Common Ages of Sleep Regressions

This is from the Sleeplady's website and I get her emails. I don't agree with all of her info as she doesn't really follow Weissbluth (so she has bedtime and naps all on the later side and I think she has lower than average sleep needs for toddlers and preschoolers especially and dropping naps) but this was interesting as it talked about various ages of sleep disturbances.  I have heard there are various ages of typical regressions and you have to do a bit of retraining or whatnot.  So I thought that part was relevant. (One other part is I didn't know about Wonder Weeks til recently and they have a chart of various developmental leaps and I suspect that this coincides a lot with these regression periods.  She states in her article these regression periods are developmental so that jives with the wonder weeks concept....developmental changes in them and then things stabilize out. So she very well may not even know about Wonder Weeks as that may be a relatively new term but the main thing is during these periods it seems to be mainly developmental leaps and sometimes it just needs to be ridden out til it passes as best as you can. And I ALWAYS used early bedtime during wonky phases where sleep goes off as it really helps keep the overtired at bay. Otherwise if they overtired you can get into a vicious cycle) 

http://www.sleeplady.com/baby-sleep-problems/will-babys-sleep-regression-end/?inf_contact_key=d149e07ff5ebdbaff1c167bbd03eaa9166760671f160ed3254a8c28a4621a7db

When Will My Baby’s Sleep Regression End?

If you’re asking yourself this question, chances are that you’ve been short on sleep, and so has your very cranky, sleep-fighting baby. Sleep regressions are difficult for all of us, but thankfully most children (not all, but most) don’t experience every sleep regression. If they did, no one would sleep during the first two years!
On the chance that you’re wondering whether your baby or toddler is currently going through a sleep regression, there are a few questions that you can ask yourself to help clarify:
• Has your previous well-napped baby been refusing naps?
• Did your baby recently learn a new skill (rolling over, sitting up, starting solids, crawling, walking, etc.)?
• Has your baby been hungry more often than “normal”?
• Is your baby close to one of the known ages for a sleep regression?
Contrary to popular belief, sleep regressions don’t just “happen”. They usually occur in sync with a new skill, your baby’s development, or even a growth spurt. The most common months for sleep regressions are:

4 Months

Your baby is just realizing that there is a whole world around him. They’re starting to understand that those are THEIR feet, and that mom is a separate person.

8-9 Months

Sometime between 8-9 months, your baby is beginning to develop his gross motor skills, and may have recently started crawling or even pulling up onto the furniture and cruising around your living room. He also is beginning to categorize, and understand that not everything is the same.

10-12 Months

During the pre-toddler period, your baby is realizing that there are sequences to the way things are done. He may be fascinated by stacking cups or blocks. Your baby may also start walking, which is another huge developmental milestone.

18 Months

Your toddler’s language really begins to ramp up around 18 months, and likely, you’ve also dropped from two naps to one. You may have also noticed that your toddler is experimenting with tantrums.

2 Years

Your toddler now understands that he has a choice in things, and the power struggles begin. He’s also learning about consequences, and cause and effect. Language may also play a major role during this period of development.
Thankfully, sleep regressions don’t last forever.

Sleep Regressions Usually Last Between 2 and 6 Weeks

Please understand that some babies may experience sleep problems for a longer period, but the majority of babies will average out to about 4 weeks of sleep challenges. I get so many questions from parents about when they can start sleep coaching if their baby is currently showing signs of a sleep regression.
While it’s never a good idea to start sleep coaching in the middle of a sleep regression, you can begin to introduce the concept around 3-4 weeks after the onset of your baby’s sleep regression for babies older than 6 months. If you were mid-coaching, then you can pick up where you left off.
In the meantime, do your best to keep your soothing bedtime routine, and provide extra love and support. Understand that this is just as hard on your baby as it is on you.

Be Careful To Avoid Creating a Negative Sleep Pattern

Be careful that you don’t allow a sleep regression to become the new norm. It’s perfectly fine to do what works during a sleep regression. It will likely be the only way that anyone can get any sleep. Just know that most babies are ready to begin sleep coaching after about 4 weeks of sleep struggles brought on by developmental changes. If you find that you’re 5, 7, or even 10 weeks in, take a good hard look at what’s going on.
Has your baby mastered rolling over? Is he cruising around the house like nobody’s business? Has he mastered walking between the sofa and the mom? If he has, then you’re stuck with some poor sleep habits, and should start sleep coaching as soon as possible so that they don’t become all encompassing for your baby’s sleep.
If you have inadvertently created a negative sleep association, don’t despair! You can sleep coach your child and help her to adjust to falling asleep without the newly created sleep crutch.

