Who needs sleep anyway? When the (sleep) regression hits, a tired Mom's story...

If you are in the throes of a sleep regression or just starting to notice the broken sleep cycle creeping up on your perfect little snoozer then you have my utmost sympathy.

Puffy eyebags, burning eyes from exhaustion, aching back from leaning into the cot or from walking/rocking your baby to sleep, feeling isolated and frustrated, feeling clueless of what to do and feeling like a failure?

I hear you.

I write this as we have just recently come out of a turbulent 9 week stint of 2 hourly wake ups.

But don't fret not all 9 weeks were due to a sleep regression, we hit the regression itself at around 13 weeks old and that lasted a lovely 6 weeks and just when we were beginning to see a faint glimmer of hope, BAM!. We began teething, which brought on some serious teething nights which was then followed by an unsettled period after having a tongue tie treatment.

I won't lie to you it's a hard period of time and if the sleep deprivation wasn't bad enough it's the guilt that keeps it company. The feeling of dread as you prepare for night time and wishing for time to speed up to quickly get past the rough stage when really all you want is for time to slow down so you can cherish every moment with your little one.

It's a rough old time.

I read everything, I read countless articles online, I scrolled through many posts on mumsnet to see what "real" people did to fix it, I asked other parents for advice, I even signed up for sleeping apps. I was desperate to understand what a sleep regression was and how to get through it. They all offered very similar advice and things to try. Some of them worked for us, some didn't but the one thing I did take away from one particular sleeping app was this;

A sleep regression is a sign of development in your little one and it's not them going backwards.

Those words are what pulled me out of a negative spiral and totally changed my outlook on the entire situation. Although tough and it is really tough when you're up walking the floor every 90 minutes with an aching back, your hair falling out and your eyebags down to your knees, I reminded myself that it is a positive thing because it's a new development for the baby and it shifted my focus just a little in those hard moments. They say babies can start rolling over, catching their toes, sitting up, crawling etc during or just after a sleep regression which are all great achievements for your little one.

The Tips...

I'm going to share with you some of the tips I came across, as I mentioned already some worked, some didn't. It's important to remember every baby is different and that you are doing your best.

1. Create a consistent night time routine.

2. Putting baby down when "Drowsy but awake".

3. Keep the room dark.

4. Fully feeding your baby during the day to minimise night time wakings.

5. Don't rush in when they first wake.

6. Let the baby get their day sleep wherever you can -car, buggy, sling, in your arms when you are awake.

7. Watch out for baby's sleepy cues.

8. Dress baby appropriately for bed to limit waking due to too cold/hot.

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9. This one is for the parents, try not to get frustrated with one another, remember you are both on the same team and both want the same outcome. It's hard for everyone so lean on one another for love and support.

You will get through it when your baby is ready, until then keep your coffee strong.

Here's to praying we don't see a 6,7 or 8 month regression.

Resources:

Huckleberry App

Whattoexpect.com

Healthline.com

Smartsleepcoach.com