8 Month Old Baby Schedule
Posted by Nicole on July 3rd, 2008
This article outlines the average 8 month old baby schedule, including feedings, solids, naps and night sleep.
8 month old’s sleep
At this age, many 8 month olds can sleep through the night, without a feeding, but some won’t and will continue to need 1-2 feedings up through 9+ months old. And, 8 month old babies take 2-3 naps daily for a total of 2-3 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night. If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap.
All babies vary, but here are some rough schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby. I should warn you that I am in the camp that breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Below are the amounts recommended from Super Baby Food, the book I use for reference (as a guide, not as the end-all-be-all because I don’t give my kids nuts before a year or follow other things in the book, but it’s a good reference guide). Another useful reference is Wholesome Baby Food. Although I work full time, I did make most of my baby food (I’d make 1 big batch of something each weekend in 1-2 hours), but even if you don’t, the website is useful as a guide when to introduce what food and other meal ideas.
The amount of food at 8 months is very similar to the 7 month baby schedule, but you will most likely go to 3 small meals per day, rather than just 2.
Amounts per day:
• At least 5 nursing sessions per day or 26-32 ounces formula or combination
• No more than 2-4 oz of water or juice (to ensure they drink enough breast milk or formula)
• 2-3 servings baby cereal or grains (1 serving cereal = 1-2 Tablespoons dry and grains include Cheerios, 2 crackers, etc.)
• 2 servings fruit (1 serving = 2-3 Tablespoons)
• 2-3 servings vegetable (1 serving = 2-3 Tablespoons)
• 1-2 servings protein (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons)
• 1 serving Dairy (1 serving = 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup cottage cheese or 1 oz grated cheese)
• You can also offer cooked egg yolk (but no egg whites until 1 year old due to allergens)
The first schedule is what I call a “staggered” approach. My first son did better with a full feeding and then having solids a bit in between. He was a little hungry but not famished. He just didn’t do well with stopping nursing or his bottle mid-way to eat solids.
If your baby has already transitioned to just 2 naps, please see the 9 month old baby schedule for a sample schedule.
Schedule 1
7:00 – Wake and Breast milk or Formula
8:15 – Breakfast
9:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
10:00 – Breast milk or Formula
11:00 – Lunch
12:30 – Breast milk or Formula
1:00 – Early Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
2:00 – Breast milk or Formula
4:00 – Optional Catnap (30-45 minutes)
4:30 or 5:00 – Dinner
6:15 – Begin bedtime routine
7:00 – Breast milk or Formula and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)
+Plus possibly 1 nighttime feeding
If your baby doesn’t mind a more “consolidated” approach to eating, like my second son, here is another type of schedule:
Schedule 2
7:00 – Wake
7:15 – Breakfast plus Breast milk or Formula feeding
9:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
10:00 – Breast milk or Formula
11:00 – Lunch
12:30 – Breast milk or Formula
1:00 – Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
3:00 – Breast milk or Formula
5:30 – Dinner plus Breast milk / Formula feeding
6:15 – Begin bedtime routine
7:00 – Breast milk or Formula
+Plus possibly 1 nighttime feeding
Note: When giving any feedings during your bedtime routine, be careful not to create sleep associations, which we saw become important at 4 months old.
You may also be interested in tracking your baby’s sleep, feedings, medication doses, immunizations, etc. using online baby software at Babble Soft. You can even install on your mobile device for when you’re on the go!
If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 40 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style. For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out Help Your Child Sleep, a Step-by-Step Guide. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night. Or, join our Members Area packed with premium content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! For those looking for a more customized solution for your unique situation with support along the way, please consider one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultations.
What is your 8 month old baby’s schedule?
Tags: 8 month babies, 8 month baby, 8 month development, 8 month feeding, 8 month nap, 8 month old sleep, 8 month schedule, 8 month sleep, baby nap schedule, baby sleep schedule
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August 14th, 2008
I have an 8 month old daughter who has recently REFUSED to go to sleep before 3 or 4 in the morning. Her 1pm and 4pm naps have shortened to 45 minutes each. She used to sleep a lot longer. I have problems sleeping and I’m scared she’s inherited that trait. I’m hoping she’s just teething (she just cut her third tooth this week). Anyways, I think part of the problem is that I’m letting her sleep until ten in the morning some days because she’s up so late at night. Tomorrow, I’m getting her up at 7 and I’m going to try your schedule. Hopefully, this will cure her sleeplessness.
