Most babies often experience sleep regressions and this often happens when the baby is 10-month old. This is known as the 10 month sleep regression.
Being a parent may be an amazing thing, but we know it isn’t an easy task to do. The bliss that comes when your little one begins to sleep for longer periods, and as they grow during their first year, the length in which they sleep increases. What is the 10 month sleep regression and how can you deal with it? Let’s find out.
WHAT IS 10 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION?
Sleep regression is a phase that happens when your baby suddenly can no longer sleep well and has trouble sleeping, without any obvious cause or illness.
The 10-month sleep regression usually occurs when they are growing or developing, and so they are so focused on practicing their new skills that they are no longer able to sleep for long hours.
However, this is a temporary phase and can happen at any age, even as early as 4-month, but with time, your baby will go back to sleeping fine.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Since babies spend approximately 12-15 hours sleeping during their first year, a major change to this routine could lead to the disruption of your baby’s sleep pattern.
Here are possible causes of 10 month sleep regression or reasons why your baby might have trouble sleeping:
1. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
At 10-month, your baby must have learned to crawl and probably even advancing towards walking. It is a new skill, your baby is excited, so when it’s time for bedtime, instead of sleeping, your baby wants to “practice”.
Physical development could also be from social interactions with people that your baby may be interested in. This new interest in processing words and faces could cause your baby to have trouble sleeping.
2. SEPARATION ANXIETY
This is a common and a more dominating factor as to why your baby has trouble sleeping. It usually occurs severally over their first 2 years at certain intervals.
Separation anxiety has to do with the baby finding it difficult to let the parent leave the room, usually due to the fear that they may never return. But with time, as your baby grows, she or he will learn to trust that you will return, so they begin to adapt to the idea of the ability of things to exist even after leaving a particular space.
3. TEETHING
10-month is a common age for your baby to begin growing a tooth or more. The pain of the teeth cutting through the gums could be uncomfortable. This is likely to disrupt their sleep.
Aside from the 3 causes given, also keep in mind that an unwell child can also have trouble sleeping.
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
The 10 month sleep regression could come as a shock and you begin to feel like when they were newly born and you had to have several sleepless nights. Sometimes, it could be frustrating, but just remember this is only a temporary phase and should pass within 6 weeks.
SIGNS OF SLEEP REGRESSION
Below are some signs that may indicate that your 10-month-old is or might soon start experiencing sleep regressions:
- More nighttime waking
- Longer daytime naps and early morning wake-ups.
- Bedtime resistance or agitation
- Trouble sleeping initially or falling back to sleep after a nighttime waking.
HOW TO DEAL WITH 10 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION
Your 10-month-old is having trouble sleeping, should you resign yourself to depriving sleep? It can be frustrating, but how do you deal with it in such a way that you don’t make unhealthy decisions?
Here are a few tips on how you could deal with 10 month sleep regression.
1. KNOW YOUR BABY’S SLEEP NEEDS
Knowing how many hours of sleep your baby needs could help make things easier for you. Experts say babies at this age usually sleep for 9-10 hours at night and 2-4 hours during the day.
2. STAY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR ROUTINE
Change can be tempting, but while your baby is still very young, you should be consistent and stick to a routine that works. This goes a long way to help your baby stay on track and know when to sleep, eat, wake up, and so on.
3. TRY THE FERBER METHOD
The Ferber method is a training technique that is meant to encourage self-soothing. So you allow your baby to cry for as long as you can stand, but check at intervals to be sure that there are no dangers or harm done. However, when you check in on your baby, you should not try to console them. The efficiency of this method depends on your ability to stick to the plan while ensuring your baby’s cry.
4. CHECK FOR ILLNESS
As we have said, your baby being ill could be the cause of 10 month sleep regression. So make sure there are no underlying issues such as teething or any illness disrupting your baby’s sleep pattern.
5. SEEK HELP
You could consider working with a sleep consultant or a pediatrician to ensure that there are no underlying issues and get a solution if there are.
CONCLUSION
10 month sleep regression could be a frustrating phase for parents, but you can help your baby by making proper adjustments and also help yourself by being consistent with certain routines and seeking help to be sure your baby is not having trouble sleeping because of any illness.