How to Ease Back Into Sleep Coaching After Experiencing a Sleep Regression

While your child is experiencing a sleep regression, it’s important to make sure that he’s getting enough sleep by encouraging sleep any way you can. Whether that’s in a stroller, car, with you, or in a swing. It’s important to remember that sleep regressions are not a sleep coaching issue, but rather they’re developmental.
If your baby is coming out of a sleep regression, you may notice that…
• your baby is suddenly more receptive to naps;
• nighttime sleep comes easier when just the day before it was a struggle; or
• your baby’s appetite seems to have normalized.
If you notice these cues, sit down and take some time to select a day to start sleep coaching. I suggest that you try to make the beginning of your sleep coaching coincide with a weekend or holiday so that you have at least two days to rest and get used to the new routine.
If you’re just starting sleep coaching, you’ll want to review the 10 steps to take before sleep coaching as well. If you’ve already started, you may want to regress one chair position (so if you were in the hall, move your chair by the door) for the first three nights before moving your chair back to your previous position.
Are you struggling with a sleep regression right now? Join the conversation on The Sleep Lady Facebook Page and have your sleep questions answered by one of my Certified Gentle Sleep Coaches today!

Nap Facts in Older Children/Preschoolers

These statistics are from Dr. Weissbluth's blogs for preschoolers and young school age children.  I find the interesting line to be "Napping is less influenced by genetics than parenting practices".  I too find this to be true.  My almost 5 year old still naps most day as we have designated nap time.  Some days she does rest only and eventually that will be more the norm, but I believe it is because of our routine that she still naps.  Do not underestimate the importance of parenting practices!
Yvonne

Nap Facts: 5-6 Years

January 29, 2012

At age 5, 27% of children are napping one nap/day about 4 days/week. Among those who are napping, 80% nap between 1.5-2.5 hours.
At age 6, 12% of children are napping one nap/day about 3 days/week. Among those who are napping, 90% nap between 1-2 hours.
Napping is less influenced by genetics than parenting practices.
Marc

Nap Facts: 4 Years

January 28, 2012

At age 4 years, 57% of children are napping one nap/day about 5 naps/week. 80% of children who nap are napping between 1.5-2.5 hours.
Napping is less influenced by genetics than parenting practices.
Marc

Nap Facts: 36 Months

January 27, 2012 At 36 months of age, 92% of children are napping one nap/day. 80% of children who nap are napping between 1.5-2.5 hours.
Napping is less influenced by genetics than paren

Wonder Weeks and Fussy Periods

I had never heard the term "Wonder week" until my 2nd daughter was about a year old.  I read the Chronicles of Babywise Mom Blog and it was often referenced in there, so it piqued my interest.  What exactly is a wonder week?
 A wonder week is like a growth spurt for the brain. It happens quickly and over a relatively short period of time. And it is really upsetting to a baby. Baby's perception of the world suddenly changes and they perceive it in a whole new light. As you can imagine, it is pretty distressing and confusing for such a tiny person.
Because of this, baby may act very fussy for a short time as he adjusts to all the changes. These changes are a good thing though. They cause him to assimilate information in a new way which helps him advance in her physical and mental skills. (As a side note someone mentioned that baby's awake time tends to increase after a wonder week and I found this to be true. )

For full information, look up the book.  It is titled "The Wonder Weeks. How to stimulate your baby's mental development and help him turn his 10 predictable, great, fussy phases into magical leaps forward" by Hetty Van de Rijt and Frans Plooji.

