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Developmental Changes and Child Sleep

Sleep regressions can be one of the most common sleep challenges that parents encounter. Sleep and behavioral regressions can occur due to developmental or movement milestones. These normal sleep regressions can last for days, weeks, and even a few months.

The following are some of the most common baby and toddler developmental and movement milestones, and a few good ways to respond during these periods of big change.

Rolling to side or tummy

Your baby will continue to practice new rolling moves during sleep time. The general theory is that once your baby rolls to side or tummy during sleep time, it is safe for your baby to sleep in this position. However, you will want to be sure your baby is not swaddled, and that there are no loose objects, blankets, toys, or pillows in the area where your baby is sleeping. Some babies will sleep better from sleeping on side or tummy, while other babies will cry out panicked and uncomfortable. If your baby is awake and crying and sounds panicked, go to your baby and help your baby roll onto their back.

Expect a little bit of “Groundhog Day” as your baby continues to practice rolling off and on during the night. Be sure that during the day, you offer your baby plenty of floor-time so baby can really integrate the new rolling during the daytime, and can then use these new skills at night. After several evenings of helping your baby at night, begin to fade your help and watch as your baby begins to accomplish rolling during sleep time without needing your help.

Object permanence 8-11 months

As babies develop new movement skills, they may also become clingy, and may exhibit separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. The onset of object permanence ushers in a whole new perspective for your baby. For the first time in their first year, your little one is developing a picture of themselves, and as a result, experiences themselves as separate from you. While separation anxiety is a normal part of your baby developing, changing, and gradually becoming their own little person, separation anxiety can be very overwhelming for parents. Your baby will need you more as they go through these changes and may even become distressed if you leave the room or put them down.

Expect regressions with naps, bedtimes, nights, and possibly early morning waking during this phase. Try your best to meet your little one’s needs, and once your baby is through the phase you can get them back on their typical sleep routine if they have regressed during the phase.

Pulling up to standing, falling, and walking

Even parents of babies who are sleeping well at night have called to tell me that their baby is now waking all night long practicing walking at night. Some active babies will be so delighted by their new walking skills that they will continue to practice off and on through the night. Or, they wake themselves up in the walking position and can’t remember how to get back down to the sleep position. Remember that pulling to standing, falling, and walking are some of the biggest movement milestones that your baby will make in the first year.

It will take time for your baby to figure out how to get from standing and walking back to laying down and sleeping. During the first few days to weeks, some babies will need some more hugs at night and your help with getting back down from standing position. After a week or so of helping, fade your help away so your baby takes over and learns to lay back down from standing position.

Verbal learning 18-22 months

While the newborn stage is the most common time that babies will wake frequently at night, another common time is when your child is between 18 to 22 months of age. Due to big developmental changes that begin around the time a toddler is 18 months, your toddler may no longer be happy about being separated from you at night.

This period of development is largely focused on your toddler learning new words and wanting to communicate. It also happens to be the most common time for a toddler to climb out of the crib during the night as your toddler tries to find their way to your bed. If your toddler has climbed out of the crib at night, you may need to be more responsive to your child during this time. Some parents may even begin room sharing with their child because of the 18 to 22 months' developmental regression.

Once the phase has passed, usually just a few nights but also can be off and on for several weeks or even months(!!), your child will again be able to sleep with less of your help and sleep through the night.

Here are a few other ways your little one will let you know they are going through a phase:

Throws a tantrum when laid down on changing table for diaper change

Try offering your budding independent toddler a special job: “Will you hold this important rattle for mama while I change your diaper?” Or try an upright diaper change for your standing/walking toddler who never likes to slow down.

Abruptly falls apart when you initiate an end to an activity

I encourage parents to "talk" to their little one and help them with these very early lessons in transition and change. Before putting your "just started walking" baby down for a nap, spend a little more time cuddling and snuggling with your baby, reassuring and "talking" to them. This is called Parentese and can help babies and young children transition from active play to sleep time. Let them know that even when they are sleeping, you are never far away.

Wide awake in the middle of the night and seems wired

If you haven’t just returned from a trip and it isn’t jet lag, it is likely that your baby or toddler is going through one of the many developmental phases during 0 to 24 months. Eight of these phases have been identified in the first 12 months, and several more phases have been identified between 12 to 24 months. As we learn more and more about babies and toddlers and brain development, we now know that little ones will pass through these phases of immense brain and neuronal activity as they wire new skills and abilities. If your child seems wide-awake in the middle of the night and is otherwise a consistently good sleeper, chances are your child may be going through a phase.

Adjust your response and check on your little one but try not to turn on the lights and engage in active play in the middle of the night. Keep your response to a minimum. Finding a special way to "talk" to your baby or toddler about the changes they are going through will be building blocks for later when they begin to verbalize their wants and needs to you. It's also a good way to communicate emotional availability with your baby. In fact, a newly published study found that parents who were more emotionally available to their babies and young children at bedtime had children who slept better at night. Make it a practice during your bedtime routine to spend a few more minutes with your clingy or newly walking baby, letting them know that you are right there to meet their growing and changing needs.

Wishing your family peaceful sleep,

Dr. Angelique Millette

Family Sleep Consultant, Parent Educator, and creator of The Millette Method™