I know exactly how exhausting it can be when your great sleeper suddenly starts waking up multiple times a night or fighting their daily naps. Yep, it's another dreaded regression! But what now? And how are we going to survive this one?
As a certified sleep consultant, one of the most common questions I get from tired moms is whether their child's newfound party tricks are causing these sudden nighttime wake-ups. The short answer? Absolutely. When it comes to learning new skills and baby sleep, it can feel like you are taking two steps forward and three steps back. But don't worry—you don't have to lose your sanity or your sleep during these exciting developmental leaps.
The Connection Between Learning New Skills and Baby Sleep
Whether your little one is mastering rolling over, sitting up independently, crawling across the living room rug, or pulling to stand in their crib, their brain is working in absolute overdrive. Every time a child acquires a new physical or cognitive ability, their neurological system is firing on all cylinders. This intense brain activity does not just switch off when the lights go out.
Instead, their busy little minds want to keep practicing. It is incredibly common to look at your baby monitor at 2:00 AM and see your infant doing push-ups or trying to stand up while holding the crib rails. This phase affects everyone, and we see these exact same disruptions in both baby sleep and toddler sleep alike. When I ran my daycare, I had a baby who used to do "crunches" in her crib, practicing sitting up independently. I'd watch her calisthenics routine every day before she'd finally fall asleep, possibly with sore abs.
While an infant might practice babbling or rolling, a toddler might be going through a massive language burst or learning how to run and jump. Their brains are simply too stimulated to settle down easily.
Why Does This Sleep Disruption Happen?
To a tot, learning new skills is like unlocking the secrets of the universe. Your baby's world is expanding rapidly, and the excitement of this newfound independence is simply too exciting to sleep through. Their developing brain naturally prioritizes practicing these exciting new movements over settling down for a long, restful night.
The Separation Anxiety Speed Bump
All of a sudden, you hit a speed bump that slows down progress: separation anxiety. It typically starts around six months-perfect timing! Around the same time your baby is hitting major physical milestones, they are also hitting massive cognitive ones.
This is exactly when separation anxiety tends to rear its head, usually peaking around 8 to 10 months and again in the early toddler years. Your baby is learning the concept of object permanence—the understanding that things (and people, like you!) still exist even when they cannot be seen.
When they wake up in the middle of the night and realize you aren't right there next to them, that cognitive leap can trigger panic. They now know you are somewhere else in the house, and they want you to come back. This combination of physical practice and separation anxiety is the perfect combination for some sleep changes that leave everyone in the house exhausted.
How to Navigate Learning New Skills and Baby Sleep
Navigating this tricky phase doesn't have to mean throwing all your hard work out the window. You can absolutely support your child's development while still protecting your family's rest. Here are my top strategies for tired moms:
- Practice during the day: Give your baby plenty of daytime opportunities to master their new moves. The more time they spend practicing rolling, crawling, or standing on their play mat, the less they will feel the urge to do it in their crib at midnight. Playing peek-a-boo or other activities that support the "now you see me, now you don't" vibe help your child learn object permanence.
- Stick to your bedtime routine: Consistency is your best friend right now. A predictable, calming bedtime routine signals to your baby's busy brain that it is time to wind down and transition from playtime to sleep time.
- Stay consistent with sleep training: If you have already put in the work with sleep training, now is not the time to introduce new sleep props. Offer comfort and reassurance, but try to avoid creating new habits like rocking to sleep or feeding to sleep if they were previously falling asleep independently. And whatever you do, now is not the time to try putting your kiddo in a floor bed because the moms in the Facebook group said so! Consistency wins here.
- Give them a minute: If they get stuck standing in the crib and start fussing, give them a moment to try and figure out how to sit back down on their own before rushing in to rescue them. We can do hard things & so can your little one.
Will This Regression Last Forever?
When you are in the thick of sleep deprivation, a single week can feel like an entire year. But I promise you, while learning new skills and baby sleep regressions often go hand-in-hand, this disruption is beautifully temporary. Once the novelty of the new skill wears off and they have mastered the movement, their sleep will naturally begin to regulate again. Usually, this takes anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, provided you stay consistent with your boundaries (no sudden moves here).
Get Your Family Sleeping Again
Motherhood is meant to be enjoyed, not just survived on a wing and a prayer. You don't have to navigate these milestone regressions alone. If you need some help getting through a regression, book a free call and we'll figure it out together.
