The 8-9-10 month sleep regression can be a very frustrating and exhausting period of time when your baby starts to have trouble falling asleep, wakes up at night, and takes shorter naps. It starts around 8 months old and lasts 3 to 6 weeks. It’s known as the “8-month sleep regression,” “9-month sleep regression,” and/or the “10-month sleep regression.” Today, you’ll learn all about this sleep regression. We’ll also and 10 tips for surviving, based on our experience of over 15 years working with families just like yours.
8-Month Sleep Regression: What It Is and Why Does It Happen?
If you suspect your baby might be hitting the 8-month sleep regression, you’re not alone! Thousands of parents research this regression each month and your entire sleep routine can be turned on its head.
Maybe your sleep problems are new after your baby was sleeping through the night. Or, maybe you feel like you never quite recovered from the 4-month sleep regression. Regardless of how they were sleeping before this, you might be struggling now.
The primary cause of the 8-month sleep regression is due to rapid growth and brain development. Your baby may be crawling, scooting, sitting up, pulling up, and/or cruising. It can be even more challenging when your baby starts standing in the crib and won’t sleep!
Aside from physical skills, your baby is also absorbing your language and beginning to put things into categories. For example, they are learning something is a cat, regardless of color or size. This is also connected to Mental Leap 6 if you follow the Wonder Weeks.
When your brain is busy, it can be very difficult to sleep, of course!
Here are the reasons this sleep regression happens with more details below:
- Schedule Change – Your 8 Month Old Baby Schedule might be changing. Your baby could be dropping their third catnap which can be brutal. Be sure to put them on a 2-nap schedule such as our sample 9-month old schedule or 10-month old schedule.
- Developmental Milestones – As described above, your baby’s newfound mobility and mental leaps can make sleep very difficult.
- Separation Anxiety – When your baby goes through a lot of changes, they tend to like to be close to you to help them through it.
- Teething – This is a common age for one or more teeth to cut through the gums which can be uncomfortable.
Signs of the 8 Month Sleep Regression
Signs your baby is going through this regression could include your baby starts having trouble falling asleep at night, waking up at night, taking shorter naps, separation anxiety, irritability, and clinginess. Many weeks when a baby is having trouble sleeping can be exhausting for your entire family and shorter naps mean less time for you to do things during the day and that can be frustrating!
On top of the developmental milestones, many 8-month old babies are also getting their first teeth or more teeth. Babies get teeth on and off for a good two years!
And, even more than developmental leaps and teeth, many 8-month old babies are transitioning from three naps to two naps. An 8 month old schedule often includes three naps but not always. The 9 month old sleep schedule has just two naps.
And, when your baby is going through a lot of changes, you can bet they don’t want to be apart from you very much. Some changes can feel exciting yet possibly a little unnerving! So, we see separation anxiety peak around this time, too.
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When Does the 8 Month Sleep Regression Start and End?
The 8-month sleep regression starts at 8 months old and lasts 3 to 6 weeks, on average. This sleep regression can start early at 7 months old though it’s not as common. At 7 months old, we see separation anxiety begins, though. Of course, this can start to feel like your baby is going through a never-ending sleep regression from 7 to 10 months old!
Can This Sleep Regression Start Early?
Yes, in some cases, we see the 8 month sleep regression start at 7 months old though it’s not as common. Parents may be searching for a 7-month sleep regression. All babies develop on their unique timetable so if your baby is experiencing a 7-month sleep regression, it’s likely the 8-month one simply started early.
What Is The 9 Month Sleep Regression?
The 9 month old sleep regression is really a continuation of the 8 month sleep regression when your baby is learning so many new skills. All babies develop at their own rate so it’s possible this regression doesn’t start until 9 months old, but it’s really the same. Since sleep regressions last 3 to 6 weeks, on average, this particular sleep regression can span over the 9th month and sometimes the 10th month depending on when it started.
What else can be happening with your 9 month old?
If your baby didn’t transition to two naps by 8 months, they most certainly have at 9 months. In addition, your more mobile baby likely needs to add another solid meal into their daytime schedule as they are burning through calories at a more rapid pace. We sometimes see babies increase their night feedings again around this age so you’ll want to make some adjustments to your daytime schedule.
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What Is The 10 Month Sleep Regression?
The 10-month-old sleep regression is the culmination of the 8-month and 9-month sleep regressions when your baby has finished this developmental leap. Your baby is likely much more adept at moving their body and being mobile. Before they complete the sleep regression, they may find it irresistible to stand up in their crib.
How Long Do These Sleep Regressions Last?
