 Is My Baby waking because she is hungry?We’re all willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that our babies are properly nourished, obviously, but as anyone who’s been through this glorious journey of motherhood will tell you, kids are shrewd. They’re unimaginably clever. They will find ways to get what they want, and they will repeat them relentlessly. Which is not their fault, obviously. They’re just working off of instinct. They know what they like, and at a young age, they like mom— a lot. I’m talking all mom, all the time. You are to your baby what Pinterest is to middle-aged homeowners. Too much is never enough. And given the fact that they really only have one method of communicating, if Mom’s not around and they don’t think that’s cool, they fire up their lungs, and they let out a cry. However, obviously, they don’t only cry because they want Mom. They cry because they’re uncomfortable, or because they’ve got a dirty diaper, or because they’re too hot or too cold, and they cry because they’re hungry. So when they wake up in the middle of the night and start crying, it’s tough to determine whether they need to eat or just want to see Mom back in the room.  I’m not trying to tell you that you shouldn’t respond to your baby’s crying. You know your baby better than anyone, and I imagine you can tell when something needs to be addressed based on the decibel level, intensity, pitch, and duration. But having said that, if your baby is waking up seven or eight times a night and insisting that you come in and rock her back to sleep, which can have a profound impact on everybody’s sleep, including hers. Many babies have developed a dependency on nursing, rocking, sucking, and so on in order to get to sleep, and it’s not something they can overcome in 15 or 20 minutes. Solving that issue requires some real work and a firm commitment from you, but we can discuss sleep training in a minute. First things first, here are a few things to consider when you’re trying to determine this oh-so-prevalent parental riddle. • IS BABY UNDER SIX MONTHS OLD? Up until about the six-month mark, babies typically require at least one nighttime feeding. Their tummies are small, they haven’t started solid food yet, and formula and breast milk digest fairly quickly, so there’s a good chance they’re going to get a case of the munchies during the night. This isn’t the case for all babies, obviously. Some infants sleep through the night without a feed from a very early age and then pig out during the day, but generally speaking, you can expect to be summoned for a nighttime feeding up until babies hit about six months.  • IS BABY EATING ENOUGH DURING THE DAY? Once baby’s capable of sleeping through the night without a feed, you need to ensure they’re getting the calories they need during their daytime hours. The best way I’ve found to make this switch is to throw in an extra feed during the day or by adding an ounce or two to each bottle throughout the day. This is also a great time to think about introducing solid foods. The good news here is that baby’s body will typically adjust over a night or two to start taking in those additional calories during the daytime once they’re no longer getting them at night. Just a quick but SUPER IMPORTANT reminder... Before you attempt to make any changes to your baby’s feeding schedule, talk to your pediatrician. Nighttime sleep is awesome, but calories are essential. If your little one is underweight or not growing as fast as they should be, it might not be a good time to wean out night feedings, so again, chat with your doctor. • IS BABY FALLING ASLEEP QUICKLY WHEN YOU FEED THEM? I’m sure you’re familiar with this scenario. Baby starts crying 45 minutes after you put her down; you go in and offer a feed, which she eagerly accepts; she takes about three-quarters of an ounce, then promptly passes out in the middle of things. If this is happening frequently, it’s a good sign that your little one’s feeding for comfort instead of hunger. Genuinely hungry babies will usually eat until they’re full. In contrast, those who are feeding for comfort tend to drift off pretty quickly once they’ve gotten what they’re looking for. • DOES BABY SLEEP FOR A GOOD STRETCH AFTER FEEDING? If baby does take a full feed at night, she should be able to sleep for around 3-4 hours afterwards. An average sleep cycle for babies around the 6-month mark is somewhere in the 45minute - 1-hour range, so if they’re waking up around that long after they eat, it’s likely that they’re dependent on the sucking and soothing actions of your feeding routine to get to sleep.  • WILL THEY GO BACK TO SLEEP WITHOUT A FEED? Falling asleep while you’re hungry is tough, regardless of your age. Your brain recognizes hunger as a priority and will stay alert until the need is met or until you’re exhausted enough that the need to sleep overrides the need to eat. So if your baby really is hungry, they usually won’t go back to sleep very easily until they’ve been fed. Suppose they nod off after five or ten minutes of crying. In that case, that’s a pretty reliable sign that they were just looking for some help getting back to sleep and not actually in need of a feed. • DOES BABY FALL ASLEEP INDEPENDENTLY?
