18-Month Sleep ‘Regression’ - Causes & 6 Tips to Sail Through It!

Oct 26

Welcome to toddler-hood!

Until about 18-months, I consider most littles over a year a ‘taby,’ no longer a baby, but not quite a full-blown toddler, therefore a taby. But, now, yup, you have a toddler!

You can kick off your entrance to toddler world with a sleep progression! Fun, right?! Not always so much.

*I like to refer to sleep ‘regressions’ as progressions because the reason we are seeing disruptions to sleep is often actually because of developmental progressions they are experiencing.

This sleep progression is one of the more difficult ‘regressions’ parents experience, simply because you are now entering the ages and stages of limit setting and children are really beginning to test those limits. Also, toddlers simply have more stamina to resist and protest things they aren't happy with (day & night).

When do we usually see this progression?

This progression can occur anytime between 15-24 months, but I usually see it most around the 17-19 month mark.

*If you are reading about this, I assume you are either experiencing new sleep challenges or preparing yourself for what may lie ahead. Some parents, myself included, like to read about what’s to come. Although being prepared and informed is always a win, I find that some parents get anxious and nervous about any potential upcoming regressions. I get it - You’ve worked hard to establish consistency around sleep and you want things to stay that way. It can help to know that some children sail through progressions without a hiccup at all!*

What’s happening with my toddler’s development and sleep?

There is a lot going on developmentally around 18-months, such as:

A Big Nap Transition: The average age to transition from 2 naps down to 1 falls between 15-18 months. This transition can take a lot of time to iron out and if we aren’t compensating with an earlier bedtime during it, overtiredness can rear it’s ugly head!
Separation Anxiety: This is a common age to see another peak of separation anxiety. Read my blog about navigating separation anxiety here.
Physical developments: Many toddlers are taking their first steps around this time. Or, if they had already been walking, they may be moving towards running, climbing, and jumping. They are often starting to get their first molars, so may be experiencing some teething pain.
Cognitive developments: SO many Cognitive developments occurring around 18 months.
- There is commonly a big burst of language development around 18-months. But, in spite of this development, your child hasn’t mastered language enough to tell you why they are upset which can exacerbate their frustrations, which also makes it difficult on YOU, as you don't know why your child is frustrated.
- Children this age are also experiencing a budding sense of independence - This is so exciting! Your baby is turning into a toddler, a toddler with their own opinions and voice. Oftentimes, though, this opinion includes not wanting to sleep, because there are more fun things to do! They also have more stamina in them to share these opinions, at naptime, bedtime, or the middle of the night.
- They are experimenting more and more with cause/effect - “What happens if I call for mommy instead of take my nap?” “What happens if I throw things out of my crib?”

What, oh what, is a tired parent to do?

Revisit Schedule & Keep the Consistency: Make sure that you are offering sleep at the ideal times to try to avoid overtiredness. Sometimes, when things are good, we start getting a little laissez faire about nap & bed timing and that can lead to a sleep debt which exacerbates these regressions. I'm guilty of this with my kids! An 18-month old on a single nap schedule typically wakes between 6-7:30 a.m., starts their nap between 12-1:00 p.m., and goes to bed no later than 5 hours after waking from their naps. If you are in the middle of the 2-1 nap transition, utilize a temporary earlier bedtime to help your child through this transition without as much overtiredness. Keep your pre-sleep routines consistent, children thrive on predictability and consistency. I highly recommend using a bedtime routine with the same sequence of events and utilizing that time to put your phone away and really connect with your toddler. This is a great age to introduce a bedtime routine chart that they can follow along with, as toddlers LOVE knowing what’s coming next.
Practice their New Skills: Practice all those new words with your little one during the daytime, so they are less likely to practice these skills come sleep time. Fill your toddler’s awake time with lots of practice of both their physical and cognitive skills
Set clear, loving boundaries and stick to them: Be ready to return to your sleep training method of choice to get through this regression. Remember that your child can do this, they are just having a bump in the road. When it comes to independence and testing limits, this is a learning opportunity that mom & dad set and hold boundaries around needs like sleep. It’s normal for your toddler to resist things like sleep, in favor of things like play. However, their brains are always looking for signals (“What happens if I stand and shout for mommy?”) so try to avoid bringing back unsustainable habits. Continue to communicate, validate, and shift to a positive if they are upset with a boundary you’ve set.
“I know you want to read one more book, but we are a 2 bedtime book family. What song do you want to read before bed?”
“I know you want to keep playing, but it is time for a rest. After your rest, we will go play outside!”
Give your child some control: Your toddler is going to be looking for opportunities to assert their independence and opinions. Lean into this by giving them some control over parts of the bedtime routine. For example, your child doesn’t get to dictate HOW MANY books are read before bed, but they can choose WHICH book (s). You can hold up 2 sets of pajamas and allow them to pick which one they’d like to wear. You can also give your child jobs during the bedtime routine (helping put the toothpaste on the toothbrush, tucking in their stuffed animals).
Offer comfort while avoiding unsustainable habits: As noted above, this is an age where separation anxiety can peak. I have a blog on separation anxiety here. This may be a time that you bring some more comfort to your child, by lengthening their bedtime routine for extra snuggles, introducing a new lovey, or returning to check on them after saying goodnight to remind them you are near. You can still support your child and offer comfort without bringing back unsustainable habits. One of the aspects of separation anxiety and sleep is that we are always sending messages to our children. When we bring back unsustainable habits (if these are things you enjoy and WANT to do, then you don’t have to change things!) like laying down with them or bringing them to our bed, we are actually sending the message that we don't think they are capable of independent sleep, which is the message they then believe about themself. When separating at night, you want your child to see your confidence in their ability to sleep on their own and that you will always be there when they wake after their nap or in the morning. If you are sure teething pain is to blame for their discomfort, discuss with your pediatrician about offering pain medication.
Avoid any big disruptions and changes: This can be easier said than done if you have a move coming up or a new sibling on the way. But, when possible, stick to predictability and consistency as much as possible during this phase, it will help you sail through it faster. This may mean waiting to ditch the pacifier or waiting to start potty training.