Again, most sleep regressions last 3 to 6 weeks, on average.
I know all too well how 6 weeks can feel like an eternity when you aren’t sleeping! With the 4-month sleep regression, your baby permanently changed how exactly she sleeps. The 8 month sleep regression isn’t a permanent change to how your baby sleeps. Luckily, it’s temporary. That doesn’t make it any less exhausting, of course!
How Much Sleep Do 8, 9, and 10 Month Olds Need?
8-month-old, 9-month-old, and 10-month-old babies all still need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day. As with all developmental milestones, night sleep can be disrupted while your baby is going through this developmental leap. Either they are too busy practicing their new skills (either by choice or impulsively) or their brain is just too wired to settle down. Ever have a big meeting, graduation, wedding, or event the next day and can’t sleep? You can relate.
Your 8 or 9-month-old is also likely going through a nap transition and losing the third catnap. As with most nap transitions, this makes your baby overtired and often even fussier than usual during this sleep regression. Finding a new age-appropriate baby nap schedule can be even more challenging during this sleep regression not only because of the nap transition but also due to the fact that the sleep regression can disrupt naps just like night sleep.
Is he not napping because you are trying naps at the wrong time or is it because he is too busy practicing his new skill?
Doubts can mount during this time and you might lose confidence in your parenting ability. Your baby might be clingier and fussier because she’s tired and these new changes can make her feel more insecure. Have no fear, there is likely nothing wrong with your parenting or your baby!
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Can You Do Sleep Training During This Regression?
Yes, although it’s not an ideal time for sleep training, if you don’t try to avoid long-term habits, both you and the baby can lose a lot of sleep during this time period. Sleep training during the 8 month sleep regression can take a lot of patience but can be very successful.
10 Tips to Handle The 8 Month Sleep Regression
Here are a few tips based on our experience working with families for over 15 years. (These are in no particular order.)
- Put your baby on the right 8 month schedule, 9 month schedule, or 10 month schedule. Although the right schedule is only one piece of the puzzle, it can make a huge difference in better sleep! Not sure how many naps? Use our Baby Nap Chart.
- Make sure your baby’s room is conducive to sleep including using a white noise machine, room-darkening blinds or curtains, and a comfortable room temperature.
- Get medical advice from your baby’s doctor. Occasionally, sleep can unravel for a medical reason such as an ear infection.
- Assuming your baby is healthy, don’t assume everything is due to the 8 month sleep regression – If your baby had sleep problems at 5 months, 6 months, or 7 months, then it’s unlikely that it’s this sleep regression at the root of your sleep problems, now. You likely have a lingering problem that needs to be addressed.
- Don’t assume everything is teething for similar reasons.
- If sleep problems are new to you, be careful about making a new long-term habit such as co-sleeping if that’s not what you want. As I mentioned above, this could be as short as a 3-week phase, but new habits or routines can last for months, or even years. Consistency is still important.
- Be patient – Your baby will only go through this particular developmental leap once (thankfully), so try to help her through it as best you can. Keep in mind that we can’t always remove our baby’s discomfort, but we can be there for support.
- Offer support to your 8 month old, 9 month old, or 10 month old, but try to continue with your sleep coaching as much as feels right to you. That means offer extra support just like you may help your baby solve a puzzle. But do let them do some of it on their own, so they can continue learning.
- If you never did cry it out before, this is probably not the time to try it. Instead, I recommend reviewing all the various sleep training methods.
- Have a teething protocol to follow in case your baby is cutting tooth after tooth.
I hope this post gives you a glimpse of what your 8, 9, or 10 month old is going through. I still believe that a baby can learn how to sleep better during this time. Keep in mind it might not be perfect, and that is okay. You can still start to lay the foundation, create new routines, and build confidence in her abilities. Getting more sleep will help her cope with the changes and likely help with any additional fussiness, too. If she can’t nap well, but she’s sleeping well at night, that will help bridge the gap. The vice versa is also true if she’s having trouble sleeping at night, but napping better.
Adding more sleep deprivation will usually only make this phase more difficult for all of you. I don’t always recommend waiting it out.
In my 15+ years of experience as a sleep consultant, I get e-mails every day from parents of babies of all ages and some parents of toddlers are still “waiting it out.” Don’t wait until the toddler sleep regression to make a change. Just like it’s never a perfect time to have a baby, it’s never a perfect time to make a change in sleep habits!
8 Month Sleep Regression Case Study
Want more information about how to help your 8 month old sleep well? Check out our detailed case study about Carrie, Ben, and their 8 month old Elliot.