Here lies the linchpin. The cornerstone of the whole equation is right here. Can your baby fall asleep on their own? If you can put your baby down in her crib while she’s still awake, leave the room, and have baby fall asleep without any help from you, without a pacifier, or any other kind of outside assistance. In that case, those nighttime cries are far more likely to mean that she genuinely needs a hand with something when she wakes up crying at night. Determining whether your baby’s hungry at night is obviously a complicated situation. Calories are vital, but so is sleep, so we typically end up paralyzed trying to balance the importance of the two. This tightrope is immeasurably easier to walk once you’ve taught your baby the skills they need to fall asleep on their own. Once the habit of feeding to sleep is broken, you can feel much more confident that their requests for a nighttime feed are out of necessity, not just a way to grab a few extra minutes with mom. And, as always, if you’re looking for some help teaching your little one those essential sleep skills, I’ve got you covered. - Erin Neri, BA. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The Benefits of SleepSleep has always been and will likely continue to be a mystery. From an evolutionary standpoint, it seems like something that we should have abandoned a few hundred thousand years ago. The fact that we fall into a near unconscious state for a third of our day, every day, leaving us vulnerable to whatever horrifying dangers we faced in the early days of civilization, it makes me wonder how we ever made it this far as a species. However, it just goes to show that whatever sleep does for us, it’s obviously vital to our health and well-being. If it weren’t, those individuals who needed less sleep would have risen to the top of the gene pool a long, long time ago, and those who thrived on a lot of sleep would have been, well, eaten probably. Man, I’m glad I was born in this day and age. Being eaten would suck. As of yet, the scientific community hasn’t been able to tell us exactly why we sleep, but there is a consensus among researchers (and new mothers) that adequate sleep is beneficial in numerous ways.
 Actually, if you really want to get technical, it’s only a third. Learning and memory are divided into three functions. Acquisition, consolidation, and recall. Put simply, you need to receive the info, then you need to stabilize the memory of it, and finally, you need to be able to access it when you’re watching “Jeopardy!” Acquisition and recall primarily occur while you’re awake. Consolidation, on the other hand, “takes place during sleep through the strengthening of the neural connections that form our memories. The overall evidence suggests that adequate sleep each day is essential for learning and memory.” (1) So even if you manage to focus on what you’re learning and acquire the information, without sleep, that information won’t be properly stored in the brain. When called upon to access it, you’ll find yourself drawing a blank and making that face. You know the one your husband gets when you ask him to communicate his needs more often? That one. Now, I’m a firm believer that learning and education should be a lifelong pursuit, but once we’re out of school, learning becomes substantially more optional. For your kids, though, learning is their primary responsibility for the first 18-20 years of their lives, so considering how much they need to retain, the importance of a healthy sleep schedule is hard to overstate.
 This isn’t exactly new information. We’re all aware that we get emotional in very negative ways when we’re running on too little sleep, but why? Why shouldn’t it have similar effects to, say, a few glasses of wine? Why doesn’t sleep deprivation cause us to start telling people we love them or develop an overconfidence in our karaoke abilities? Again, it’s a bit of a mystery, but some researchers have suggested that sleep deprivation stimulates activity in the amygdala. That’s the little almond-shaped part of the brain that’s responsible for feelings of, among other things, anger and fear. These amped-up feelings can lead to an overall sense of stress and hostility toward others, which is probably part of the reason why you lost it at your co-worker when he asked you how your weekend was. The other reason is that he regularly uses finger guns and says things like, “Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays,” so sleep deprivation isn’t the only villain here.
