6 Month Sleep Regression
Is There a Sleep Regression at 6 Months?
There can be! Not all 6 month olds will have a sleep regression, but babies can have sleep issues at any age, depending on their sleep associations and habits, and their unique pace of development.
6 Month Sleep Regression Signs
Some signs of a 6 month sleep regression are if your baby:
Sits up in their crib, especially when you try to lay them down for sleep or when they wake in the night.
Starts waking more frequently at night or their night wakes are longer.
Starts fighting one or more of their naps.
Starts taking shorter naps.
Takes longer to fall asleep.
Only wants to sleep if they’re nursing, have a bottle or pacifier, or you’re holding them.
Seems like they aren’t getting enough sleep and is crankier than usual.
What Causes the 6 Month Sleep Regression?
When there is a sleep regression at this age, there are 2 main causes:
1. Development
When babies that previously slept well start waking more at night or fighting naps and bedtime, it’s usually due to different types of development like:
Milestones. When learning to sit, roll around, or babble, a baby may want to practice in their crib, which can disrupt sleep. Give plenty of time to practice during their wake windows so they don’t need to when they should be sleeping. If you previously sleep trained, stay consistent with your sleep approach to get them back on track. If your baby never slept independently to begin with, it’s never too late! Not sure where to start? I can help!
Teething. Some babies begin cutting teeth around this age, which may cause a disturbance in sleep for 3 or 4 days. Please note that when it comes to teething and baby sleep, new teeth will not cause ongoing or longterm sleep issues. Babies with strong independent sleep skills also have an easier time with sleep while teething. Check with your pediatrician about what they recommend for managing any painful teething symptoms.
Wake Window Adjustments. Wake windows should be longer as your baby gets older. They also need to spend more time being active and practicing their milestones around this age, to build up appropriate sleep pressure and cognitive and physical fatigue. Give them lots of floor time where they can move freely, and help them practice their new skills.
Nap Transitions. If your baby is at the longer end of the wake window range, fighting one or more of their naps, waking earlier than usual ready for the day, or getting up in the night wanting to play, they may be ready to drop from 3 naps to 2. Babies typically drop that third nap when they’re around 6 to 9 months old, but it’s best to treat is like a normal regression first. If your baby shows all the signs of a nap transition for a full week or two, increase their wake windows by 15 minutes at a time to help them adjust. You can temporarily move bedtime up a bit during the transition if you need to.
Separation Anxiety. Most babies develop object permanence around 7 to 9 months of age, which often causes a sudden spike in separation anxiety. But some babies can develop separation anxiety as early as 6 months, which can creat more sleep struggles. Again, a strong foundation of independent sleep skills can make separation anxiety easier because it gives baby confidence in themselves and their environment. If you’ve never worked on independent sleep with your baby, you can sleep train during periods of separation anxiety, but a responsive, gentle method is more important than ever.
Growth Spurt or Distracted Feeding. At 6 months old, babies are developing rapidly. Some babies do have a growth spurt at this age, but if you suspect this is the source of your baby’s sleep struggles, an increase in calorie intake should be observed during the day too, not just at night. It’s more common that babies become distracted while feeding because they’re more aware of their environment. When this happens, they may not take enough full feeds during the day, and need to make up for it at night.
2. Ongoing Sleep Troubles
Other babies that struggle with a sleep regression around 6 months are those who have never slept well, and don’t have independent sleep skills yet. Even co-sleeping babies may be harder to get to sleep, wake more at night, or be up for longer during night wakes around this age. Sometimes, it’s not even that the baby’s sleep worsens at 6 months old, but that the parents understandably get more depleted and sleep deprived as time goes on, waiting for sleep issues to resolve on their own.
How Long Does The 6 Month Sleep Regression Last?
This really depends on what is causing the sleep regression. If it is due to development, it can last a few days up to a week. Consistency is the most important part of getting back on track and minimizing the sleep issues caused by the 6 month regression.
It the regression is due to ongoing or worsening sleep issues, it can take a long time to resolve on it’s own. However, 6 month old babies accept gentle sleep training methods very well, and usually see a dramatic improvement in sleep within just a few days.
Tips to Get Through a 6 Month Sleep Regression
Here are some ways to help your 6 month old sleep better if you suspect they might be going through a regression:
Feed In a Quiet Environment
Babies this age are easily distracted, and may have difficulty finishing a full feed in a stimulating environment. If they don’t get enough calories during the day, they may wake more at night because they’re hungry. Please note: hunger will not wake a 6 month old baby up every hour or two for short, partial feeds. If they’re truly hungry, they will take a full feed. And if you suspect your baby is going through a growth spurt, make sure the increase in feeding is happening during the day too, not just at night.
If your baby is nursing or wanting a bottle every few hours at night, it’s probably not from true hunger. Babies this age have mature sleep cycles, with more stages of sleep and partial wakes between cycles.
Approximate example of the stages of sleep and wakes between sleep cycles.
Sleep is a vulnerable state for humans, so these wakes serve a survival function, to rouse us enough to readjust our body and do a quick check of our surroundings. Adults wake too, but we’re able to go back to deeper sleep states quickly on our own and don’t usually remember waking. If your baby can’t do this yet, they have to rouse fully between sleep cycles for help. Which leads us to our next tip…
Teach Independent Sleep
Many people believe “sleep training” and “cry it out” are the same thing, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many gentle sleep training methods that have nothing to do with leaving them to cry alone for hours. If you want to learn more about the basics for supporting your baby to sleep independently, click here to download a free guide.
Lots of Physical Activity
As your baby acquires new skills, they need to practice A LOT. They’re creating new neural connections and building muscle memory they’ll use for the rest of their life. If they don’t move and practice enough during their wake windows, they won’t be worn out enough for sleep and they’ll want to practice their new skills when they should be sleeping.
Time Outdoors
Being outdoors has so many benefits for child development, health, and sleep. Here are just a few:
Benefits of time outdoors for babies.
Establish a Consistent Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine is always important, but especially when your family is struggling with sleep. A consistent set of steps leading up to bed tells your baby’s brain and body when it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. It does this by supporting the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, building positive sleep associations, and reducing bedtime stress and anxiety for both baby and parents.
Summary
Not all babies experience a 6 month sleep regression. When they do, it’s usually due to development or ongoing sleep issues.
Signs of a 6 month sleep regression include: frequent night wakes; shorter naps; trouble falling asleep; crankiness; or relying on feeding or being held to sleep.
If the sleep regression is due to development, it can take a few days to a week to resolve.
If the sleep regression is due to ongoing sleep issues, it can take up to 1 years old to 3 years old to resolve on its own.
Tips to Manage this Sleep Regression:
Feed in a quiet environment to avoid distractions
Teach independent sleep with gentle sleep training methods
Incorporate physical activity to build sleep pressure
Spend time outdoors to support healthy sleep habits
Establish a bedtime routine to reduce stress and build positive associations
If your baby was previously a good sleeper with independent sleep skills, staying consistent with your usual sleep strategies will help your baby get back on track quickly. If sleep issues persist, it might be the right time to introduce or revisit gentle sleep training.
