A New Sibling and Sleep: Supporting Your Child Through Change
Bringing a new baby home can be one of the biggest transitions in early childhood. Even when your older child adores their new sibling, sleep can shift quickly, bedtime can become more emotional, and nights that were previously settled can suddenly feel broken again.
This is not your child being difficult. It is your child adjusting to change, separation, and a brand new family rhythm. With the right support, sleep usually stabilises, and there are practical ways to protect your older child’s rest while still meeting everyone’s needs.
This blog explains why sleep changes happen after a new sibling arrives, what it commonly looks like by age, and how to support your child through the transition with realistic strategies that actually work in family life.
Why a new sibling can disrupt sleep
Separation feels bigger
When a baby arrives, your older child often experiences more separation than they are used to. Even if you are physically there, your attention is divided, and bedtime can suddenly feel like the hardest moment of the day.
This can look like increased clinginess, crying when you leave, or a child who needs more reassurance to settle.
If this is prominent, read Separation Anxiety and Sleep.
Routine changes
Bedtime timing, dinner timing, bath timing, and who does the routine can all change. Even small shifts can impact sleep pressure and settling.
If sleep pressure is off, resistance increases. You may need to review your routine and awake time, see When to Increase Awake Windows (And When Not To) and When to Decrease Awake Windows.
Big emotions at bedtime
Toddlers and preschoolers often hold it together during the day, then fall apart at bedtime because it is the biggest separation of the day.
This commonly shows up as bedtime battles and repeated requests once the lights go off.
Increased night waking
Some children begin waking overnight again, calling out, coming into your bed, or needing you to resettle them.
If you are unsure what is driving the waking, revisit Why Is My Baby Waking So Frequently at Night? and consider the full 24 hour picture.
Developmental stages overlap
New sibling transitions often land right on top of common developmental phases, such as:
the 24 month sleep regression
fear of the dark
boundary testing and independence
parasomnias in some children
If your child is suddenly anxious at bedtime, read Fear of the Dark.
If overnight events look intense, see Parasomnias in Children: Night Terrors, Nightmares and More.
What sleep disruption can look like after a new sibling arrives
Common patterns include:
longer time to fall asleep
crying when you leave the room
asking for the “other parent” or refusing a parent swap
waking more overnight or early morning rising
wanting to sleep in your bed
getting out of bed repeatedly
nap refusal or naps becoming shorter
If your toddler is leaving their bed, see Getting Out of Bed at Night: Why Toddlers Do It.
If mornings are creeping earlier, see Early Morning Rising once live.
How to support sleep through the transition
1. Protect predictability where you can
Your older child does not need perfection. They need predictability.
Keep the bedtime routine as consistent as possible, even if the timing shifts slightly.
The steps matter more than the exact clock time.
Use Creating a Night Routine That Supports Sleep as your anchor.
2. Add connection before separation
When a new baby arrives, older children often need more intentional one on one connection to feel secure.
Even 10 minutes a day of uninterrupted time, no phone, no multitasking, can make bedtime noticeably easier.
This supports both emotional regulation and settling, especially when separation anxiety is peaking.
3. Expect some extra reassurance, without losing boundaries
It is normal to need more comfort during a big change. You can offer reassurance while still keeping boundaries steady.
This might look like:
staying close during the wind down
using a calm repeated phrase when you leave
doing planned check ins
keeping your response consistent overnight
If boundaries are slipping and bedtime is escalating, revisit Bedtime Battles and Getting Out of Bed at Night.
4. Be cautious with new sleep “props” you do not want long term
When everyone is exhausted, it is tempting to introduce new habits that feel like the quickest fix, lying down until they fall asleep, bringing them into your bed, extra snacks, extra screens.
Sometimes you will do what you need to do, and that is ok. But if you want sleep to settle again, aim for consistency and a plan, rather than adding a new layer every few nights.
5. Support naps realistically
Naps can become messy during change. Some children nap less because emotions and stimulation are high. Others crash out harder.
If naps are suddenly short or irregular, catnapping can become part of the picture, even in toddlers.
If you are seeing nap refusal, check whether sleep pressure is off, and review When to Increase Awake Windows (And When Not To).
6. Watch for fear in the 2 to 4 year stage
A new sibling can increase bedtime fear because your child’s sense of safety feels different.
If your child is suddenly scared of the room, shadows, or being alone, read Fear of the Dark and consider a night light, a predictable routine, and reassurance strategies that do not escalate the fear.
7. Use the environment to your advantage
Your older child’s sleep space should feel safe, calm, and low stimulation.
If bedtime has become chaotic or your child is wandering overnight, the Toddler Environment blog will be essential once live.
What if sleep gets worse, not better?
Sleep disruption often improves within a few weeks as your child adjusts, especially when routines are consistent and connection is prioritised.
If it is not improving, it is often because:
bedtime has drifted later and overtiredness is building
boundaries are inconsistent because nights are exhausting
separation anxiety is high and needs a clearer plan
fear is driving resistance
your child is under tired due to long naps or late naps
If you feel stuck, it helps to step back and look at the full pattern, bedtime timing, overnight response, nap timing, and your child’s emotional cues.
Looking ahead
A new sibling is a big change, and it is completely normal for sleep to wobble. With predictable routines, extra connection, and calm consistent boundaries, most children return to more settled sleep as the family finds a new rhythm.
The Toddler Course supports families through toddler sleep challenges including big transitions, bedtime battles, getting out of bed, fears, parasomnias, and overnight waking, with practical strategies that grow with your child.
If you want guidance that covers both your baby and your older child, the Infant and Toddler Bundle gives you a long term roadmap across regressions, routines, nap transitions, and toddler stages, so you feel supported through the whole season.
Eva Beke
Certified Paediatric Sleep Consultant
Founder The Sleepy Little Bubs
I’m Eva Beke, a certified baby and toddler sleep consultant and founder of The Sleepy Little Bubs, supporting families across Australia and the world with evidence based baby and toddler sleep support.
My approach is realistic, supportive, and designed to evolve as your child grows, so you’re not just getting help for today, but confidence moving forward.
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