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August 17th, 2008
@Tina Good luck! I hope the new schedule works and improves your daughter’s sleep. Day and night sleep are handled by different parts of the brain, so just keep that in mind when dealing with any problems.
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October 10th, 2008
My almost 8 month old son sleeps okay at night – usually in bed by 7p, up around 2a to nurse, then back to sleep until around 6-7a. But during the day, if I can get him to nap – he’s awake after 30 min on the dot! I can’t figure out how to get him to take longer naps…
February 11th, 2009
I am so glad to see that 3 naps is still okay. My daughter usually only takes 45 minute naps (on the dot) but then sometimes surprises me with a 2 hour one. I never know how to predict how long they will be which is frustrating but I guess I will just deal with it. She pretty much follows the Schedule 2 so I feel better reading that now.
Thanks!
February 12th, 2009
@Kim Has your son ever fallen back to sleep if you leave him alone for a few minutes after a short nap? They commonly wake up briefly between sleep cycles.
@Margaret You’re welcome!
April 9th, 2009
I have an 8 month old son who will sleep for 2-3 hours at night, but once he’s awake he will not go back to sleep until 2-4 hours later. once he’s awake he continuously cries. I try feeding, soothing, rocking, changing, and repositioning. I am so frustrated and I don’t know what to do. He’s waking everyone in the house, every night. Someone please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 16th, 2009
My baby has 8 month now but when i put her on the crib she wakes up. she just sleep with us, on our bed.. what do i have to do to make this stop?? somebody help me pleasee
April 17th, 2009
My eight month old goes down to sleep every night very easily at around 7pm (thanks to Ferber). I’m feeding her when she wakes up between 4am and 5:30 and then she goes back to sleep until between 7am and 8am or as late as 9am! Yesterday she woke to eat at 6:30am and was awake for good, so it’s really all over the place. This all wouldn’t be so bad if her naps were good. Today she took two half hour naps and it was very clear to me that it wasn’t enough – lots of crying and crankiness all day. I’m wondering if it would help to drop the early morning feed and to wake her up at 7am every morning so I can get a schedule started. I always heard that it was best to let sleeping babies lie, but maybe not for my baby?
May 7th, 2009
@Amy Yes, it sounds like you might need to regulate how much night sleep she gets. She can only sleep so many hours in 24 hours, so you might need to balance how much of it is at night as 7pm-9am is 14 hours right there. That’s a lot at night. She must love her night sleep.
May 13th, 2009
Hi, my almost 9 month old son has been living by this schedule since he was almost 1 month old. He used to sleep from 7pm till 6 am, now he goes almost until 6:45 am. His naps are from 9 – 10 am and from 12 – 1:20 or 1:30, he also still wants to catnap some time after 4 for 20-30 mins.
Yesterday I put him down for a 12 pm nap and he cried and couldn’t fall asleep for about 10 or 15 minutes. That made me think that may be the time between his naps is too short (since he is older now). Or may be we should drop the morning 9 am nap altogether (unfortunatelly…) I also looked at your 9 month old schedule and don’t understand why did you move everything by 1 hour later. What should we do? Thank you!
May 15th, 2009
@Dinara As babies get older, yes, they need more wake time between naps. Once they transition to just 2 naps, it’s best to space them out more so they are not overtired by bedtime. Hope this helps!
June 27th, 2009
I have a 2 year old and an 8 month old, both boys, both very different. My first was a dream and slept through the night from 3 months, my 8 month old on the other hand NEVER sleeps through the night, wakes up at LEAST twice sometimes up to 6 times, grizzles and usually the only way i can get him to fall asleep is to give him a bottle, which he takes probably 7-8 mouthfulls then falls back asleep for around 45 minutes then wakes. It has been like this for a while and it is really taken its tole as i am findng myself tired a lot of the time. He was formula fed from the day he was born (not by choice) i have tried feeding him baby food right before bed, i have tried having music playing softly in the bedroom, i have tried keeping him up as long as i possibly can and nothing seems to be working if anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.
July 2nd, 2009
@Jade It sounds like your 8 month old definitely has a sleep association problem with a bottle. He needs to learn how to fall asleep without the bottle so he can go BACK to sleep throughout the night without the bottle. Please read more here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-association/ Good luck!
