Sleep

cute toddler in bed in an article about how long does the 18 month sleep regression last?
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No, The 18-Month Sleep Regression Doesn’t Last Forever

And it doesn’t happen to every kid.

by Steph Montgomery
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Sleep regressions have a way of sneaking up on parents like soul-crushing ninjas. Just when you think you've finally reached a stage when your baby or toddler will sleep through the night, and you’re used to sleeping yourself, a sleep regression kicks you in the face. So, just how long does the 18-month sleep regression last? The answer is, thankfully, not forever. In fact, sleep regressions don’t actually happen to every child, and when you do experience changes in their sleep, it should pass within a few days.

What is the 18 month sleep regression?

Despite the fact that the concept of sleep regressions come up constantly on social media, online forums and in-person with other parents, ‘sleep regression’ is not actually a scientific term. It is not proven that sleep regressions happen at regular predictable time — like at 18 months for example. So, the “18 month sleep regression” simply would be a change in your child’s sleep that you notice around 18 months of age. “My kid was sleeping great. Now they’re not. What do we call that? I think ‘sleep regression’ can be a useful term [for that phenomenon],” says Dr. Craig Canapari, a pediatrician and director of the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. There’s nothing wrong with using this term to describe a few bumpy nights of sleep, but if your almost-18 month old is sleeping through the night and you’re pre-worrying about an unavoidable 18 month sleep regression — well, just relax. There is nothing set in stone about a sleep regression. And if their sleep does get funky around 18 months? There’s a lot you can do to get things back on track.

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How long does the 18 month sleep regression last?

So, if your child was sleeping through the night before, they will again, Canapari assures tired parents. “I think of a regression as being like a hiccup. Like maybe your kids’ got something on their mind and they can't express it to you because often their cognitive ability exceeds their ability to communicate to you,” says Canapari. A sleep regression shouldn’t last longer than a couple of days, he promises. Take time to refresh your bedtime habits — maybe you’ve gotten a little bit lax about letting your child fall asleep independently? — or consider that your child may need to drop down to one nap, a common happening around 18 months. If the sleep regression lasts longer than a week, there may be something wrong and you should reach out to your pediatrician.

A few days of bad sleep is “the cost of doing business” as a parent, he says. But more than a few days? Get some help.

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It's important to remember that even if it doesn't feel possible, and even if the 18-month sleep regression feels like an eternity, it will end and it will get better. Regressions are just a phase and, chances are, in a few weeks your toddler will no longer want to cry through a nap or party in the middle of the night. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself, your child and your partner. Just a few days can feel like a long time, as every parent knows. Hang in there. It’ll pass, promise.

Expert:

Dr. Craig Canapari, a pediatrician and director of the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center

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