Standing in the Crib
If you're reading this, you've likely got a little one who's been falling asleep in an awkward position or is just learning to pull up to stand. Or maybe you’ve heard that it could become an issue and you’re worried about how standing in the crib might impact her sleep.
If your baby has learned to stand, congratulations on the milestone! It's such an exciting time for both you and your child. However, many babies run into a bit of a challenge when they first learn to stand but haven’t yet figured out how to get back down.
During the day, this doesn’t pose much of a problem. But come bedtime, it can turn into a whole situation.
Let’s talk about how you can encourage these new skills while also preventing sleep struggles.
#1 Practice During the Day
As with everything in parenting, patience is key. Keep in mind that it might not come naturally to your child to go from standing to sitting, and then to lying down. The best way to help your child learn this sequence is to practice it during the day. When your baby pulls to stand, gently encourage her to sit back down—maybe put her favorite toy nearby—and then guide her to lie down. This daytime play can help prevent your baby from getting "stuck" in the standing position when she tries her new skills at night.
#2 Consider Adding a Sleep Sack
I always encourage parents to include a sleep sack as part of the sleep routine. It’s a cosy way to help your baby feel secure, and it can also limit her ability to stand easily in the crib (at least for a while).
#3 Adjust Your Crib Height
If your child is pulling to stand, it’s important to ensure the crib is lowered to its lowest position. This helps prevent any possible falls. Ideally, the top rail should be at least mid-chest (or higher) when your baby is standing. Any lower, and with their top-heavy heads, balance can become an issue.
#4 Keep the Crib Empty
Safe sleep is key. Crib bumpers and other items can act as steps for your child to potentially climb out of the crib. Keeping the crib empty helps ensure safety.
Even if your child wakes in the middle of the night after pulling to stand, it’s important to continue giving them the opportunity to practice settling independently. We don’t want your baby to start relying on you to do the work for her, so avoid repeatedly laying her down each time she stands in the crib. You can do it a few times initially to show her what’s expected, but once that’s established, shift to an approach with minimal contact.
If sleep is feeling like a struggle or you’re finding it hard to manage, sleep training might be an option for you. Reach out for a free 20-30 minute introductory call to see how we can work together to navigate this!
Other FAQs about the 8-month baby sleep regression
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Similar to the 4-month sleep regression, you might find that your child will wake up more frequently in the night, resist bedtime and naps, have increased separation anxiety, and also show signs of hitting new milestones.
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At 8 months old, your child should be taking 2 naps (1-2h per nap) and a total of 12-14h in a 24-h clock. Wake window at this age should be 3h.
Example of schedule: 7am wake up / 10-11am nap 1 / 2-4pm nap 2 / 7-730pm bedtime
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It is tough to decipher between sleep regressions and teething. However, it is easy to suspect that it is teething. In this case, it would work against the parent to always imagine that teething is the cause of poor sleep as you can suspect teething for 2+ years of your child's life.
Even if your child is teething, it is important to follow good sleep hygiene practices like allowing him/her to go to sleep independently.
