How to eliminate baby’s sleep regressions

For any mom, the first four months are usually hectic. Sleepless nights are quite common during this period, and most of the time, you have to deal with a crying baby who’s having stomach discomfort or struggling to fall asleep.

But worse comes to worst when your baby develops a habit of waking up frequently at night or taking short naps. At this point, you’ll be forced to spend hours upon hours of rocking, trying to make them fall asleep again and again. It can be quite hectic, especially after a long day of nursing, rocking, and diaper changing, and, therefore, you need to do something about it.

If you’re sleep-deprived because your baby suddenly stopped sleeping well, the following tips will be of help.

Keep it Quiet

Even the slightest noise can interrupt a baby’s sleep. You don’t want to deal with tantrums of a baby who’s annoyed because of interrupted sleep. So, it’s better to keep off any noise, even if it’s a dog barking in the neighbourhood. You may choose to avoid noisy areas or dig into your pocket to get a sound machine instead. With this, you can mask any noise that would prevent the baby from sleeping soundly.

Adjust Baby’s Bedtime

If your baby is fighting sleep during the day or waking up frequently at night, they’re probably not getting enough sleep. The only way to solve this is by making sure they get the amount of sleep they need. You can do this by putting them to bed earlier. By adjusting your baby’s bedtime up, you get to compensate for the shorter day naps. The baby can then get some extra hours of sleep, which will minimize the sleeping regressions.

Feed The Baby Well

Most babies experience an increase in appetite during sleep regression. Even if it means adding an extra bottle of milk, don’t hesitate to give them what they want. It could just be what they need to sleep better. The four-month baby regression normally coincides with a growth outburst that makes the baby hungry more often. Therefore, you can get the little one something extra to swallow. This might help them sleep a little longer. 

Darken The Room

Babies are very sensitive to light. With the lights on, don’t expect them to sleep for long, and especially during a sleep regression. To encourage long naps, try darkening the room. You can replace your normal bedroom curtains with heavy ones. This will help you to prevent any light that may disrupt your baby’s sleep from seeping in. Again, you avoid rocking the baby with lights on. You can just turn your lights on if you need to feed them or change their soaked diaper.

Sleep regression is a stage that every child must go through in the first four months of development. Therefore, don’t expect it to go away any time soon. However, going through it alone can be hectic. Consider asking your partner or friend to help you with the rocking as you take a nap. You also need some rest.