 People who regularly get between 7-9 hours of sleep see significantly lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, infections, depression, diabetes, inflammation, hypertension, heart disease, heart attacks, and heart failure. They also report higher satisfaction with their sex lives, better performance at work and take fewer sick days than people who typically sleep less than 7 hours a night. (3) So, there’s no question that sleep, while it remains mysterious, is definitely an essential part of a healthy and happy lifestyle. But that all changes when you have a baby, right? I mean, you’ve brought a new life into this world, and you’re expected to sacrifice your sleep for a few years, maybe six or seven at the most, in order to respond to your baby’s needs, which, for some reason, they seem to have in spades in the middle of the night. This is one of the most problematic myths about parenthood, and it needs to be put to rest. Because here’s the thing: your baby needs sleep even more than you do. Those little bodies may look like they’re idle when they sleep, but there’s an absolute frenzy of work going on behind the scenes. Growth hormones are being secreted to help baby gain weight and sprout up, cytokines are being produced to fight off infections and produce antibodies, and all kinds of miraculous, intricate systems are at work laying the foundation for your baby’s growth and development, and they’ll continue to do so through adolescence, provided they’re given the opportunity to do so. Nature does the heavy lifting. All that’s required of your little one is to close their eyes and sleep. This being my field of expertise, I see a LOT of people telling new parents that babies just don’t sleep well and that they should expect their little ones to be waking them up seven or eight times a night. So to those people, I would like to say, you have absolutely NO idea what you’re talking about, OKAY? Your advice isn’t just wrong; it’s harmful. Telling people to accept their baby’s sleep issues as a part of the parenting experience is preventing them from addressing the problem, and that’s a serious concern for everybody in the family. Not because they’re selfish and enjoy sleeping late. It’s because they, and even more so, their kids, need adequate sleep for all of the reasons I’ve listed above. And if your baby is waking up 7 or 8 times a night and crying until you come into the room and rock her back to sleep, that’s not motherhood as usual. That’s a baby who has trouble sleeping, and it’s interfering with their body’s natural development. It’s no different than an ear infection or jaundice. It’s a health issue, and it has a remedy, so anyone telling you to grin and bear it for the next six years is peddling horrible advice. I’m sure it’s not done maliciously, but it still needs to stop. Accepting inadequate sleep in infancy leads to accepting it in adolescence, and eventually, you end up with grown adults who don’t give sleep the priority it requires, and all of those serious health issues follow along with it. So, to every new mother out there, I implore you, don’t accept the idea of sleep as a luxury that you’re going to have to learn to live without for a few years. If your baby’s not sleeping, address it. It’s not selfish; it’s not unrealistic; it’s necessary, and the benefits are plentiful. - Erin Neri, BA. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  Endnotes
(1) Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, retrieved from healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory, December18, 2007 (2) Sleep. 1997 Apr 20 (4):267-77. Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance performance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4-5 hours per night. Dinges DF1, Pack F, Williams K, Gillen KA, Powell JW, Ott GE, Aptowicz C, Pack AI. (3) National Sleep Foundation, 2008 Sleep in America Poll, Summary of Findings retrieved from sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2008%20POLL%20SOF.PDF  Snoring, Mouth-Breathing, and SleepI used to think that snoring babies were absolutely adorable. After all, what better indicator is there that your baby is fast asleep and getting the rest they need than the sound of them purring away in their crib? As a mother, the sight of your baby sleeping means they’re relaxed, feeling safe, and content with everything around them. I always get that “I’m a good mom” feeling when I look at my babies sleeping peacefully, and a little snore seemed harmless and cute. Unfortunately, that sense of peace and serenity I used to get at the sound of a snoring baby turned out to be misconstrued. After conducting some research, I quickly discovered that snoring and mouth breathing were both signs that something wasn’t quite right, indicating that I probably needed to take some action. That might sound inflammatory, but I assure you, I’m not fear-mongering here. Now, anyone who has ever taken a meditation class, dabbled in yoga, or trained for an athletic challenge of any kind will tell you that proper breathing has incredible benefits, and that proper breathing, by