You may have been blessed with a good sleeper or a good night’s sleep may be a distant memory once you became a mom. Either way, your little one is bound to have sleep troubles at least occasionally.

Keep in mind, before you label your baby a problem sleeper, it’s important to understand what’s normal for infants. Although it varies, most babies will not sleep through the night for the first three months, and some babies reach that milestone even later.

Typically, by about three months, your baby probably has settled into a somewhat predictable sleep pattern. Although that pattern can also change as your baby grows.

As your baby gets older, he should be able to sleep six to eight hours straight at night. But there are a lot of things that could interfere with his sleep.

The good news is many sleep problems in babies are just temporary. But that may not be much comfort at 3 a.m. However, understanding the most common causes of sleep problems may help you find a solution.

Your baby’s developmental stage, physical condition or a change in his routine can all lead to problems, which prevent both of you from getting enough zzz’s. For example, some babies develop sleep problems due to separation anxiety, which is a normal developmental milestone. It may help to establish a bedtime routine that includes a lot of cuddling and reading to help your baby feel secure.

In other instances, a physical milestone, such as teething, may keep you both awake at night. Offering a cool teething ring may help soothe her sore gums. Teething pain can get worse at night in some babies. If that is the case, ask your pediatrician about giving baby acetaminophen before bedtime.

Even if your baby had been a good snoozer, she might take a step backward at some point. Sleep regression can occur when your baby learns a new skill like crawling or sitting up. She may have too many other things to do besides sleep. After all, who needs sleep when you just learned to crawl or stand up? A bedtime routine may also help your baby relax and get the hint it’s time to settle down.

Of course, changes in her routine, such as when you go back to work or if you are traveling can interfere with sleep. Also, if your baby has an illness, such as a cold or ear infection, she may have trouble falling or staying asleep. In these type of instances, you may just have to cut your little one some slack when it comes to their sleep schedule. A few extra snuggles and a little patience may be just what your baby needs.

Written by MaryAnn Depietro

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

New parents often eagerly await the time when their baby will start sleeping through the night. When it finally happens, you’re thrilled to be getting more rest. But suddenly, your baby starts to wake in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. So what’s going on? Blame it on sleep regression.

Sleep regression is a period of days or weeks when your baby, who used to sleep well, starts waking up again during the night or has trouble napping. Although sleep regression can occur at any time, it appears to be more common at certain ages including four, eight and 12 months.

Why Does Sleep Regression Occur?

In many cases, sleep regression tends to coincide with certain developmental milestones, which is why it occurs most commonly at the ages mentioned above. For example, some babies may have sleep disruptions at about four months when their sleep pattern starts to mature.

As your baby’s sleep patterns mature, she’ll often start waking up between sleep cycles. She is also starting to gain more awareness. When she wakes, she wonders where the heck you are and wants you to help her get back to sleep. Sleep regression may also develop as your baby hits milestones, such as eating solid foods or learning to crawl or walk.

While it may be frustrating when your baby starts waking at night, it’s important to try to remember it’s most likely only a temporary phase. Sleep regression typically lasts about a week or two. When you’re bleary-eyed and sleep deprived, a couple of weeks can seem like an eternity. But there are a few things you can do to survive a period of sleep regression

Getting Through Sleep Regression

First, rule out any health related issues. For example, your baby may start waking up at night when he is teething or if he has an earache. Next, it may be helpful to evaluate your baby’s bedtime routine. Depending on how old your baby is, you may need to make a few adjustments, such as pushing bedtime back or moving it forward a bit.

Keep in mind, if your baby has been falling asleep on his own, you don’t want to start rocking him back to sleep every time he wakes up. While it’s fine to soothe your baby, try to avoid developing bad habits that may cause long-term sleep problems for both you and your baby.

Although sleep regression can prevent everyone from getting a good night’s rest, it’s usually just a bump in the road. There may be some instances where nothing you do seems to help, and all you can do is hang in there. Fortunately, sleep regression won’t last forever.

Written by MaryAnn De Pietro

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.