8–10 Month Sleep Regression: Why Your Baby Isn’t Sleeping and How to Help
Just when nap schedules and bedtime are falling into a good groove, your little one starts waking up more frequently, refusing naps, or suddenly acting like sleep is optional.
If this sounds familiar, you’re among friends. Sleep disruption during this age is super common, but it can also be exhausting, to say the least.
Let’s dive into why this happens and what you can do to navigate this.
At this age, your baby is going through a lot. Between developmental leaps, newfound mobility, and a growing sense of independence, sleep can be temporarily disrupted. Here are some contributing factors:
Separation anxiety: Your baby is simultaneously exploring more and also wanting to be by your side. When bedtime rolls around, separating from you feels harder.
Increased mobility: Your baby is busy learning how to crawl, cruise, stand up, and even take their first steps, and that means their brains are working really hard to connect the dots. Their eagerness to practice these abilities can actually lead to nighttime wakings.
Changes in daytime sleep needs: Some babies need a slight tweak in their sleep schedule to build up enough sleep pressure to be ready for naps and bedtime. On average, your baby sleeps between 12-15 hours per 24-hour cycle.
Night feed habit: If your baby is waking up frequently but consuming only small amounts from a bottle or the breast, night wakings are likely about habit rather than true hunger. If your baby is taking active, engaged feeds or large bottles overnight, this is your cue to transfer those feeds to the daytime hours.
Teething: Teething will typically cause discomfort for a few days to a week. Low cortisol at night means that inflammation is exacerbated and less distraction means baby is more aware of pressure in their gums. Some babies are quite sensitive to teething discomfort and others don’t show signs of teething at all.
Eating more solids: Contrary to popular belief, the introduction of more solids alter patterns of digestion and can disrupt sleep as baby adjusts.
Common 8-10 month sleep struggles & solutions:
Early morning wakings
If your baby is waking up ready to start the day before 6 AM with less than 11 hours of sleep, you’re dealing with an early morning wake.
It’s tempting to start the day when your baby wakes up early, but if you adjust everything to accommodate those early mornings (like giving additional nap time or starting meals earlier), you reinforce the internal body clock shifting earlier. The earlier the naps fall, the earlier the bedtime falls, and the cycle repeats.
Instead of starting the day when your baby wakes up early, try to gently stretch the time between waking up in the morning and the first nap so it aligns with an ideal morning rise time. If your baby is taking a long nap (like 2+ hours), try shortening it slightly so they aren’t expecting a big chunk of sleep too early.
Note that early morning wakings can be caused by a multitude of factors including insignificant sleep pressure and irregular nap timings.
Long stretch, then frequent wakings
If your baby sleeps a solid 4-5 hours at the start of the night but struggles to go back down, they might be sleeping too much during the day, or they might be lacking crib confidence. If they’re consistently waking up between 3-5 AM and struggling to resettle on their own, here are things you might want to consider:
Is daytime sleep disrupting nighttime sleep? Continue to cap daytime sleep so that it does not exceed 1.5-2 hours per nap. Daytime sleep should sit between 2.5- 4 hours total depending on your baby’s sleep needs and hours slept at night. Babies need just the right amount of sleep pressure to fall asleep easily and stay asleep through the night.
Is baby waking up looking for comfort, rather than out of hunger? If overnight feeds seem more like a habit, dropping night feeds and helping your baby settle to sleep in their crib will allow for longer stretches and rebalance calorie intake during the day.
Is bedtime too early, leading to an extended nights waking also known as a split night?
Is baby getting enough sensory input and stimulation? Offer ample floor time and get outside as much as you can!
If your baby needs to be held, rocked, or fed to sleep, consider helping them gain confidence in their sleep space. Incorporating some back rubs or deep pressure holds while they’re in their crib can help with this transition. Settling to sleep in the crib will help them confidently re-settle throughout the night and sleep longer stretches.
Consistency is key here! When they wake up, implement a consistent sleep time response following the same level of intervention offered at bedtime. This might be rubbing their back, sitting by the crib or checking in every five minutes.
Reminder: you can set loving limits when establishing independent sleep. Prioritizing better sleep for the whole family is beneficial to everyone’s well-being and happiness.
Difficult nap & bedtime balance
The transition from 3 to 2 naps has a huge impact on nighttime sleep.
If your baby is on a three nap schedule and struggling with naps or nights, it’s likely time to settle into a clock-based two nap schedule. A clock-based schedule, with naps happening around the time every day, allows the baby's body to anticipate when sleep happens and daytime sleep can consolidate during those two periods.
Be sure to properly stretch each wake window so naps don’t start and end too early leaving baby with a long stretch before bedtime. Use an early bedtime as needed to avoid always leaning on a third nap.
How to Get Back on Track
Assess sleep needs: Look at total daily sleep and wake windows. Adjust if needed to ensure they’re getting enough rest without being overtired.
Create a sleep log: Tracking sleep, feeds, and wake-ups can help identify patterns and solutions. My Complete Sleep Support program offers real-time feedback to help you troubleshoot!
Adjust feeding habits: At 8 months, the majority of babies can meet all their nutritional needs during the day and sleep 11 to 12 hours overnight without a feed. If your baby is waking to eat small amounts, reducing night feeds will help consolidate sleep.
Encourage independent sleep: If you want to transition away from rocking or feeding to sleep, a gentle plan can make the shift smoother. Incorporating some back rubs or deep pressure holds while they’re in their crib can help with this transition. Settling to sleep in the crib will help them confidently re-settle throughout the night and sleep longer stretches.
The good news is…
As always, this is just a phase. The 8-10 month sleep regression won’t last forever. Be mindful of how you respond at sleep times and be confident about setting loving limits and prioritizing sleep routines that work for the entire family.
And if you need extra support, I’m always here to help! Every baby, parent, and family member deserves a good night’s sleep. Let’s get you there!
Book a free consultation call with me, and let’s get your whole family sleeping soundly through the night!
To better sleep,
Ella