8 month sleep regression

https://youtu.be/E5Y5qymtlsM The eight-month sleep regression. If you know me or have followed me for some time, you’ll know that I really don’t like the word regression. Why? Because it’s not really a regression, just because sleep becomes difficult or hindered, doesn’t mean they’re actually regressing. Your child’s never regressing, they’re moving forward, so they’re actually progressing. Because of their progress and because of the progressions, I’m going to talk about in a minute, it can cause disruption to sleep. Especially if you’re not ahead of the game, and aware of what they need, and what they need you to help them with, then sleep can be hindered during this progressive leap that they’re taking. So, I really don’t like the word regression, it’s so negative and not really true. Let’s have a look at what’s going on at this age and why we see an impact sometimes on sleep at this age, which gives everyone this phrase about the eight month sleep regression. First of all, I really want to urge you to not preempt, expect, and look for it. Because actually, you can get so hung up on it that you start to think, oh yeah, that’s what it is, that’s what’s going on. And then you label it, and it’s almost like an excuse. Don’t expect it, don’t preempt it, don’t assume it will hit you. Just take what’s happening, work through it, and don’t read more into it than there really is. So, what is happening? Okay. First of all, the daytime sleep is going to be shifting around this time. So, if little one, from sort of six months, has been having three good naps a day and you’ve got into a good nap routine and things are looking good. And then you get this eight-month thing going on, and you’re like, napping is becoming a nightmare. Or maybe you never did get it off to a great start, maybe it’s always been a nightmare. It’s important to know that eight-month things are starting to shift a bit, their sleep needs in the day are starting to shift a bit. Like I said, if we are not on top of that, and if we are not meeting those needs and accommodating that sleep when it’s needed, you can end up with a repercussion which is disturbed nights, so called regression. So, being aware of that daytime sleep, how much does your child need? When do they need it? And are you meeting that need for them? They will not automatically just tell you when they need it and nod off to sleep brilliantly as you know by now, so have a look at that. Now, what’s happening at eight months is that at night, sorry daytime sleep is going to gradually move towards a dropdown to two naps over the next couple of months. So, at eight months you start to see a shift, whatever you do, don’t do an immediate drop. Don’t go, oh, okay, we were doing three naps, we’ll now do two, that’s it. It’s not that cut and dry, it’s a transition, it takes time. It will usually be over that eight-to-10-month period that this starts to happen, and you might take two steps forward and three steps back, it might be a bit stop and start for a while. So, take each day as it comes, some days your child might need three naps, some days two, some days two and an early bed or there’s all sorts going on there, and that’s another episode. But have a look at that, also bear in mind that they’re wakeful windows. So that’s the period of time that they can manage to be awake in one stretch, that’s also growing. You may already be overestimating it, many parents do overestimate how long their little one can be awake in one stretch before they need to sleep. Why do we overestimate it? Because the little ones give us the impression that they’re fine, and they don’t start yawning and eye rubbing and fussing until they’re already over tired or on the brink of being overtired. So don’t wait for those signs, don’t wait for that before you put your child down. Just because a child appears to be fine or a baby appears to be fine and not in need of a sleep yet, doesn’t mean it’s true. And as I say, you nee