Can you reverse sleep training?

Once a human learns a skill, it's never entirely lost. The same goes for baby sleep. Once your child has gone through the initial sleep training, they can quickly get back to sleeping soundly again after a regression caused by illness, travel, or a Grandma coming to town. It might take one night, but it will happen quickly when you are consistent with your rules.

If your sleep training is "reversed" by a developmental or body clock change, it will usually be more difficult. The first examples (illness, travel, or a relative that mistakenly disrupts your process) are "sleep training reversals, " which generally have to do with your baby being confused about their sleep habits. For example, when you go on vacation, it takes a couple of days to get back into your routine. Your baby has the same thing and must re-adjust to their at-home routine. Sleep training that is "reversed" by a developmental change or a body clock change will require you to think about it more tactfully.

If your baby went through a developmental brain leap, you must first adapt how you approach sleep to match your baby's new brain development and then sleep train again. If you do not adjust to your baby's new skills, the sleep training will take much longer, or you won't see much progress. In the Lovebug app, we have age-based lessons that help you keep track of every brain leap and how to adjust your plan to help your baby sleep soundly. Start a free trial here.

If your baby goes through a body leap, you must adjust your sleep schedule to your baby's new body clock before you start sleep training. Otherwise, you will be laying your baby down to sleep, but their body won't want to sleep. Read more about body clock changes in our Comprehensive Guide to Nap Transitions here to help you find the proper schedule.

Once you adapt to these other situations, sleep training will be much easier than the first time.