definition, is done through the nose. There are a few reasons why nose-breathing is better for you than mouth-breathing, and they’re not minor benefits. Breathing through your nose increases the amount of oxygen that reaches your lungs, expels more carbon dioxide, lowers your heart rate, enhances lymphatic flow, and reduces stress on the heart. It also produces nitric oxide, which helps expand blood vessels and increase blood flow. Additionally, the hairs and mucus in the sinuses help filter out impurities from the air. Mouth breathing, on the other hand, has some pretty nasty downsides. Again, this is for real. I’m making up exactly none of this, even though it sounds like a bad Facebook post your conspiracy theory-loving uncle might share. Long-term, chronic mouth breathing in children can actually affect their facial growth, mess with their teeth, cause gum disease, throat infections, stunted growth, and, a little closer to my heart, lack of quality sleep.  So, again, I’m not trying to make anyone paranoid by writing this. Still, out of all the conversations I’ve had with parents, I would have to say that mouth-breathing ranks somewhere below “abducted by aliens” on the list of parental concerns, so I wanted to call some attention to it. Facial deformities and TMJ disorder aren’t really my area of expertise, but when it comes to sleep, I know my stuff, so allow me to expand a little on why snoring can ruin an otherwise wonderful, rejuvenating night. As you probably already know, we all sleep in cycles. We transition from a very light sleep into deeper sleep, then deeper still, and finally into the dreaming stage, commonly known as REM sleep. During that first stage of light sleep, as well as in the REM stage, we’re very easily woken up. The cat jumped on the bed, your partner rolling over, or involuntary muscle twitches can startle us out of our glorious snoozing session, and then we’re back to the starting line, trying to get back to sleep.  In adults, these cycles last around 90 - 110 minutes, but in babies, they’re closer to 45, so the opportunity for them to wake up occurs more frequently throughout the night. (Which, I’m sure, isn’t news to anyone reading this. Every parent knows all too well how often babies tend to wake up during the night. Most delivery drivers probably know it as well, given how many mothers they’ve seen with the death- stare in their eyes after ringing the doorbell at the wrong time.) And what causes baby to wake up in those light stages of sleep? More than anything else, noise. Barking dogs, garbage trucks, washing machines getting thrown off balance during the spin cycle, and quite often, the sound of their own snoring. That’s not the only reason for waking up, mind you. If their airway is obstructed to the point where they temporarily stop breathing, what’s known as obstructive apnea, the body tends to startle itself out of sleep. (And I’m sure we’re all happy for that little fail-safe, even if it does lead to nighttime wake-ups.) Now, I could rehash all the points I’ve made in my blog posts about the benefits of solid, consolidated sleep, as well as the detriments of sleep deprivation, but I’ll leave it to the National Institutes of Health and their extensive study on the subject if you need a refresher. Suffice it to say, your baby needs a lot of sleep, and it’s bad for them in a whole lot of ways if they don’t get it. Therefore, if your baby (regardless of age) is snoring, you should take immediate action. That brings us to the question that every person who has ever slept next to a snorer has asked themselves. “How on earth do I stop this person from snoring?” The first thing you should do is grab your phone and record your little one breathing while they sleep. The second step is to take that recording to your pediatrician and play it for them. Just going to the doctor and telling them your baby’s snoring might not spark a lot of concern on their part, but being able to demonstrate the severity of the issue can light a little fire under their butts and prompt them to refer you to a respiratory specialist. Removal of the tonsils and/or adenoids is often the next logical step if their airways are significantly blocked. Don’t panic, though. The process isn’t nearly as intense as it might sound and is performed over half a million times a year in the US alone. If your little one’s snoring isn’t severe enough to warrant surgery, however, you might benefit from some nasal strips, which you’ve probably seen advertised. They’re just thin strips of metal in a cotton sheath with adhesive on the back that sticks to the outside of the nose, gently pulling open the nasal passageways. It’s not the most elegant solution, but it does solve the problem temporarily.  Just a final note to add here. If your baby is sick or congested, don’t jump to the conclusion that their snoring is permanent. A slight nasal congestion due to illness can cause baby to snore, but it should clear up when they recover. Try using a nasal bulb to suck the ickiness out of their nose and then a saline solution to clear up the passageways.
