Yep, it's happening again! Your little one is going through a major developmental milestone and it's affecting their sleep. Yikes! And you thought you just got over the 8-10 month sleep regression.
If you have a baby in the age category of 11-13 months and you've noticed that they are suddenly starting to resist naps, and bedtime and might even be having some disruption overnight again, they they are very likely going through the 11-13 month sleep regression. This regression is common and happens in tandem with major developmental milestones, such as standing, cruising/walking, and/or language development.
This is a very exciting time for you and your little one. You're celebrating their first birthday! They are growing into a mobile and active kiddo, and you're getting ready for or have already witnessed their first word, first steps and more. There is so much to soak up during this period.
At the same time, it can also be exhausting and overwhelming, especially if they have regressed with their previously fantastic sleep habits. You may be wondering, are they showing signs of readiness to drop down to 1 nap?
The answer to that question is "not yet". The earliest that a little one is developmentally ready for a 1-nap schedule is 15 months and many kiddos aren't ready until up to 18 months of age. So, resist the urge to change their nap schedule, because doing so can result in more disruption and sleep issues. If you drop their nap too soon, they could be come overtired during the day, causing a spike in cortisol (the stress hormone). When that happens, their body can't settle as easily and you could see even more overnight and potentially early morning wakings.
When it comes to the best strategies to manage through this regression, I urge you to stay consistent with your routines and responses to wakings. Offer your little one lots of time to practice their new skills during the day, and stay the course with their 2-nap schedule. Naps and bedtime may feel hard for a few weeks, but if you stay the course and keep consistent, this too shall pass, and you'll have a little one who is back on track soon enough.
If you are experiencing these issues, or, would like to chat further, you can reach out to me for support with a 30-min zoom consult, where I can give you some actionable tips to implement right away. If you need to setup your kiddo with the right wake windows and schedule for their age, I encourage you to download my free sleep guide which offers you very specific instructions on setting their naps up for success.
コメント