Make sure to calculate weeks from the due date, not the actual delivery date.
Wonder Weeks and Fussy Periods:

• Wonder Week 5 - fussiness starts around 5 weeks and usually lasts 1-7 days.
• Wonder Week 8 - fussiness starts around 8 weeks and usually lasts 3-14 days
• Wonder Week 12 - fussiness starts around 12 weeks/2.8 months and usually lasts 1-7 days
• Wonder Week 19 - fussiness starts around 15 weeks/3.5 months, peeks at 17 weeks and skills appear around 19 weeks. It usually lasts 1-6 weeks **From now on Fussy periods will last longer than previously
• Wonder Week 26 - fussiness starts around 23 weeks/5.3 months, peeks at 26 weeks and skills appear around 26 weeks. It usually lasts 1-5 weeks
• Weeks 29/30 or 6.8 months - This isn't actually a Wonder Week, but many babies act fussy during this time as they begin to understand that their mommy can leave them. Just thought I'd let you know :)
• Wonder Week 37 - fussiness starts around 34 weeks/7.8 months, peeks at 36 weeks and skills appear around 37 weeks. It usually lasts 3-6 weeks
• Wonder Week 46 - fussiness starts around 42 weeks/9.7 months, peeks at 44 weeks and skills appear around 46 weeks. It usually lasts 3-7 weeks
• Wonder Week 55 - fussiness starts around 51 weeks/11.7 months, often peeks at 53 weeks and skills appear around 55 weeks. It usually lasts 3-6 weeks
• Wonder Week 64 / 14.7 months
• Wonder Week 75 / 17.2 months
• Over 20 months - Other wonder weeks have been documented throughout childhood. It is also suspected that adults even go through some wonder weeks.

When Wired Means Tired

I thought this post from Val, author of Chronicles of a Babywise Mom, is a great post.  It talks about how a tired child doesn't act like a tired adult.  I don't know how many times I've heard "They don't seem tired at all"!  And you know they HAVE to be tired as it was either a busy day, a day full of activities, they had a short nap,etc.  But they don't act like it.  They act like Energizer  Bunnies that keep "going and going and going".  BUT that is the issue.  They are actually wired and that is a sign of overtired.  I have seen that in my kids too.  They don't "seem" tired but in fact they are running on pure adrenaline and desperately need sleep.  The fallacy is many parents assume this is "normal" and how kids act and they accept this as the norm.  But the reality is the children need a lot more sleep and if they are well-rested they won't be in this "hyper" state.  Sure kids can be active and there are some with different personalities and temperaments. But there is a difference between active and wired.  So keep this post in mind when your child becomes giddy or slap happy.  Often that is a warning  bell that they need to go to bed pronto!
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Here is the post from Val's blog:

In many ways, babies and children are miniature adults. It is not true, however, in all areas of life, and definitely not true when it comes to showing signs of sleepiness.

Think of yourself when you are tired. You yawn. Your eyelids droop. If you are like my husband you just fall asleep and start the head bob. You feel lethargic and unmotivated.

A great paradox of parenting is that a baby or young child does not do these things. In Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, Dr. Weissbluth states, "...when most tired young kids get sleepy, they get grumpy and excitable" page 111. He points out that well-rested children children might yawn when tired, but chronically tired children will not. His son called the state of tiredness "upcited" when he was three--a combination of upset and excited. Perfect right?

Dr. Weissbluth says, "Remember, when your infant or young child appears wired, he may be tired" (page 112). 

Dr. Weissbluth then goes on to discuss a couple of studies that shed light on this topic. I will relate one to you in my own way. You know those times in life when you have had to run on less sleep than is optimal? Maybe college, maybe with a newborn, maybe when pregnant (if you are like me and don't sleep well at night). Have you noticed how you eventually get used to running on less sleep? It doesn't mean you are functioning at 100%, but you learn to function.

I find this true in my life. When I have a newborn and consistently get less sleep than is ideal, my body copes. When I have one bad night of sleep for whatever reason, I am slammed the next day. 

The study found that the body responds to lack of sleep with various chemicals. One is adrenaline. Another is cortisol. "In children, cortisol concentrations remain high when they do not nap" (page113). 

This increase in chemicals explains why an overly tired child has a hard time falling and/or staying asleep. The body is flooded with chemicals in order to help the overly tired child stay awake, so it makes it harder to sleep. Just as sleep begets sleep, sleeplessness begets sleeplessness. 

Conclusion

A tired child does not look like a tired adult. You can't wait around for your baby to ask you to put him to sleep or to peacefully drift off into a slumber. Yes, some of those children are out there, but most need you to put them to bed for naps and for bedtime. 

Also, let me give another plug for this book. It is a most excellent companion to On Becoming Babywise. People who try to discredit Babywise like to turn to "Gary Ezzo isn't a doctor"  when all else is failing (despite the fact that Robert Bucknam is a doctor). There are several books written by doctors that support Ezzos claim that sleep is important and support his ideas on how to get there (do we really need a doctor to convince us that sleep is important? Can't we tell that from our own lives? Or maybe only well-rested adults can come to that conclusion on their own?).