I know that, as mothers, we’ve got plenty to worry about without throwing unnecessary concerns into the mix. Still, if your baby’s snoring, it can have some serious consequences, and you should take it seriously. It’s preventable, and a better night’s sleep is waiting on the other side of the solution for your baby as well as the rest of your family. - Erin Neri, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The 2-Year Sleep Regression: Why Your Toddler’s Sleep Just Fell ApartIf your toddler just turned 2 and suddenly refuses bedtime, fights naps, or wakes up crying at night… you’re likely facing the 24-month sleep regression. This one’s a doozy—because at this age, your toddler has opinions, words, and stamina to push back on sleep in a whole new way. As a pediatric sleep consultant, I see this regression hit even the most sleep-trained toddlers. The good news? There are clear, effective ways to work through it.  What Causes the 2-Year Sleep Regression?At age two, your toddler is in a major leap of independence and development. You’ll likely notice:
 Signs of the 24-Month Sleep Regression
How Long Does the 2-Year Sleep Regression Last?Like most regressions, the 24-month sleep regression usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks—but only if handled with consistency. If you start laying down with your toddler every night or bringing them into your bed, those habits can stick around a lot longer than the regression itself.  How to Handle the 24-Month Sleep Regression
Not sure if it’s still a regression—or something else entirely?By age 2, sleep can get disrupted by imagination, boundary testing, and life transitions. If your toddler’s sleep has been off for more than a few weeks, it may be time to talk it through. An Ask Me Anything Call is ideal if:
You don’t have to navigate this alone. Let’s figure it out together.  Need a Proven Plan for This Regression?My Sleep Regression Solution Guide will help you handle the 24-month regression and give you tools to keep sleep on track through future bumps.
Inside you’ll get:
The toddler years are full of big transitions—and yes, some big emotions. But sleep doesn’t have to be one long battle. With the right strategies, you can get through this phase and get your evenings (and nights) back. You've got this—and I'm here to help every step of the way. — Erin, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The 18-Month Sleep Regression: What’s Going On and How to Handle ItIs your once-solid sleeper suddenly fighting bedtime, waking up during the night, or throwing a tantrum when it’s time for a nap? You may be facing the 18-month sleep regression—a very real and very frustrating phase that can catch even the most well-rested families off guard. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, I’ve supported many families through this particular regression, and here’s the truth: this one is a little more emotional, a little more dramatic—and a lot more behaviour-driven. Let’s talk about why this regression happens, how long it lasts, and what you can do to support your toddler through it without backtracking on sleep.  What Causes the 18-Month Sleep Regression?At 18 months, your toddler is in the thick of major developmental and emotional changes:
Your toddler suddenly says “No!” to bedtime, refuses naps, or wakes up at 2:00 a.m. demanding snuggles, snacks, or songs. This is when many parents feel blindsided and start to wonder: Are we doing something wrong? You’re not. This is all part of toddlerhood—and it’s temporary with the right approach.  Signs of the 18-Month Sleep Regression
How Long Does the 18-Month Sleep Regression Last?The 18-month sleep regression typically lasts 2 to 6 weeks, but it can drag on longer if your toddler starts to rely on new habits like sleeping in your bed, needing to be rocked to sleep again, or getting snacks at night. The key is staying consistent and supportive—without giving in to every protest.  How to Handle the 18-Month Sleep Regression
Wondering if this is a regression or something deeper?The 18-month regression can feel like toddler sleep has completely unraveled. If you’re unsure whether it’s just a phase—or if it’s time for more structured support—I’m here to help. 🎯 Book an Ask Me Anything Call here We’ll talk about:
 Want a Proven Plan to Handle Every Sleep Regression? My Sleep Regression Solution Guide is your go-to toolkit for navigating the most common sleep setbacks—without creating new habits you’ll have to undo later. Inside, you’ll find:
You don’t have to let this phase undo your progress. With the right support, your toddler can get back to sleeping soundly—and so can you. 💛 — Erin, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The 12-Month Sleep Regression: Why It's Happening and What to Do About ItHas your baby suddenly started waking during the night again, fighting naps, or resisting bedtime as they near their first birthday? If so, you might be dealing with the 12-month sleep regression—a frustrating (but totally normal) phase that can turn sleep upside down just when you thought you’d found your rhythm. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, I’ve helped countless families navigate the ups and downs of regressions—including the tricky one-year mark. And here’s what I want you to know: this regression doesn’t have to derail your progress. Let’s break down what’s behind the 12-month sleep regression, how long it typically lasts, and most importantly—what you can do to get sleep back on track.  What Is the 12-Month Sleep Regression?The 12-month sleep regression is a period of disrupted sleep that often happens right around your child’s first birthday. You might notice:
 What Causes the 12-Month Sleep Regression?A lot is going on developmentally around 12 months, and these big leaps can absolutely impact sleep:
 How Long Does the 12-Month Sleep Regression Last?Most sleep regressions—including the 12-month sleep regression—last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. But how you respond during this phase can make a big difference. If you suddenly start rocking or feeding your baby to sleep every time they wake, or if you rush to drop a nap that they’re not actually ready to lose, you may find that the short-term sleep disruption becomes a longer-term habit. How to Handle the 12-Month Sleep RegressionHere are my top sleep consultant tips for getting through this regression:
 Is It Really a Regression—Or Something More?Sometimes what looks like a sleep regression is actually a sign of a bigger sleep challenge. If your baby has never slept well, or if you were already struggling with frequent wakings, short naps, or bedtime battles before this phase began, it might be more than just a regression. If you’re unsure whether this is a temporary setback or a deeper issue with sleep habits, I’d love to help. I offer a 30-minute Ask Me Anything call where we can talk through your child’s sleep, see if I can give you some actionable steps to take, and see whether they’d benefit from more personalized support. 👉 Book Ask Me Anything Call Here  Want Help Getting Through the 12-Month Sleep Regression?My Sleep Regression Solution Guide is your go-to toolkit for navigating the most common sleep setbacks—without creating new habits you’ll have to undo later. Inside, you’ll find:
Sleep regressions are tough—but they’re temporary. With the right support, your little one can get back to restful, independent sleep—and so can you. You don’t have to guess your way through this. I’m here to help you every step of the way. 💛 — Erin, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The 8-10 Month Sleep Regression: What’s Going On and How to Get Through ItIf your baby has suddenly started waking more often at night, skipping naps, or fighting bedtime like never before, you might be in the thick of the 8-10 month sleep regression. And I know how exhausting that can be. As a certified pediatric sleep coach, I’ve helped hundreds of families navigate this exact phase—and I want you to know: you’re not alone, and this doesn’t have to derail your sleep forever. Let’s walk through what’s really going on during this stage, why it’s happening, and what you can do to survive—and even thrive—through it.  What Is the 8-10 Month Sleep Regression?The 8-month sleep regression (which can happen anytime between 8 and 10 months) is a totally normal, developmental stage where your baby’s sleep suddenly becomes disrupted. This might mean:
 What Causes the 8-10 Month Sleep Regression?Several major developmental leaps happen between 8 and 10 months, and they can all impact sleep. These include:
 How Long Does the 8 to 10-Month Sleep Regression Last?Most sleep regressions last around 2 to 6 weeks. But here’s the key: how you respond during this regression matters. Without support or structure, short-term sleep struggles can become long-term habits. If your baby is suddenly waking multiple times a night and you're rocking, feeding, or bouncing them back to sleep each time—understandably just trying to survive!—they may start to rely on those responses going forward. That’s why many families reach out to me during regressions: to stay on track and avoid forming habits that stick around long after the regression ends.  Tips to Survive the 8-10 Month Sleep RegressionHere’s what I recommend:
 Is It Really a Sleep Regression?Sometimes, what looks like a regression is actually a sign of an underlying sleep issue—like an overtired schedule, a reliance on sleep associations, or an inconsistent sleep environment. If your child has never been a good sleeper, or things were already tough before this regression hit, it’s worth asking: Is this truly a temporary phase—or has sleep been a struggle for a while? If you’re not sure, I invite you to book a 30-minute Ask Me Any Thing Call with me. We’ll talk through what’s going on and figure out whether your little one is experiencing a short-term regression… or if it’s time to get personalized support. 👉 Book Ask Me Anything Call  Need Help Getting Through the 8-10 Month Sleep Regression?If this is definitely a regression and your baby was sleeping well before—it’s still tough, but there’s good news: you don’t have to figure it out alone. My Sleep Regression Solution Guide is designed to walk you through the 8-10-month regression and prepare you for future ones, too. It’s packed with gentle strategies for getting sleep back on track, and tools to stay consistent even through the toughest nights. 👉 Grab the Sleep Regression Solution Guide (Perfect for 4, 8-10, 12, 18 and 24-month regressions!) Sleep regressions are hard, but they don’t have to break your progress—or your spirit. With the right strategies and support, you can help your baby (and yourself) get back to restful, consistent sleep.
