Hitting the 12-Month Sleep Regression? This Parent’s Guide Can Help
Written by: Jenn Schoen, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant
The 12-month sleep regression often catches parents off guard because it shows up right around your baby’s first birthday—a moment that already feels full of change. One week your baby is sleeping reliably, taking solid naps, and cruising into bedtime with ease… and the next? Your previously reliable system seems to have collapsed. Naps shrink, bedtime becomes a negotiation, and nights suddenly feel unpredictable again.
If you’re thinking, “We just got into a rhythm—why is this happening now?” you’re not imagining things. The 12-month regression is tied to one of the biggest developmental leaps of the first year. Babies at this age are busy learning to walk, climb, problem-solve, communicate, and assert independence. Sleep simply can’t compete with the excitement of new skills.
This guide helps you understand why the 12-month sleep regression happens, what it looks like, and how to support your toddler-in-training through it.
What Is the 12-Month Sleep Regression? (And Why It Happens)
The 12-month sleep regression typically surfaces between 11–14 months, during a period when your baby’s physical and cognitive abilities expand rapidly. Unlike other regressions (like the 4-month regression or the 8-month regression), which are more heavily tied to sleep cycle maturation or early mobility, the 12-month regression is shaped by a combination of:
- Mobility milestones like cruising, early walking, and climbing
- Emerging language comprehension and communication
- Growing independence (and frustration when boundaries appear)
- Nap transitions that temporarily destabilize daytime sleep
Babies at this age are deeply curious and highly motivated to practice new skills. Standing, walking, climbing, babbling, pointing, and testing limits all activate the brain in ways that make winding down harder. The result is a temporary stretch where sleep becomes lighter, choppier, and more resistant—right when you thought you were in the clear.
Common Signs Your Baby Is Experiencing the 12-Month Sleep Regression
The 12-month sleep regression often shows up suddenly. Because your baby is working through major leaps in mobility, independence, and awareness, their sleep can shift almost overnight.
Common signs include:
- Sudden night wakings after previously sleeping through the night
- Fighting or skipping the second nap
- Shorter naps or inconsistent nap timing
- Increased bedtime resistance or protest crying
- Standing, cruising, or early walking practice in the crib
- Early morning wake-ups
- Difficulty settling, even when visibly tired
These changes are developmentally common. You didn’t cause them, and nothing is “wrong” with your baby or your routines. Most children move through the 12-month regression within about 2–6 weeks as new skills and emotional capacities settle in.
The Science Behind the 12-Month Sleep Regression
The 12-month sleep regression isn’t a behavior problem. It’s a reflection of how much your baby’s brain and body are working behind the scenes. Several major developmental processes converge at once.
1. Physical Milestones Make the Body “Too Busy” to Sleep
Around the one-year mark, gross motor development explodes. Many babies:
- Pull up to stand with confidence
- Cruise along furniture
- Attempt their first steps
- Practice balancing and squatting
- Start exploring early climbing
These skills activate the motor cortex, making your baby eager to practice anytime, anywhere—including in the crib. Standing, squatting, and cruising the rails at bedtime aren’t acts of defiance. They’re your baby’s brain saying, “We just learned something huge—keep going!”
2. Cognitive Development Fuels Problem-Solving and Anticipation
Cognitive development also takes a major leap around 12 months. Babies begin to:
- Understand routines and anticipate what comes next
- Connect cause and effect (“If I drop this… what will you do?”)
- Form stronger preferences and express early independence
- Explore the world with deeper curiosity and persistence
With this new awareness, your baby’s mind is buzzing at bedtime. It’s harder to power down because their brain is still processing, experimenting, and connecting dots—even when they’re tired.
How to Handle the 12-Month Sleep Regression: Parent-Friendly Strategies That Actually Work
Even though the 12-month sleep regression can feel intense, it’s highly manageable with the right tools. Your one-year-old is learning, growing, and asserting independence at full speed. These strategies help calm nights, protect naps, and support development without creating new sleep struggles.
1. Stick with a Consistent Bedtime Routine (Your Baby’s Reset Button)
At this age, your baby’s brain is constantly firing—walking, climbing, exploring, problem-solving. A predictable bedtime routine serves as a powerful cue that it’s time to shift from exploration into rest.
