As a parent of a baby, you know how precious sleep is not just for your little one, but also for you. It takes a while to build a consistent sleep routine, so once it does happen you don’t want to do anything that interrupts up. Unfortunately, as parents quickly find out, there’s something called sleep regression that happens with most babies. It can happen relatively fast, and leave you scrambling to come up with answers and a plan to deal with it.

To help you through this stage, we’ve got five things to know about sleep regression in babies. These can help you to get back into a routine, and get everyone sleeping again.

Be Prepared and Know When to Expect Sleep Regression

The first tip is to be prepared and realistic about when sleep regression typically occurs. It's very normal to happen around the four-month mark. While it can seem incredibly disruptive and cause your little one and you to be a bit cranky from lack of sleep; don't worry because it is temporary. This means even if you were to do nothing or change anything, it will still eventually correct itself.

Most parents aren’t going to be satisfied waiting around, however, as they know how important sleep is for their baby’s well-being and growth.

Set Up a Regular Sleep Routine and Stick To It

If you haven’t yet set up a sleep routine for your baby, now is the time to do so. It’s not enough to just set up a routine though, you need to stick to the routine. The same sleep routine should be applied to daytime naps and bedtime. It’s normal to get busy and have your schedule thrown off, but during this sleep regression period, you want to avoid this as much as possible.

Some of the things your sleep routine may include are bath time, feeding them, reading a book, singing a lullaby, a diaper change, and so forth.

Ensure Your Baby’s Room Encourages Sleep

The environment your little one is sleeping in also plays a part. It needs to be comfortable and encourage sleep. Several steps can help achieve that goal. Here are some of the top ones you can embrace:

·         Make sure the temperature in the bedroom is cool but comfortable. If it’s too hot or too cold, it will affect your baby’s ability to sleep comfortably.

·         Choose sleepwear that is comfortable, breathable, and safe for them. Because it's unsafe to put blankets in a baby's crib, a sleeping bag or sleep sack is a great option. These allow your baby’s arms to stay free, while the rest of their body is warm and comfortable in the sleeping bag.

·         Sound machines or white noise machines can help to soothe your little ones and lull them to sleep. It can also help drown out noise from the rest of the house, making sure sudden noise doesn’t startle them awake.

·         Keep the room dark while they’re sleeping. Blackout window coverings are a great choice because they can block the light even on the sunniest of days.

Be Aware of Your Baby's Sleep Signals and Cues

You’ll also need to become a master of reading sleep signals and cues. There is a sweet spot where if you read the signals properly, you can put them to bed at the exact right time. If you wait until your baby is over-tired, the nap or bedtime routine likely won’t be smooth or successful.

If this is your first baby, you may not know what the sleep cues look like. Some of the most common ones include yawning, fussiness, rubbing their eyes, not being as active, pulling on their ears, clenching their fists, and sucking their fingers to name a few. Every child is unique, so you need to get to know their specific cues.

Make Sure To Keep Your Little One Active During the Daytime

The final tip is to make sure you keep your little one active during the day, in between naps. At four months, your baby is starting to become much more aware of their surroundings. This is a great time to be introducing age-appropriate toys, teethers, reading, singing, and so much more. The idea is that by keeping them active during the day, they should be tired enough for a good sleep at night.

On the flip side, activity should be kept to a minimum as the evening winds down. You don’t want to get them too hyped up. The bedtime routine can start well before their actual bedtime. To help keep things more calming at night, you can use a softer voice, dim the lights, and eliminate screen time.

You Will Both Get Through This

The good news is even though sleep regression can be extremely disruptive, it will pass. Generally speaking, it lasts two to six weeks, and then your baby will be on to the next stage and development. The goal needs to be getting through it as successfully as possible. This entails helping your little one adjust to a new sleep routine, and ensuring they get the rest they need.