Read how they helped Elliot sleep through the night and take better naps. And how they helped change those sleep associations that were keeping him awake! Join our VIP Members Area, and access the case study instantly. And that’s not all! Our VIP Members Area is packed with additional premium content and resources. It includes: e-Books, assessments, more case studies, live chats with a sleep consultant, and more. And it actually costs much less to join than buying products separately!
For more guidance on handling the 8-10 month sleep regression, check out more special resources in our VIP Members Area:
- The 8-10 Month Sleep Regression Survival Guide [EXPANDED MEMBERS-ONLY EDITION]
- 8 Month Sleep Regression Case Study (With Breastfeeding Associations, Napping Problems, and Medical Concerns)
- Sleep Regressions audio course
- The 3-Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep e-book
How Do You Know When the 8 Month Sleep Regression Is Over?
Well, you don’t really. If you have developed some new sleep habits you’re not fond of, you may need to change those habits. Keep in mind that we have the wisdom your 8 month old baby may not have. It’s one thing for the entire family to lose sleep for one week. Week after week of not-enough-sleep is not healthy for anyone. I work with families every day who start sleep coaching during this time period.
8, 9, or 10 Month Sleep Regression – We’re here to help!
Related posts:
18 Month Sleep Regression: Why It’s One of the Hardest and Tips to Handle
4 Month Sleep Regression Checklist: What To Do Before, During, and After the 4 Month Sleep Regression
10 Month Sleep Regression: Cause, Signs, and Fixes
12 Month Sleep Regression and Why Not All 12 Month Olds Transition to One Nap
My baby is 9 months and 1 week old. She has been teething since she was around 4 months old and has 7 teeth. She is bottle fed and always naps twice throughout the day. Her first nap is usually two hours after she wakes up ( around 1230 pm) and then again about 3 1/2 hours later like (330pm, 4 pm). She is falling asleep anywhere from 8-9pm and waking up an hour later completely energized, or fighting to go back to sleep. For the past 2 weeks or so she has been waking back up around 9 pm and staying up until 11pm-12am. Then she goes to sleep for 3 hours and wakes up crying with her eyes closed completely. After a bottle, she falls asleep usually, then she is back up between 5-6 a.m. crying again with her eyes closed. After a 2 oz. bottle she falls back to sleep, sometimes until 8 a.m., sometimes until 10 a.m. allowing her to sleep beside me keeps her asleep. placing her in her crib makes her wake right back up- her usual wake up time is around 10 a.m. because of her late bedtime – I am not sure if this is her new routine or if this is sleep regression – but I am exhausted – Is she just over stimulated ? please help because staying up until midnight is terrifying me
Hi Kathryn,
Thank you for writing to us! I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling *so* much with your daughter’s sleep. I’m not a sleep consultant and can’t tell you exactly what’s going on, but the pattern you’re describing does not fit the usual 9 month sleep regression. It’s more likely to be something else going on, like a sleep association or a scheduling issue. I’d highly encourage you to check out a consultation package so you can get some help from a sleep consultant – she can take a history, break down what’s going on, and give you a plan to get sleep back on track. You shouldn’t have to be this exhausted and stressed :/ Please hang in there!
My 9 and 1/2 month baby had a sleep regression. In the night time he did not sleep properly , he wants to play for the whole night.,what should i do????
Hi there Sunitha! Thanks for writing to us! I’m so sorry that your baby is having a tough time with sleep and with a sleep regression! We know how rough this is, so hang in there! As you read in this article, this age can be a tough time for sleep! For Do-it-mostly yourself help that you can start right away, I would recommend that you consider our e-Book, The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep.
This is the most popular e-Book on our site. Written specifically for parents whose babies are up to 12 months of age, this book is designed to give you the information you need to get your baby sleeping soundly.
Plus, depending on which e-Book package you purchase, you will have access to supplemental materials as well, designed to maximize your chances of success. These include audio recordings, tele-seminars, case studies, workbooks, and more.
You can find and order the book directly online here:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/3-step-system/
Please hang in there Sunitha, and let us know if you have any questions!! : )
My 8 month old has never had issues with sleeping. She’s been sleeping through the night (11-12 hours) since she was 4 months. Now she’s been waking up in the early mornings (anywhere between 3am to 5 am) fussy and wanting to nurse. Once she’s fed she can go back to sleep on her own. I’m not sure if this is just a sleep regression or if she’s not getting enough food before bed (she’s on solids but only eats a few spoonfuls then refuses food). I’m really hoping that is only a phase!
