![]() If you’ve never established a bedtime routine, now would be a great time to do so. If your child has a bedtime routine that you use regularly, it’s important to continue to use it. If you’ve used a sleep training method like the Ferber method or the pick-up, put-down method in the past, you may wish to revisit that process now. Support your child in getting the sleep they need during this sleep regression without throwing out the schedule and any sense of consistency. This should actually be a temporary challenge.īad habits created during this time can last much longer than the sleep regression itself though, so it’s important to try to avoid falling into routines you won’t want to continue. Your child may also seem a little more willful as they have a stronger desire for independence and a greater sense of self, which can lead to some protests if sleep is being chosen for them over something else they would like to do!įirst and foremost, remember that this 18-month sleep regression will not last forever. This can lead them to become concerned when parents and trusted caregivers leave them alone to sleep. So you can partially blame that new height and those sharp new teeth for a few less restful nights.Īs part of their social-emotional growth around 18 months, your child may be experiencing a return of some separation anxiety. ![]() And teething is notoriously uncomfortable. ![]() Growth hormones released in the body to help your child get bigger can actually disrupt your child’s sleep cycles. You may have noticed your child sprouting up like a weed or sporting a grin with a few more teeth. Sleep regressions are frequently associated with brain development and physical milestones, and the 18-month sleep regression is no different. It’s nothing a sense of humor and a strong cup of coffee can’t get you through though!Īlthough it’s called a sleep regression, take heart that this temporary change in sleep patterns is actually a sign of your child’s growth and development! ![]() With their heightened sense of independence and more advanced motor skills, the 18-month sleep regression generally requires a little more diplomacy and creativity than was necessary in the past. While you likely did not have to think about explaining the importance of sleep to your 8-month-old or worry that your 4-month-old would figure out how to crawl out of their crib, your 18-month-old’s broader skill set can make this sleep regression more challenging. This sleep regression brings an added challenge because now your toddler has more to say and they’ve come a long way in learning to express their wishes! This can come on quickly and for seemingly no reason.Īs you see this begin to happen, it may jog memories of sleepless nights and bedtime battles back when they were around 4 and 8 months old. Your child may sometimes refuse to nap or sleep at all. Considered by some to be the toughest of the typical baby and toddler sleep regressions, the 18-month sleep regression is a time when your toddler might go from sleeping pretty well both day and night to protesting sleep or waking frequently.
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