August 10th, 2009
Please help me with your advice. I have a 7 month old who started sleeping through the night at 2 months from 8pm-7am. Then all of a sudden at 5 1/2 months he started waking several times and wont sleep in his crib at night. He sleep with us, which is causing me to get no sleep. Once he falls asleep I try to move him to his crib and in a few minutes he is awake and crying. I can move him back to my bed and as soon as his head hits my bed he is sound asleep again. What can I do???
August 12th, 2009
I have an 8 month old son, and he is also my first. I am trying really hard to understand what type of an eating schedule he should be on. I have breastfed him since he was born and I introduced solids at 5 months. I now feed him 3 times a day at 7:30, 1:30 and 7:30, but I feel like this may not be enough…although he eats quite a bit at each feeding. In the morning I give him 2 ounces of breastmilk with cereal and a stage 2 fruit, I then top him off by breastfeeding. At lunch I give him a stage 2 vegetable and then breastfeed him. At dinner I give him a stage 2 vegetable and meat and then top him off with breastmilk. I recently started giving him 2 ounces of juice in between his meals. I’m afraid that he doesn’t get enough breastmilk and maybe he needs to eat more. Please help!
August 13th, 2009
My 8 month usually doens’t take naps during the day. There’s too much excitement at the babysitters and she wants be involved in every part of it. Every day from 5-7:30 she takes a nap. Once the older kids go back to school I’m sure she’ll sart to take naps again. But then she goes to bed at 9 pm. every night and usually sleep though the night. Is 9 pm to late to put her to bed?
August 14th, 2009
@Chrystal This is common. Sleep changes around 3 to 4 months, but sometimes as late as 5 months. Have you read my article here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/how-we-sleep/4-month-baby-sleep The key will be to help him learn how to fall asleep on his own. Good luck!
August 17th, 2009
Hello,
I pretty much have my son on the 1st schedule for 9 mos. The only difference is that I nap him 2.5 hours after wake time in the am. Because of this, his breakfast and lunch are given only 15 mins prior to each nap. I’m wondering if it’s normal/OK to be giving solids this close to naptime, or if it’s better to have an hour inbetween.
Also, did you experience with your first son that the 1st schedule took away from his playtime? I have to keep him from crawling or laying on his stomach for 15-30 mins after time he drinks/eats, which means he can’t play on the floor every 2 hours! Because of this, I thought my schedule for him was crazy, but I’m glad to see someone else has done it
Lastly (sorry), I’d like to try schedule two, but can you explain to me why the milk needs to be started and stopped around the solid meal?
Thanks!
September 3rd, 2009
@Shauna A healthy baby will neither starve himself or overeat (those are learned behaviors), so he would tell you if he isn’t giving enough. If he is gaining well at his doctor’s visits I would try not to worry too much. If he isn’t taking in enough breast milk, you may want to consider cutting back on solids so he’s hungrier. Water is typically recommended over juice, but 4 ounces of juice in a day (especially hot days) does not sound like too much. Good luck!
@Alexis Usually 9pm is late for many babies, but given the late nap, this isn’t surprising. All families find the schedule that works for them, so if she is otherwise sleeping well, it might be okay for her. If she’s waking a lot at night, the lack of naps and late bedtime are contributing. Hopefully now that school is back in session, things have settled down allowing her to nap again. Good luck!
September 3rd, 2009
@Jamie If this schedule is working for you, by all means continue. Things will change, though, because pretty soon 15 minutes won’t ever be enough time to get a meal in once they get into feeding himself and toddler time is a lot slower.
Also, having solids so close could promote pooping in the middle of the nap rather than before it. But, if it’s not a problem now, don’t worry about it. And, yes, we had to limit tummy time b/c of all the spread out eating, but don’t worry, he crawled anyway and then walked 3 weeks later. It works out. 
The goal of the start/stop of the milk is because if they are too full, they won’t eat the solids and if they are too hungry, sometimes they won’t have the patience to wait for the solids to start satisfying them. So, this way you curb hunger, but they are still hungry enough to be open to solids. Hope this helps! Good luck!