Hi Cher,
Thanks for checking out The Baby Sleep Site! I’m sorry to hear you’re seeing this early waking from your baby. It does sound like she’s really hungry, so she may be going through a growth spurt, or you may need to adjust your current feeding schedule for her. We have a sample 8 month-old schedule here with some info on average eating at this age: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/8-month-old-baby-schedule/
I hope this helps!
Hi. My 10 month old is sleep trained at night and has been pretty good w it since we started sleep training at 8months. However she still refuses to sleep in her crib during the day time and will refuse to nap. I’ve continued to co sleep and feed to sleep as a result during nap time. Since sleep training she has either nap once a day or no nap. And the past 2 nights have been waking up more than usual…usual is 1 to 2 waking. I do see an 8th tooth popping out so maybe that’s why I’m not sure. But I would love some advice about nap training.
Hi Anne,
Thank you for checking out The Baby Sleep Site! I’m sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble with naps. The first thing to do would be to doublecheck that your daytime schedule is age-appropriate, and your baby isn’t over or under-tired going into nap time. We have a sample 10 month-old schedule here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/10-month-old-schedule/
We have an article on transitioning to the crib from co-sleeping too: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/how-to-get-baby-to-sleep-in-a-crib/
I hope this helps! Good luck ?
My 10 month old baby girl has been sleep trained since 3 1/2 months old & starting this when she was only 8 weeks old. She likes the structure & there is a sequence to nap-time & bedtime that she likes & is aware. We went through the 4 & 6 sleep regression & she went back to normal sleep times just by us staying persistent & patient. Now at 10 months, I am completely worn out. I’ve done all & every suggestion & nothing has really worked. It’s hit & miss most days. She use to take two naps. Morning at 9:00 for an hour then afternoon at 1:00 for two hours. Now she fights naps or doesn’t even nap at all, then becomes irritated & fussy because she’s overtired. I don’t leave the house because I’m not sure if she’ll finally nap & I’m afraid to miss that window because then forget it! Although she does sleep soundly eleven hours through the night. What do I need to do to get her to nap again??
Hi Brandie,
Thank you for checking out The Baby Sleep Site! I’m sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble with naps. The first thing to do would be to doublecheck that your daytime schedule is age-appropriate, and your baby isn’t over or under-tired going into nap time. We have a sample 9 month-old schedule here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/10-month-old-schedule/
If your schedule is set, then you can use any sleep coaching technique at naptime to help her learn to fall asleep at naptime independently. We have an article series on sleep coaching here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-training-from-no-cry-to-cry-series-part-1/
And we also have an e-Book on the topic here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/diy/#bundles
But if you are really worn out, I would recommend considering a personalized sleep consultation, so our sleep consultants can look at your current routines, schedules, and your baby and family, and make sure your plan is totally customized for you. You can review them here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
I hope this helps! Good luck ?
My 8 month old who self settles at naps and bedtime is waking overnight crying multiple times to which I’ve been feeding him. This has been going on for a few weeks so I think he’s waking out of habit now. The last 2 nights when he wakes before midnight, I’ve been going in reassuring him to go back to sleep every 5,10,15 mins etc but it’s taken over an hour of crying both nights for him to fall asleep. If he wakes again but it’s after midnight, should I do the same or can I feed him? I’m just not sure what the right thing to do is? I know after 6 months overnight feeds are not required and he’s in the 95 percentile so I really don’t think he needs it! Help!
Hi Amanda,
Thank you for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource. I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling with all of these overnight wakings – it sounds exhausting 🙁 Although many babies can sleep through the night at 8 months, a decent portion do still need at least one feed. We would have to know more about your baby’s current sleep/feed schedule and bedtime routine to have a better idea of why he’s waking so often. If you’re still having trouble, please do email us at [email protected] so we can get you more resources! Hang in there!
Hi,
My now 10 month old is going through this sleep regression. He has never had any issues with sleeping. He’s always In bed and sleep at 730. For the pass two weeks I can’t get him to go to sleep at his normal bedtime to save my life. It’s always 8/830 9/930 sometimes later. He gets a good bath dinner and all before bed. He normally lays in my bed falls asleep and I would transition him to his bed. He still does his two naps a day some days just one. Please help. What am I doing wrong? This phase is taking a lot out of me.
Hi Brittany,
Thank you for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource! I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling with the 10 month sleep regression – it can definitely be a tough one! If your baby’s been having bedtime trouble for a week or two, it’s likely that you’re not doing anything “wrong,” and he will work through it on his own. If it’s been more than a couple of weeks, then you may have a scheduling issue or something else getting in the way of bedtime. We have a sample 10 month-old schedule here that you can check against your own at home: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/10-month-old-schedule/
Or consider whether a sleep association or other issue might be causing trouble.
