The 18 Month Regression

- Laura Thompson | 21st April 2021 -

You’re baby is no longer a baby they are a fully fledged toddler! It can be such a fun age, watching your tiny person develop their personality and explore the world as they become more independent!  It can also mean a ‘regression’ sometime between 18 months and 2.5 years of age. Sleep is stills so important for this development. So let’s look at what is changing for your toddler and how you can handle the ‘symptoms’ of the 18 month regression.

What’s happening at 18 months?

Sleep needs change

-Toddlers need a total of 11-14 hours sleep a day

- The 2-1 nap transition has also probably happened by now (around 15-18 months)

Lots of growth and development!

• Growth hormones released in the body can actually disrupt your child’s sleep cycles.

• Your toddler will be much more mobile now, finding new ways to get around and explore this exciting world around them. With this comes lots of new learning which has to be processed during sleep.

• As part of their social-emotional growth around 18 months, your child may be experiencing a return of some separation anxiety. This can lead to fears when caregivers leave the room at sleep times.

• Your toddler will also likely have a strong desire for independence and a greater sense of self. Toddlers can be strong willed which can lead to some protests at sleep times when they would rather be doing something else!

• Toddlers are pushing boundaries – as they explore the world around them they are also exploring cause and effect. If I do this, what will happen? So when it comes to sleep times they may start to push boundaries too.

What to do …

Consistency

I’m listing this at the top because it’s the most important! Consistency will help your child learn exactly what happens when they test those boundaries, exactly the same thing will happen every.single.time! It also really helps to make your toddler feel more secure because the response is always the same.

Bedtime routine

• Stick with it! Keeping a set process to get ready for bed can give your child cues that bedtime is coming and offers security to your child as they know exactly what to expect – consistency!

• Start offering choices to your child within bedtime routine, this will help with that independence they so crave! Stick to just a choice of two options so as not to overwhelm, some examples may include;

  • What toy would you like in the bath?

  • Which pair of pyjamas would you like to wear?

  • Which story would you like to read tonight?

  • What song shall we sing while we brush your teeth?

• ·        Consider introducing a bedtime chart or routine cards. This is another way to give your child some autonomy over bedtime routine and many toddlers love the process involved! There are lots of ways to do this. You could download some images from the internet, take photos of your child completing each task or even draw them yourself. These could be individual cards your child puts away in a box once complete or puts a sticker or tick in a box once they have done so!

• Use a timer – I love using a timer for bedtime routine as it means it is the timer saying it’s time to move onto the next step rather than Mummy or Daddy! It’s also another fun way to involve your toddler in the routine. You can use a sand timer, kitchen timer or even the timer on your phone. Have your child start the timer and remind them to have a check to see how long is left by way of warning them ‘bath time will finish soon’ for example.

  Sleep Space

• Keep your child’s room as dark and quiet as possible. Some children may begin to express a fear of the dark at this age. It is fine to offer a night light but opt for a dim red night light as this will not interfere with the production of melatonin. Some toddlers may also benefit from a white noise machine to drown out external noises.

• Cot or bed? I hear a lot of parents start moving their toddler to a bed at this age but I would urge you to wait! Most children are not cognitively able to understand the concept of staying in bed until around 2.5-3 years old. Instead consider the set up of your child’s room to remove distraction or aids to climbing! Moving furniture away from the cot side and arranging toys so they are less visible from the cot by putting them in baskets for example.

• Consider changing your toddler into PJs for their naps – this added sleep cue can sometimes make a big difference as well as ensuring they are nice and comfortable for sleep! Along with this make sure you have a ‘mini nap routine’ that mirrors bedtime and allows time to wind down and connect with you.

  Day Activity

• Keep active – Sleep will be easier for your toddler if they are able to burn of plenty of energy during the day. It is also beneficial to get daily exposure to natural light which contributes to a healthy circadian rhythm

• Limit screen time – Be aware of how much screen time your toddler has and avoid completely for 1-1.5 hours before naps and bedtime.

Remember you made it through the 4, 8 and 12 month regression and you will get through this one. Approach bedtimes with confidence and consistency and you’ll be back on track in no time!

If you need a little more help navigating your child’s sleep, that’s what I’m here for, book a free call and let’s chat about how I can support you!