Sleep Regression

Last night, our two year old screamed like hell for about an hour and half refusing to go to bed. After finally giving in to the cries, we allowed her thirty minutes longer to stay awake. Me with a killer migraine, and her with puffy tear-stricken eyes and a hoarse voice, there was finally some relief. She fell asleep. Today we're back at it, and friends and family have advised me of this period known as sleep regression. 

Children experience sleep regression at various stages. This anti-sleep campaign spans from birth to approximately age three, in spurts of 1-4 weeks. After last night's hiatus, I feel like a complete zombie, am short-tempered, and an epic nap time saga begins again. A determined two-year-old kicking the wall in defiance after insisting on a countless number of stuffed animals in her crib, I finally had enough and threatened to give all her toys away! That did the trick, and now she's sound asleep.

I previously (at about eighteen months old) spoke with our pediatrician who says this is normal during growth stages, and at age two, some children -- not all -- will no longer take naps. The pediatrician who is a mother of three, says she speaks first-hand because one of her boys did not take naps after age two. I replied with, "Over my dead body!" I need my hour or so to unwind and have a few minutes to myself. After speaking to other moms that have been in my shoes along with reading various articles, I found a solution that has worked for us at the 18-month mark, and I am implementing again. To deter sleep regression here are four tips:

1. Devote one or more hours of outdoor time to you and your child, so you're both getting some much needed fresh air and activity. This will put you both in snooze-mode and/or give parents enough energy to get other tasks done once back in the home.
2. If you're unable to go outdoors due to weather (or you're not in the mood), participate in at-home 15-30 minute yoga and/or stretching. There are countless online videos as well as fun games you can play that involve exercise, to keep the child's attention and wear him or her out. This is also a great way to bond and encourage health and wellness.
3. Extra feedings. As most adults know, eating large amount of food can trigger the desire or need to take a nap. Extra feedings before a scheduled nap time is a great way for your child to settle down and want to relax.
4. Earlier bedtimes in the evening help with a an overly tired child, and helps alleviate parent exhaustion. It's okay to let a restless child cry for a bit until they fall asleep at night, especially since they are exhausted.  

Implementing a schedule to aid in the prevention of sleep regression can start off overwhelming, but this is just one of many stages that children go through. Rest assure, a modified schedule and sleep training with the above four tips, will help. Thanks for reading. 

-Leslie Osmond

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