I hope this helps, but please let us know if you have questions!
My son turned 9 months old today. Up until a little over 2 weeks ago he slept with me in my bed. He would wake up a couple times and breastfeed back to sleep. Since he starts daycare soon I decided it’s time to sleep train, but I am not comfortable with cry it out. So I decided that he’s going to sleep in his crib. The first day or two were tough but it got better fast. I feed then rock him to sleep at 8-8:30 and when I lay him down he wakes up for a minute then falls back to sleep with no fuss. If he wakes up before a 4 hour sleep I just pat his back until he falls back to sleep. If it’s been more then 4 hours I will give him another feed. After the first week he was doing great. He would sleep 8pm-7am and only wake up for about 2 feeds. He’s been transitioning from 3 to 2 naps a day but still about 2 hours of nap sleep…. But the last 3 days he’s been up every hour or two throughout the night. He screams bloody murder when I lay him down to pat his back. Sometimes it takes an hour of me laying him down, giving him some back pats and leaving the room for 5-10mins while he cries. I’ve also been giving in and feeding him more often to get him to go back to sleep. I’ve even let him cuddle in bed with me for a few naps (more for me then for him-I miss our sleep cuddles!) I’m not sure what the trigger was for the bad sleep or maybe I’m just unteaching him everything I just worked so hard to teach him. I’m a single mom so needless to say I haven’t gotten much sleep.
Hi @Sarah – Thanks for writing, and I’m so sorry to hear that your son’s transition to his crib is not going as smoothly as it did at first! I bet you’re exhausted, especially without help at night, so hang in there! Needing more time to adjust, and regressing a bit is normal – so don’t give up! Napping with him should not upset the night sleep, so feel free to continue to have those nap cuddles while you still work on night sleep! If things do not smooth out, please consider getting a little help from one of our sleep consultants here! Please contact us at any time for more information! Hang in there Sarah!
So what do you do if the sleep regression affects the naps and not bedtime? With my daughter, it affected bedtime. It was fine that she woke up more than she used to. I knew it was a phase and it wouldn’t last, so I didn’t treat it any different.
But with my eight-month-old son, both naps (one is usually 1.5 – 2.5 hours and the other is usually 1 – 1.5 hours) are only 40 minutes long. Since I work during his nap time, this is driving me crazy, especially since he is overtired during the day so not as good at playing with toys while I work. Essentially, I am WAY behind on work now. 😀
I know it is a phase, but is there something I can do to help him through it? I don’t want to create any bad habits for a short phase, but do I just wait it or and wait until his naps go back to being longer or can I do something about it?
@Katie – Thank you for sharing with us! We know exactly how you feel as we all are in the same boat of working around our kiddos’ schedules! We definitely love your philosophy of not creating a habit for a short-term phase. If the regression is impacting his naps to such a degree, you may want to consider also tweaking his overall sleep schedule so he has as much opportunity to sleep as needed. You should also know that many 8-9 month old babies need 2-3 hours of nap sleep each day so being sure to ask him to sleep when he’s tired enough to sleep is a good strategy as well. If you find you need more support, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our sleep consultants who can walk you all through getting back on track. Hang in there, Katie!
My now toddler definitely had this regression around 9 months and tied with a bunch of other issues lasted so long! Long story shorter, I had helped him develop bad sleep habits so after moving him to him room adjustment time and teething pain over time, I tried a sleep training method a friend recommended. A mix of crying with checks, and we saw good success within a week! Baby was going to sleep by himself, without crying, sleeping longer stretches, and even going back to sleep after 6am wake up! Then we traveled, then he got sick, then this regression. The worst part was when he figured out how to pull himself up to standing at his crib, but he couldn’t get down. That was the longest and worst week of sleep ever. I couldn’t just leave him stuck there, I thought of him like a mountain climber clinging to the edge! So while before there was a little time waiting to see if he would settle back down, this time it was immediate standing and immediate screaming. Once he figured out how to get down, and I was sure he could do it confidently, I increased the time he would cry before I checked on him to 10 mins and it only took a day or two for him to settle with no crying and back to longer stretches of sleep! Not looking forward to 18 month regression! We’ve survived transition to one nap and confident in my sleep training routine. Thanks for all the helpful articles!
Hi @Sami V. I’m so glad you’ve been able to overcome these sleep obstacles and you feel confident to tackle what comes your way next!