September 11th, 2009
Hello…
My 8 months old baby boy…he sleeps at night about 10.30-11pm then in mrng wake up around 7.30-7.45am…then he have shower and milk and sleeps again at 9-9.30am and wake up around 10.30-10.45am, then he plays have solid food milk then in the afternoon he sleeps around 1.30-2.00pm and sometimes he wake after 30 mins only sometimes he wake up after 1 hour, then again he have one more small sleep in the evening….so pls. sugeest me his schedule is ok?
September 12th, 2009
My 8 month old daughter sleep for 10 hours in the night and during the day she sleeps for around 2 hours( half an hour-Morning nap, 1 hour afternoon nap and half an hour-late afternoon nap). Sometimes she sleeps for 2 hours in the afternoon. Please tell me if this is enough and also most often than not she wakes up from her sleep howling as if she has seen some nightmare. But she quitens down the moment we pick her up. She sleeps beside me. Please advise if this is normal.
September 18th, 2009
@Rami At this age, I expect 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, so I think bedtime sounds very late. I’d look into moving bedtime earlier. The naps sound like they could be a little better, but the two 1-hour naps plus a small catnap sounds fine. He just needs more night-sleep. Good luck!
September 18th, 2009
@Shanti Yes, she sounds like she’s getting enough sleep and she might just wake up before coming out of her sleep cycle completely. She will most likely outgrow it. Good luck and thanks for commenting!
October 6th, 2009
My 8 month old sleeps great at night and has been since very early on. She sleeps 7pm-8am! Does she still need 2-3 hours of nap time during the day if she gets 13 of sleep at night? She lately has been going down for only 2 naps and if her 2nd nap ends early (let’s say before 2pm) I will put her to bed earlier or she will be grumpy.
October 7th, 2009
Hi, my son will be 8 months old on the 13th of this month. He started sleeping through the night when he was 2 months old, but since he turned 6 monhs old, he’s up anywhere from 2-7 times a night. He’s breastfed, and that’s the only way I can get him back to sleep. He will cry and cry until I put him on the breast. He goes to sleep at night between 8-9 and gets up between 7-8. A lot of days he doesn’t even take a nap, but if he does it usually only lasts for an hour. I really need help, I am finding myself more and more drained every day. Most people tell me to let him cry it out, but I don’t think that is an option for me.
October 7th, 2009
I want to add to my last post… She will have a nap 2 hrs after she wakes from approx 10-12. Then only about a 30 min nap from 2:30-3 (or 3-3:30).
October 9th, 2009
I feel like the luckiest mom on the planet! Our 8 month old son has been sleeping through the night since he was 2 months! In bed at 7pm and up at 7-8 am! And he takes 3 naps a day!
October 15th, 2009
My almost 8 month old has trouble sleeping at nite….naps during the day are round 930 and then again at 230ish for about an hour sometimes a little longer.Occasionally he’ll have a power nap at 4ish but not every day.
But nite he goes to bed between 930-1030…he wakes 2-3 times a nite sometimes more.and akes with us round 730am.
We try to give him a bath 1st then quiet time with a bottle feed.
He eats 3 meals a day,and is combination feeding now as breast wasnt enough for him – he was feeding very often but now less frequent.I always give a bottle at nite tho! (The nite time milk=thicker formula).Is this enough and how do i stop all this wakin thru the nite?
He went into his big cot and own room last nite and i tried leavin him 5 mins,quick cuddle, then 10.cuddle,then 15 but he didnt get to 15 (8 i think) then zonked and woke once in nite for feed then straight down again…hopin this will wake – is this ok?
October 15th, 2009
Well now that my son has almost turned 8 months…I am stressing about a feeding schedule to suit him. Please help! He usually eats 6oz every bottle and eats a whole jar of stage 2 at every meal. I am trying to come up with a way to incorporate this into a schedule. He usually has always ate every 4 hours.
October 15th, 2009
@Mandy Many 8 month olds transition to just two naps, so that sounds great!
Sleeping 13 hours is great, so I wouldn’t worry if the naps aren’t as long as others if she’s not too grumpy. If she is grumpy, you might try limiting night sleep to “just” 12 hours and then that will leave more sleep for the daytime. Good luck!
October 15th, 2009
@Savannah It sounds like your son most definitely has a sleep association with nursing. Here is the article about it: http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-association There is a lot in between sleep deprivation and cry-it-out and the key is to find a method that does suit you and your family and will lead to success. There are many options. Good luck!