Cumulative Sleepiness

This is a great post on Dr. Weissbluth's blog (as you know one of my favorite sleep experts and author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child).  It talks about how a child can slowly build up a sleep debt over time until it comes to a head.  The solution is often, you guessed it, an early bedtime!  It seems like this is something a parent can often turn to time and time again.

Here is the post:
CUMULATIVE SLEEPINESS occurs when your child is a little short on sleep day in and day out. Small amounts of sleep loss add up and the effects of sleep deficiency or sleep deprivation increase. In the beginning, if the daily sleep debt is small, the adverse effects might be minimal at first but they grow and grow as the debt increases. Sometimes, an event such as an illness or three day week-end of messed up sleep throws the child over the edge and ”all of a sudden” sleep issues surface. Bedtime battles, night awakenings, early morning wake ups, or deterioration of naps develop. Often, these sleep issues start out as mild problems but they predictably grow into major sleep issues due to the accumulation of an ever increasing sleep debt. This is the explanation why parents are puzzled by their previously good sleepers suddenly going south.
There are some predictable patterns to recognize:
1. The bedtime is a little too late around 6-9 months of age when the third nap disappears, 12-21 months when the morning nap disappears, between 3-4 years when the single nap disappears.
2. The bedtime is a little too late during the summer time when the days are longer and you want to be outdoors in the evening.
3. Family vacations when naps are skipped or the bedtime is too late.

Night Feedings

The article below is from Dr Weissbluth's blog.  It deals with how do you know if your baby is hungry at night.  It can be a tricky question.  Your baby is a couple of months old and sometimes seems more interested in a social visit (as an aside, when feeding at night I would just make sure to keep the room dark and dim and make limited eye contact and no talking, no matter how hard it is when they give you a big smile! It is to convey the difference between day and night to them) then eating.  Or they feed well in the middle of the night/early morning but then aren't interested in a full feeding at wakeup time.  These can be signs your baby is getting ready for not needing a feeding.  Dr. Weissbluth has some tips to tell if they are really needed.  He says you can try one of the following methods for a few nights to see if it is habitual waking or truly hunger.  I think that's a good idea.  I hadn't read this with my first but the signs were there that she was getting ready to drop the feeding.  So I tried CIO for a few nights.  The first night was really well but the subsequent nights not as much and didn't seem to improve.  So after a few nights of this I just figured she wasn't quite ready and I fed her.  Lo and behold, about a week later, she just stopped on her own!  (Technically she woke a bit but by the time I got to her she was resettled and I kept waiting for her to wake up and she never did!)  So I don't think it is a bad option at all.  I have read elsewhere that it can take 3-5 nights to be a habit so you can use a reasonable time frame to see what happens.  You may be pleasantly surprised and it will be real easy.  Or if they aren't quite ready it's fine too.  I don't think it hurt mine in any way and she learned self-soothing skills.  Then she did it on her own very easily soon after.  Good luck!

At Night: To Feed or Not to Feed, That is the Question.

December 2, 2009 by weissbluthmethod If your baby is hungry at night, feed your baby.
How do you know if your baby is hungry at night?
If your baby is younger than 2-3 months old, trust your instincts and feed overnight whenever you wish. Usually it is every 1-3 hours for newborns and every 2-4 hours after a few weeks.
If your baby is more than 2-3 months old, most babies are fed no more than twice overnight. Usually once in the middle of the night and once in the early morning.
Sometimes you might not be sure if a feeding is needed. Here are some suggestions to clarify what is going on. If your baby takes a small volume (1-3 ounces) or seems to suck eagerly for only 1-2 minutes and then slows down, your baby is probably not hungry. If the pattern is suck/swallow…suck/swallow…suck/swallow than your baby is hungry but if it is suck/suck/suck/swallow…suck/suck/suck/swallow than your baby is more likely to not be hungry. If you are not sure but suspect that your baby is not hungry, then try one of these suggestions for only 2-3 nights:
1. Extinction: open-ended crying at the time you had been going to feed.
2. Graduated extinction.
3. Check and console with father going and offering a water bottle.
Within 2-3 nights, you will know that either your baby was not hungry and now returns to sleep unassited or persists in fussing/crying because of hunger.
In my experience, when parents suspect that a feeding is not needed, they are usually correct.
Marc