You’ve got this. And I’ve got you. 💛 — Erin, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The 4-Month Sleep Regression: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How to Get Through ItIf your newborn was sleeping great for long stretches and then--bam—suddenly starts waking up constantly, taking short naps, and fussing at bedtime, you may be dealing with the dreaded 4-month sleep regression. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, I can tell you: this is one of the most common and confusing sleep challenges parents face. It feels like it comes out of nowhere—and it’s completely exhausting. Let’s unpack what the 4-month sleep regression is, why it happens, how long it lasts, and what you can do (right now) to survive it—and come out stronger on the other side.  What Is the 4-Month Sleep Regression?The 4-month sleep regression is a permanent developmental change in how your baby sleeps. Around 3.5 to 4.5 months, your baby’s sleep cycles mature and begin to look more like an adult’s—moving between lighter and deeper stages of sleep. As a result, your baby now experiences partial arousals between sleep cycles—every 45 minutes during naps and every 2-4 hours overnight. If they don’t know how to fall asleep on their own yet, they’ll wake fully and cry out for the same conditions they had at bedtime (like rocking, feeding, or bouncing).  Signs of the 4-Month Sleep RegressionYou might be noticing:
Which means… this is the perfect time to teach healthy sleep habits that last.  How Long Does the 4-Month Sleep Regression Last?If no changes are made, the struggles can continue indefinitely. Some babies start waking every hour and stay stuck in that pattern for weeks or even months. But the good news? With the right guidance, your baby can learn to connect sleep cycles and fall asleep independently. That’s why so many families reach out to me at this stage—because this is one of the most impactful points to shape lifelong healthy sleep.  How to Get Through the 4-Month Sleep Regression Here’s what I recommend to my clients:
 Not sure what to do next?If you’re in the thick of the 4-month sleep regression and want expert support to make sure you’re on the right track, book an Ask Me Anything Call with me. This 1:1 call is perfect if:
👉 Book an Ask Me Anything Call here  Want a Proven Plan to Handle Every Sleep Regression? My Sleep Regression Solution Guide is your go-to toolkit for navigating the most common sleep setbacks—without creating new habits you’ll have to undo later. Inside, you’ll find:
You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this stage. With the right tools and support, your baby can sleep beautifully—and so can you. 💛
You’ve got this. And I’ve got you. — Erin, B.A. Psychology, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Infant Mental Health, Integrated Feeding Specialist  The Wonder WeeksHave you ever woken up to the sound of a crying baby and thought to yourself, “That’s it. This week, I’m taking some action. This week, we’re going to start teaching that baby some sleep skills.” Then, sometime in the early morning, when your third cup of coffee starts to kick in, you find yourself second-guessing the idea. Maybe you feel like things aren’t that bad yet, or you get into the “I knew what I was getting into when I decided to have a baby” mindset, or maybe someone told you that this wasn’t really the right time since your baby was just about to go through a big developmental milestone, and makes a reference to The Wonder Weeks. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, The Wonder Weeks is something of a Farmer’s Almanac for babies. The husband-and-wife team of Frans Plloji, a behavioural scientist, and Hetty van de Rijt, an educational psychologist, developed it. The concept goes something like this: Starting at five weeks old and continuing through the 20-month mark, babies go through 10 mental development stages or “leaps” as the authors refer to them. According to the book, these leaps take place at very specific points in a baby’s life, starting at five weeks and continuing through the 20-month mark. “Sunny weeks,” during which baby is typically happy and agreeable, are followed by “stormy weeks,” during which baby is fussy and inconsolable due to neurological development, and then comes the “wonder week,” where the new skill or development is mastered, and baby goes back to being “sunny” again. Many, and