October 15th, 2009
@Jennifer That’s great!!! I wish we were all that fortunate! Enjoy.
October 16th, 2009
Well, what schedule would you suggest since he has always ate on a 4 hour schedule. do I give him 6oz everytime with a meal or split it up a hour difference? I was splitting it up, but it just seemed I was feeding him when he wasn’t telling me he was hungry. He would eat though, he loves food period! Now I feel I need to change again, but I hate changing things on him! I tried feeding his cereal and fruit with his 6oz bottle after today and he spit up a little. So I do not know what I am doing anymore….I am so tired of thinking about it. But then again like today, I have no idea what to do with him and his feedings.
It was so much easier when he just ate the bottles! What do you suggest?
October 17th, 2009
Well, my baby is 8 months today, he has seven teeth now and since he started teething he has’nt slept through the night. I give up around half 5 and we are up altogether a hour later. BUT if my mother takes him hes an angel sleeps the whole night. What the hell am I doing wrong?
October 18th, 2009
Thanks Nicole!
I have another question though, yesterday my 8 month old missed her afternoon nap because we were at a friends house for dinner. So she had a morning nap from about 10-12 and then went to bed at her regular time of 7pm. She was grumpy around dinner because she was so tired. So I thought she would be overtired and be harder to get to sleep and would wake frequently at night… But she slept great at night and usually I would have to go in about 3 times a nght to put her soother back in. I loved that she slept great, but she was really grumpy that evening because she was so tired. Should I change her bedtime at all? Maybe she’s going to sleep too early if she’s waking at night for me to giver her her soother?
October 22nd, 2009
I am wondering how many oz of formula to give before the solids an hour later. My little one is a bottomless pit, till he sits in your lap after his feeding and spits up half his food and milk! He was taking 6oz of formula before 5 months old adding solids to the mix. Now I am perplexed on how much to give him throughout the day and I am talking about formula and solids. He never acts full. He is so active these days and it is hard to prevent him from moving after his feeding. Any help will be appreciated.
October 22nd, 2009
Well do not knwo what happened to my earlier post? Anyway Nicole, just wondering how do you figure out how much formula to give before solids an hour later? My little on used to be on 6oz every four hours but at 5 months added solids and do not know what I am doing? ANd how do you know how much solids to give at a feeding also?
October 23rd, 2009
@Emma Bedtime is most likely too late, which can cause more wakings. Babies this age need 11-12 hours at night, so try to bump bedtime a bit earlier to 7:30. The controlled crying plan you’re doing sounds like it will work if he had such a good night last night. Hope it’s going well for you! Good luck!
October 23rd, 2009
@Jennifer He’s still learning to regulate how much to eat so he doesn’t overeat, so a little spit up is common. I’d offer 1/2 the bottle, then solids, and then the rest of the bottle. I would not rush through it so his body has a chance to know he’s getting full. Try not to stress too much about it. He will tell you if he gets hungry. At this age, I’d just try to have the 3 meals and look for cues he needs snacks between as he gets older. Good luck!
October 26th, 2009
How do you know if the spit up is normal or is it an allergy? He spits up and it runs out like a faucet. it is pungent as well! Thanks for the advice before, but this is worrying me. He does not act like he is bothered by it?
October 26th, 2009
Jennifer…. My daughter was the same way!! Threw up sooo much that I would be changing her clothes and mine numerous times. She finally outgrew it at 7.5 months! Good luck!
October 27th, 2009
I hope he outgrows this! Not enough spraynwash in the world!
October 28th, 2009
Hi Nicole, I wrote you a few weeks ago and got some really helpful advice from the link you gave me. I decided I had to let my son cry it out, I hate doing it but it’s the only thing that has worked. My only problem is that I have been doing it now for almost two weeks but he still cries every night when I put him in the crib..sometimes he cries for up to 20 minutes. Do you know of anything I can do to make it easier for him? And thanks for all your help!
October 29th, 2009
I think we have figured out the spit up! He was just having too much at one time and it was also about me feeding him on a schedule instead of listening to his cues more. He was eating when he was not hungry. Now it just depends on him, when he is hungry…the older he has gotten…the more he stretches out his 4 hours ot 5 hours sometimes. Thanks Nicole for the advice! I tried to split up the milk and the food at the same time…like give milk and solid and milk again and once he seen the milk he did not want the food much! So with him I have to give that seperate, like 15 min after the food. or before, whatever. Thanks for being a listening board though. Joshua makes his own schedule and sometimes it fits in to ours and sometimes it does not , but that is ok! He is still 8 months old. Thanks again! For you and everyone’s comments! the spit up might just be a phase also?
