Just when it feels like you’ve found your bedtime routine, things can take a shift – naps become shorter (or are skipped entirely), bedtime becomes a struggle, and nights are full of surprise wake ups. If this is all sounding a little bit too familiar, you (and your baby) may be going through the 8 month sleep regression. 

The eight-month sleep regression is a common developmental phase that is exactly that – a phase! However, as temporary as the 8 month sleep regression is, I know better than anyone else that it can be both confusing and frustrating as a parent.

What is The 8-Month Sleep Regression?

The eight month sleep regression is a phase where babies (around the eight to ten month mark) can fall out of pattern in sleeping behaviours, and sleep becomes more disrupted. It doesn’t happen with all children, and it can happen earlier than eight months – the four month sleep regression is also a common phase for many parents. 

At eight months, babies are making leaps and bounds in development. They’re growing mentally, physically, and emotionally, and with that can come a change in sleep patterns. It’s common at eight months for babies to start consolidating sleep periods and sleeping for longer stretches, but this transition can often lead to sleep difficulties and changes to the routines you’ve worked so hard to create.

Sleep regression can look like a baby who previously slept well suddenly starting to fight sleep, waking up more often through the night, fussing or becoming agitated around bedtime, or skipping or extending longer daytime naps.

What Causes Sleep Regression at 8 Months?

Generally, the cause for sleep regression is simply down to the fact that your baby is growing. At eight months, babies are becoming more mobile, teeth are coming through, and our little ones are becoming more aware of the world around them more than ever before. This increase in activity, development, curiosity, and stimulation are factors that contribute to new sleep challenges. 

Working with parents everyday, and as a parent myself, I am well aware of sleep regression and understand the stress that comes with sleep disruptions on the whole family. However, rather than seeing sleep regression as something to ‘fix’, my approach is on providing the right support and guidance on giving parents the confidence to adjust to this new phase.

Signs of an 8-Month Sleep Regression

If your baby was having three naps a day and sleeping well throughout the night, but now is not sleeping through the night or napping during the day, you could be well in the trenches of a sleep regression. Other signs of this phase include: 

• Waking up frequently during the night
• Becoming upset during nap or bedtime routine
• Struggling to settle between sleep cycles
• Refusing to nap
• Increased separation anxiety

Managing the 8-Month Sleep Regression

As mentioned, sleep regression is a common phase that many parents go through, but it’s a phase that is very much temporary. There are ways to manage the 8-month sleep regression. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are ways that we can gently begin to help you and your baby adjust to this new phase:

Balancing stimulation

At eight months, your baby is learning at a rapid pace – we’re now crawling, pulling up, babbling, and becoming more curious. This level of development can make it harder for their brains (and bodies) to switch off for sleep, especially if they’ve had a very busy day.

One way to support more settled sleep is to offer age-appropriate play and connection throughout the day, with calm, predictable breaks in between. Giving your baby time to practise new skills and process new stimulation can reduce restlessness when it’s time to sleep.

Take a gradual approach to nap changes

Around the eight month mark, babies can begin to outgrow their third nap (commonly 7-8 months) – but that transition doesn’t need to happen all at once. Dropping the third nap too quickly can leave your little one overtired, making it harder to self-settle or stay asleep.

Instead of removing the nap from their routine, try gradually lengthening awake time between naps which will increase sleep pressure making it easier for them to fall asleep. Some days we might still need that third nap (even just a short one) while other days it can be skipped. Following your baby’s cues and moving gently through this transition can help support more settled sleep patterns as we shift the routine.

Avoid overtiredness and watch for cues

With so much growth, learning, and changes, it’s easy for eight month old babies to become overtired. Eight month olds typically require 12 to 16 total hours of sleep per day, and if they don’t get an adequate amount of sleep for the amount of energy they are burning, they can end up overtired and resist their naps and bedtime. To avoid overtiredness, pick up on the small signs your baby is tired throughout the day: zoning out, rubbing eyes, becoming quiet or fussy. When you notice these cues, start winding down for a nap.

Leave time to wind down

Even with all the activity during the day, your baby may still want to play at naptime or bedtime. To ease and settle them so that they are ready for sleep, leave enough time to wind down and establish a pre-nap or bedtime routine. Whether singing lullabies or playing white noise, having a routine will signal to your baby that it’s nap or bedtime – it can also help to create some predictability, so babies can begin to self-settle.

How a Sleep Consultant Can Help

If you’ve given the above methods a go and your baby is still having issues with sleep, reaching out for support is the next step. 

I am a baby sleep consultant working with parents across Sydney and around Australia to gently guide them through sleep struggles, including the 8-month sleep regression. As a mum myself and with over 25 years of experience as a midwife, lactation consultant, infant massage instructor, and a certified sleep specialist, I understand that sleep looks different for every baby and is ever-changing. That’s why I tailor my services to each family’s needs and to ensure their baby can settle easily and sleep soundly at night.