Ooooohh those dreaded sleep regressions!
Is your baby suddenly waking more frequently? Maybe they are no longer napping or settling to sleep in their normal way? Are they fussier than normal or only wanting to sleep on you? Don't worry help is here!
Between 3-6 months, the above changes can be common among babies who are going through the sleep regression - a tricky time for parents to manage. As sleep regressions are biologically normal, we cannot stop them from occurring. However, I am about to change your perspective on this challenging phase...
Although sleep may be on the ‘back burner’ during sleep regressions, your baby is developing well in other areas including learning to roll, making new sounds, stretching to touch your face and crawling to name a few. The regression is absolutely normal and confirms that your baby’s development is on track - see it as PROgression!
There is no science or literature behind sleep progressions. It is a normal part of development that can cause a lot of stress to parents. Maybe this is because society is expecting our baby to be sleeping through the night by 6 months or mothers being told their baby should be self-settling already? As parents we must not get sucked into the expectations of society, and instead keep our focus on our unique baby and their innocent needs - this is the basis of a holistic approach to managing sleep regressions.
At a time where our baby may require extra comfort, society can make us feel pressured to sleep train to get more sleep. This in turn can lead to more stress and worry for parents who do not want to use non-responsive techniques, yet cannot cope with the sleep deprivation.
We cannot stop sleep regressions from occurring as our baby's sleep architecture must change in order to develop a mature sleep cycle. However, we can take small and gentle steps to support our baby transition through this phase. To help parents like you, I have brought together a gentle and responsive e-guide which outlines how you can take a holistic approach to managing sleep progressions.
If you are currently struggling through the sleep regression phase, click here to buy the Sleep Progression Guide to help you cope and get more sleep.
Also have a peek at my Instagram for FREE evidence-based sleep tips or if you require a 121 chat, please complete a short contact form for me to get back to you within 48 hours.
Sending love,
Jas
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