Aim for a simple 10–30 minute routine with 2–4 calming steps, such as:
- A warm bath or gentle wipe-down
- Pajamas and a fresh diaper
- A short book or familiar song
- Dimming the lights
- A few minutes of quiet cuddling
These familiar cues help regulate your child’s nervous system and signal, “The day is closing, it’s time for sleep,” which can significantly ease bedtime protests during this regression.
2. Practice New Skills During the Day
Motor development is one of the biggest drivers of the 12-month regression, so giving your baby plenty of opportunities to practice physical skills during the day can reduce sleep disruption at night.
Helpful daytime practice includes:
- Walking (with or without support)
- Pulling up to stand and sitting down safely
- Balancing, squatting, and cruising along furniture
- Climbing on safe play structures with supervision
Babies will practice these skills wherever they can—often in the crib—if they haven’t had enough repetition during wake windows. Practicing “getting down” from standing is especially useful, since many one-year-olds stand in the crib and cry because they can’t yet lower themselves confidently. The more your baby masters during the day, the less driven they’ll be to rehearse at bedtime or at 2 a.m.
3. Build Plenty of Activity Into Wake Windows
Movement and engagement are essential for building healthy sleep pressure at this age. Your baby needs both physical and cognitive stimulation to feel truly ready for rest.
Consider weaving in:
- Floor play and open-ended exploration
- Push toys and cruising practice
- Outdoor time to support circadian rhythms
- Simple stacking, sorting, or turn-taking games
- Activities that strengthen both gross and fine motor skills
These experiences help your baby use their energy in productive ways and support more restorative nighttime sleep.
4. Use Age-Appropriate Wake Windows and Protect Two Naps
Wake windows expand around the one-year mark, and adjusting them can make a major difference in how easily your baby settles.
Typical wake windows for 12 months range from 3.5-4.5 hours. Watch for sleepy cues like rubbing eyes, slowing down, or increased fussiness to fine-tune timing. This is the best way to prevent overtiredness, which can make falling and staying asleep more difficult (e.g. your regression just got a whole lot worse).
5. Offer Extra Comfort—Without Creating New Sleep Props
During a regression, it’s common for babies to need more reassurance at bedtime or after night wakings. Offering connection is an important part of easing your child through the regression.
Helpful ways to support your child include:
- A bit of extra cuddle time before you put them down
- A predictable calming phrase (“I’m right here. It’s time for rest.”)
- Brief patting, shushing, or check-ins if they’re upset
- Consistent white noise to create a soothing backdrop
What you want to avoid is introducing sleep props, like rocking to sleep, or co-sleeping. Those changes can become hard-to-break habits once the regression passes..
FAQs About the 12-Month Sleep Regression
Why is My One-Year-Old Waking Up So Much At Night?
Around 12 months, many babies experience rapid growth in mobility, cognition, emotional awareness, and early language. Their brain is busy processing new skills like walking, climbing, problem-solving, and social interaction. This can make sleep lighter and more disrupted. Night wakings during the 12-month regression are very common and a reflection of development—not a sign that your routines have failed.
How Long Does the 12-Month Sleep Regression Last?
Most babies move through the 12-month regression in about 2–6 weeks. The duration depends on how quickly they integrate the milestones driving the disruption. Once those skills stabilize, sleep generally improves on its own.
Should I Sleep Train During the 12-month Regression?
It’s best to wait until your baby is through the regression. Their brain and body are going through a period of rapid development, and their sleep is already in flux. Sleep training on top of that can be too much for them and make the regression worse.
A Final Word of Encouragement
The 12-month sleep regression can feel frustrating and exhausting, but it’s also a milestone in disguise. Your baby is becoming more capable, more confident, and more connected to you. Sleep is simply recalibrating to match their growth.
Stay steady. Offer connection. Protect naps when you can. Trust that this is a phase, not a failure.
Better sleep is on the horizon.
Your baby isn’t regressing—they’re leveling up.
Want Personalized Sleep Support? Poppins Can Help.
If the 12-month sleep regression is wiping out your household, Poppins’ 24/7 pediatric team can help. Our clinicians and parent coaches support families through sleep regressions, nap transitions, developmental leaps, and bedtime resistance.
With Poppins, you can get:
- Customized bedtime routines for one-year-olds
- Age-appropriate sleep schedules and wake windows
- Evidence-based sleep training to build independent sleep skills
Better sleep starts with the right foundation. We’ll help you build it. Schedule your free sleep consultation with one of our certified pediatric sleep consultants.
