12 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION

HOW DOES IT IMPACT SLEEP & WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Around 12 months old babies experience many developmental changes, both cognitively and physically.  Many babies start becoming more verbal (and they love hearing themselves babble!), start standing on their own and some at this point have even taken a few steps.. or are thinking about it!  Because of these big changes, babies oftentimes go through a sleep regression and parents confuse this regression for their child being ready to drop from 2 naps to 1 nap, when this is not in fact true. 

Babies typically drop from 2 naps to 1 between 14 & 19 months old and you want to hold onto the two naps as long as you possibly can!

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HOW IS SLEEP IMPACTED DURING THIS REGRESSION?·      

  • Naps are typically the first thing to be impacted since they are the lightest stage of sleep.  Due to the excitement of new developmental milestones babies will start protesting naps, resulting in significantly short or skipped naps

  • It may also result in night wakings and/or early rising. 

  • On average the regression lasts 2-6 weeks

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

  • Apply your sleep training method for all night wakings until at least 6:30am

  • Hold steady! Continue applying “crib hour” to both naps 1 & 2, adjusting nap 2 earlier if nap 1 is short or skipped

  • Make bedtime earlier if either nap was short or skipped to prevent your little one from getting overtired 

  • Don’t panic. This is a phase and it will pass!

Alexandra Coffman