observant and trust your instincts.

Sleep Regressions and Sleep Training: What’s the Link?

Here’s something important to understand.

Often, once the regression passes, the sleep problems linger. Why?

Because many parents—understandably—introduce new sleep habits like rocking, feeding to sleep, or co-sleeping during the tough nights. These short-term coping mechanisms can become long-term sleep crutches.

That’s where sleep training becomes a valuable tool.

Sleep training helps babies and toddlers build independent sleep skills and reduces their reliance on external sleep props. Even if your child has gone through a rough patch, gentle sleep training can help reset their sleep foundation and get things back on track.

And here’s the good news: it’s not too late.

Whether you're in the thick of a regression or still recovering from one, you can start fresh with a method that works for your family—loving, responsive, and rooted in child development.

Ready to Get Sleep Back on Track?

If you're navigating sleep regressions, night wakings, or nap resistance, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Explore my Baby and Toddler Sleep Programs—designed to support you through every phase of your little one’s development with a responsive, non-CIO approach trusted by hundreds of parents across Singapore, India, and beyond.

Together, we’ll help your baby sleep better and restore rest for your whole family.