I mean many parents, absolutely swear by this book and its popular companion app. (The original book has sold over 2 million copies across 25 languages.) Some people even claim that it tracks their little one’s development to the day as opposed to the week. Others will tell you that the science it’s built on is flawed and that what the authors are doing is essentially a form of pediatric astrology, making vague predictions based on norms and averages and reassuring its followers that good things are perpetually just over the horizon. There are a couple of things to consider for your data-driven types out there. The 1992 study that The Wonder Weeks is founded on used a sample size of just 15 participants and relied almost exclusively on questionnaires filled in by the mothers as opposed to direct observation from the researchers. Dr. Plooij’s counterargument for the small sample size, stating that if you find behaviour in two individuals, “then you already have proof that the phenomenon exists and is not due to luck or chance,” doesn’t do much to shore up his credibility. In the mid-1990s, Dr. Plooij’s Ph.D. student, Dr. Carolina de Weerth, attempted to replicate the findings from the original study with an even smaller sample size of four babies and failed to reach the same conclusions. Dr. de Weerth claims Plooij pressured her to find correlations supporting his original research. When she refused, he attempted to prevent the publication of her findings. (A claim that Plooij denies.) Plooij’s contract with the University of Groningen wasn’t renewed following the incident, and he subsequently left academia altogether. Suffice it to say, there’s still controversy and debate over its legitimacy. But hey, that’s nothing new when it comes to the world of parenting. Is anything ever written in stone when it comes to babies? If parents take comfort in being able to predict when their baby will be cranky, I think that’s just fine. If it helps them through a prolonged period of crying to think, “This is just her developing as she’s supposed to,” then high fives all around. Parents need all the support they can get, and I say take your mental health boosts where you can find them. The potential downside I see is that parents might put too much stock in the accuracy of the book or the app and develop some unnecessary concerns if things don’t go according to schedule. If there’s one thing parents don’t need, it’s unrealistic expectations based on inaccurate research, telling them that their little one has failed to hit a developmental milestone on time. And that brings us to the reason why I wanted to speak on the whole Wonder Weeks subject today in the first place. At what point in a baby’s development should you start putting a priority on their sleep? Should we wait until after some of these milestones have been cleared? If so, which ones? What can happen if we get started too early or too late? So, let me state this unequivocally. Outside of a diagnosable health issue, there is absolutely no “wrong time” to teach your baby to sleep well. Right before a “sunny week,” right at the tail end of a “stormy week,” or smack dab in the middle of a “wonder week” are all perfect times to get the ball rolling. There are no developmental milestones, specific weeks, or times in a baby’s life that could be considered the wrong time to get them to sleep well. I’m confident you’ll never find a pediatrician who contradicts me on that statement. It’s not controversial among the scientific community or medical professionals. We’re all in agreement that adequate sleep is essential to the health and well-being of everyone in the family unit and that teaching your baby some independent sleep skills is safe and effective, whether it’s week fifteen or week fifty-five. There are situations where I’ll tell parents to hold off for a few nights, say if they’re going on holiday within a week or so. I tend to recommend that they get started on a night when they don’t have to work early the next day, as night one can be a little on the turbulent side. Still, you should never delay your plans to help your baby develop their sleep skills due to some upcoming milestones. Those will keep coming, week after week, and your baby will have a happier time progressing through them if they get the sleep they need.  |
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ADA COMPLIANCE PRIVACY POLICY