How to gently reset your child’s sleep after a rough patch

What's that parenting saying about when you finally feel like you're getting the hang of it, everything changes?

You were kind of in a rhythm.

Then… illness. Travel. Teething. Leap. Sleep regression. Cosmic interference. Whatever it was your baby’s sleep is suddenly a bit of a dumpster fire, and you’re wondering how to get things back on track without completely losing your mind.

Deep breath. You can reset. Gently. Thoughtfully. Without starting from scratch or doing something that doesn’t sit right with you.

Here’s how.

Step 1: Zoom out

Before jumping into a whole new routine, take stock:

• Has your baby’s age, wake window, or sleep needs changed recently?

• Are they getting more or less stimulation during the day than usual?

• Is there lingering illness, hunger, discomfort, or separation anxiety at play?

Sometimes it’s not the routine that’s “broken”, it’s that your baby’s needs have shifted.

Step 2: Rebuild the rhythm... gently

Start by reintroducing a predictable pattern:

• Keep wake-up and bedtime around the same time each day (talking within ~20mins either side, depending on the age)

• Use the same nap cues (dark room, sound machine, pre-nap wind-down)

• Anchor the day with meals, fresh air, and connection

Babies thrive on repetition. You don’t have to do it perfectly, just consistently enough that their little system starts to catch on.

Step 3: Focus on sleep pressure

A baby who’s been short-napping or under-sleeping might need some longer wake windows to rebuild proper sleep pressure.

Try extending wake times slightly (10–15 minutes) before naps and bedtime but keep an eye on overtiredness. Overtired babies sleep fitfully, waking more often, and waking up earlier. (Hint: that's why you can often fix an early wake up time by putting them to bed earlier. Counterintuitive, I know).

And don’t forget: one solid nap can fix a lot of chaos. If the cot’s not working, a contact nap or pram roll might be the bridge that resets the whole day.

Step 4: Keep the bedtime routine sacred

If everything else feels out of whack, keep bedtime simple and predictable:

• Feed

• Bath or wash

• Calm play

• Cuddles and stories

• Same lullaby, same lighting, same wind-down

This helps their body and brain start recognising when it’s time to switch off.

Step 5: Be kind to yourself

Sleep “setbacks” aren’t failures. They’re just life with a small human.

Your baby isn’t broken. You’re not broken.

You’ve probably already reset things 10 times without even realising, this is just the next one.

If you want help that actually takes into account your baby, your preferences, and the season you’re in — just Ask Yawn.

It’s not a reset. It’s a recalibration. And you’re doing great.