Early Wakeups

There are some children who are early risers.  There are things to look at first to see if the issue can be mitigated.  For example, black-out curtains, white noise machines to cover outside noises, possible illness, overtiredness, temperature (too warm or too cold),etc.  These are all things to be considered.  If however, despite all this, you have an early riser no matter what AND the child is well-rested, you may consider these options below to gradually shift the wakeup time later hopefully.  (These come from the comments section on Dr Weissbluth's blog).  Dr Weissbluth recommends first an earlier bedtime to see if that helps the early waking.  I definitely would do that.  But he does say it could possibly backfire and cause early wakeups.  So a little later bedtime in slow increments may help push the wakeup time later.  Note he does say this may not apply to over-tired children.  With over-tired children, usually making bedtime later is not the answer.   And he also states the strategy rarely works in children who are very young. 
But if you are tired of waking early daily, it may be worth a shot!


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Stephanie Says:
September 9, 2010 at 1:26 pm | Reply
Can anyone comment on how long it took to see a later wake-time with a slightly later bed-time? I know HSHHC suggests instituting a later bedtime (assuming the child is well-rested overall) then waiting four days. However, I am wondering if after four days, if there is no change (and the wake-up remains the same or earlier), do you continue to push with later bedtimes or go back to the earlier one?

• weissbluthmethod Says:
  September 9, 2010 at 1:51 pm | Reply You have to balance the possible problems with a later bedtime (less net night sleep for a while or bedtime battles) with the hoped for benefits, a later wake-up time. Each child is different because of age, number and duration of naps, self-soothing skills, and so forth. So there is no hard and fast rule regarding the number of days you might try a later bedtime or how much later you will make the bedtime. Trial and error is the method. Be patient.
  Marc
  
  • Stephanie Says:
    September 9, 2010 at 3:16 pm What if the later bedtime produces a wake-time that is even earlier than the previous? If this occurs over several days, is that a sign you are going in the wrong direction? Or, simply a hiccup in the process of adjusting the wake-time? Thanks.
    
• Andrea Says:
  September 9, 2010 at 3:54 pm | Reply Stephanie,
  I had to wait about two weeks to see a later wake-up time with my son when I finally stuck with a later bedtime (around 6:30) at somewhere between 18-24 months 9I can’t remember exactly what age, but he was definitely only taking one nap a day). I can’t comment on what to do if it leads to earlier wake times — he just continued to wake up at the same time for two weeks until it finally took. Good luck!

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Kari Says:
January 25, 2010 at 9:57 pm | Reply
Yes, Carla, I don’t know about you, but I get tired of trying to explain to people how difficult it is to make the wake-up time later.
I don’t know whether the Drs. Weissbluth follow the comments on this blog, but if they do, I would love to hear their comments on this topic.

• Carla Says:
  January 25, 2010 at 11:42 pm | Reply I would LOVE the Drs. opinion!!!
  
  • weissbluthmethod Says:
    January 26, 2010 at 12:47 am For well rested children (this might not apply to over-tired children) who are not napping, when parents slowly move the bedtime later (10-20 minutes) every several days, after a few weeks, the wake up time often becomes later. The reason to do it slowly is to prevent the development of bed-time battles from a second wind. This strategy rarely works for children who are very young and taking two naps every day. It sometimes works for children who are taking a single nap. Go for it!!
    Marc
    ps
    I read the comments but I am sometimes unable to respond because there are too many variables or because I know that the answers have already been discussed in previous posts.
    MW
    
    There are some children who are early risers.  There are things to look at first to see if the issue can be mitigated.  For example, black-out curtains, white noise machines to cover outside noises, possible illness, overtiredness, temperature (too warm or too cold),etc.  These are all things to be considered.  If however, despite all this, you have an early riser no matter what AND the child is well-rested, you may consider these options to gradually shift the wakeup time later hopefully.  Dr Weissbluth recommends first and earlier bedtime to see if that helps the early waking.  But he does say it could possibly backfire and cause early wakeups.  So a little later bedtime in slow increments may help push the wakeup time later.  Note he does say this may not apply to over-tired children.  With over-tired children, usually making bedtime later is usually not the answer.   And he also states the strategy rarely works in children who are very young. 
    But if you are tired of waking early daily, it may be worth a shot!