7 Signs Your Baby Is Going Through Sleep Regression

If your baby has suddenly started waking more often, refusing naps, or becoming unusually fussy, you might be facing one of the biggest parenting curveballs: sleep regression.

Often misunderstood or misdiagnosed, baby sleep regression tends to appear in waves - typically at 4 months, 8 months, and again around 12 months. Here’s how to recognise the signs early so you can respond with confidence.

1. Frequent Night Wakings

Your baby may go from sleeping in long stretches to waking every 1–2 hours overnight. These changes are due to their developing brain moving through more adult-like sleep cycles.

2. Shorter Naps or Complete Nap Refusals

Nap time might turn into a battle - or disappear completely. This is especially common during the 8 month sleep regression, when separation anxiety and mobility skills start kicking in.

3. Difficulty Settling at Bedtime

Where once you had a bedtime routine that worked, your baby may now resist going to sleep entirely, often crying the moment they’re put down.

4. Increased Fussiness or Clinginess

If your little one is more irritable during the day or wants to be held constantly, sleep regression could be to blame. Disrupted rest leads to over tiredness, which makes soothing even harder.

5. Changes in Feeding Patterns

Your baby may begin waking to feed more frequently, or struggle to focus during daytime feeds due to tiredness.

6. Regression in Sleep Training Progress

If you’ve made great strides with baby sleep training, a regression can feel like taking a step back. Don’t worry – with the right response, you can get back on track.

7. It Feels Like Something’s “Off”

You know your baby best. If they suddenly start sleeping differently and nothing else seems wrong (teething, illness, etc.), chances are you’re in the middle of a regression.

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Why recognising the signs matters:
Identifying sleep regression early helps you avoid unnecessary stress, manage your expectations, and choose the right tools to support your baby (and yourself) through the phase.

If you’re noticing some of these signs, don’t panic. Sleep regression is common, and there is a way through.