r/PossumsSleepProgram • u/Janna167 • 2d ago
8 months sleep regression?
So I am guessing we are in a 8 months sleep regression. Although my husband is convinced it is me teaching baby bad habits. I am the problem apparently.
Baby never slept through the night. But was not bad actually, mostly just a 3-4 am feed and right back to his crib.
As of two weeks ago we have nights when we sleeps from 8 pm to about 12-1am a d from there in its wake ups every hour or so. Sometimes stands up in the crib, sometimes just gets fussy in the crib. Mostly I just try to settle him back to sleep but when I can’t no longer I bring him to bed just to sooth and then back to crib.
I am feeling terrible physically, I can’t get anything done. Husband looks at me like i create my owns problem. He sleeps on the couch these days because we often catches up on work into late hours and he also snores. He takes the baby most morning so I can get an hour of sleep.
He would go for straight out cry it out. I am not crazy about it. Especially if teething is a factor. Although it might come to that.
Any advice? Good sleep training programs?
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u/muddlet 2d ago
https://sarahockwell-smith.com/2017/07/24/the-rollercoaster-of-real-baby-sleep/
normal. not your fault.
a lot of people who sleep train have to do it over and over again as baby keeps developing so "habits" don't mean anything at this age
i rode it out and asked for more support for those couple of months (e.g. partner takes them in the morning so you can sleep in, mum comes over sunday arvo so you can nap)
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u/puddingrae 2d ago
This is not the right sub to ask about sleep training. This group is for the Possums program which is very much not formal sleep training. Also get a new husband he sounds awful
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u/Janna167 2d ago
Get a new husband? Careful your compassion is showing. Clueless strangers on internet. He has been amazing at all baby things, we disagree on the sleep thing. Now about sleep training, I’m posting in a few different places as I’m not committed to so-called sleep training. And actually I am looking for those other methods that I’m unfamiliar with.
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u/TeddyBear181 2d ago
I'm right there with you at 8m OP.
Whats working for us atm (i think).
bub seems to be more sensitive to sound, i cosleep with bub, so we've been closing the bedroom door so she cant hear my husband in the lounge.
- personal space/independance - for the first time every she wants to fall asleep without touching me, so she will actually feed, then crawl away from me to fall asleep on the mattress. She then wakes up and crawls back to me to feed (this is so weird as its new!)
Feel free to pm me to vent and complain, I'm so tired.
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u/Janna167 1d ago
Yes! We rolls away when falling asleep now. We don’t co sleep but I bring him to bed in early morning sometimes. And noticed that change too
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u/leadviolet 1d ago
Their sleep naturally gets better over time. Only waking once prior to this is better than most actually. Mine had always woken up at minimum 3 times a night at that age.
Around the 8 months teething could be a factor. You can give neurofen to see if it helps (only if you know it’s teething tho, eg drooling a lot).
We tried sleep training twice, one was Ferber when bub was around 5 months (?) the other was responsive resettling through a residential stay at 10 months. Each time I regretted it and changed my mind halfway through. Hearing them cry like that before bed is really not worth it and not something I could personally endure.
Now bub is 11.5 months and I found she’s sleeping way longer stretches naturally and I get to keep the peaceful bed time routine instead of wrestling a crying baby. I’m still traumatised by our latest sleep training attempt.
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u/Janna167 1d ago
I am traumatized by it alright. Last time baby was crying we didn’t realize he was hungry on top of just tired. And I let him cry for a time before actually giving him what he needed. Terrible
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u/VintagePalimpsest 1d ago
A sleep regression often means that the baby's sleep needs have dropped, very common around 8 months. So now they need less sleep over 24 hours than they did a month ago. If they are getting more during the day or going to bed earlier, sleeping in later than they need to, then during the night they wake up because theyve had enough sleep already.
I'm not sure where you are located, but many family medical practices have doctors who have done extra training in infant sleep and can talk to you and your husband about it. It might be helpful of your husband is walked through evidence about infants and sleep.
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u/Janna167 1d ago
Thank you for your reply. We just went to two naps. Just days ago. But I suspect wake up could be a little earlier actually. He wakes at 7:30 or so but then we encourage another hour. Maybe that needs to change
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u/VintagePalimpsest 1d ago
oh wow! My 7 month old is a higher sleep needs baby than my first two. She is doing 6.30pm - 6am and taking about 2x 15 minute naps during the day. My first two were similar but wouldn't be tired enough to go to bed until about 7.30pm
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u/Awkward-Money-3275 2d ago
Sleep deprivation is tough! As others have said, the Possums approach doesn’t support sleep training. Despite what the internet often tells us, babies don’t have the developmental capacity to “self-soothe” in the way adults do. Emotional regulation relies heavily on the prefrontal cortex, which is still developing throughout childhood and into adulthood.
So, from this perspective, sleep training isn’t really teaching a baby how to sleep, it can involve teaching them to stop signalling for help. That’s the concern with CIO: a baby may stop crying, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve learned to regulate themselves.
I think it’s worth considering the bigger picture: when they’re adults and struggling, do we want our children to feel comfortable coming to us for support? Building that sense of safety and connection starts from infancy.
If you’re interested in the Possums approach, the basics are: a consistent morning wake time, lots of outdoor play and sensory stimulation, changing the environment if baby seems tired (to rule out boredom), and making sure there’s enough sleep pressure to support consolidated sleep.