November 6th, 2009
@Jennifer It takes some time for babies to learn to stop overeating and it takes their body some time to “catch up” and tell them they are full, so it’s best just to limit the amount of solids, give him time between “courses”, and don’t necessarily wait until he seems full to stop. At 8 months, I’m pretty sure my boys were eating 2 cubes of homemade baby food at one sitting (or about 1 jar). Good luck!
November 13th, 2009
@Jennifer The best thing you can do is talk to your doctor. It could be reflux or allergy, though some spit up is normal. My sons both had sensitive gag reflexes and it took some time to learn not to overeat. But, I would still mention it to your doctor, to be sure. Good luck!
November 13th, 2009
@Savannah You’re welcome! Without knowing all the details, it’s hard to say, but you might consider bumping bedtime earlier. Crying at bedtime is often over-tiredness. You might also read the article about knowing when you’re done sleep training here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/knowing-when-youre-done-sleep-training/ Good luck!
November 13th, 2009
@Jennnifer Just catching up to everything and in my dashboard I see everything in date order, not per post, so I’m glad you found something that is working! It is common for them to spit up while their sphincter matures. Glad it’s gotten better!
December 7th, 2009
my baby is 8 months old now she wakes up at 11:00am and doesn’t fall asleep till 3or4am inn the morning sometimes it will be later. around 12-1pm at nightshe will be tired but wont fallasleep its like she does things to keep herself up. my myself have a sleeping problem.please some one give me some advice i know she shouldnt be sleeping in at 11am but she does not fall asleep till so late.
December 7th, 2009
o im sorry by the way when she gets up at 11am she will be up for about 3hrs n take a nap about 45 min long depends sometimes its shorter and her second nap will be around 5 or she will take a nap later.
December 29th, 2009
@Kayla It sounds like your daughter’s schedule is shifted forward. You might want to check out my Shift Your Child’s Schedule e-Book and case study. You can find it here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/waking-too-early Good luck!
January 1st, 2010
The sample schedules listed above seem a little extreme. Five feedings a day is quite a bit. Your schedules had them eating every 2 1/2 hours when an eight month old only needs to eat every 3-4 hours. The problem is that if they are feeding that often, they may just be getting the letdown which is watery and less fatty which may mean they don’t sleep as well. I know my son, who is now 8 months, had some sleeping issues earlier on because I was nursing him constantly and he wasn’t getting any of the fatty hind milk… Just a thought. He now eats every 3 hours, sometimes 4 and sleeps 12 hours at night with two 1-2 hour naps.
January 6th, 2010
Hi there my daughter is 8 months old and wakes up at 4:00 am most nights, she doesn’t want feeding, she just wants to be awake. She goes to bed between 7 and 8 pm. I am having some difficulties in getting her back to sleep especially as I cannot leave her to cry as she shares her bedroom with her sister who is 9 and has to get up for school.
I really don’t know what to do with her should I try dream feeding her again ? Although I don’t really want to take a backwards step ! I am due back at work in two weeks and would really like her to be sleeping to at least 6:00 am
Your comments would be appreciated.
January 22nd, 2010
@Diana You should always encourage a full feeding to get the fatty hind milk (if breastfeeding). These are just sample schedules. Not all babies can go 3-4 hours between feedings and the more they can eat during the day, the less they eat at night, so I err on the side of more feeding during the day and less at night, but yes, you should make sure they get the hind milk and if that means that they then can go longer without eating, then so be it. Thank you for sharing your story and commenting!
January 29th, 2010
@Fleur If she’s not hungry, I wouldn’t bother with the additional feeding. Without knowing her whole schedule, it’s hard to say, but sometimes a too-late bedtime causes waking too early in the morning, so if she’s overtired by bedtime, try 30 minutes earlier and see if it improves.
March 12th, 2010
I’m concerned that my soon to be 8 month old daughter isn’t getting enough formula. she sleeps through the night with no problems and has two naps a day which both last maybe 10-40 minutes (40 if we are both lucky). she eats a 7oz. bottle in the morning. then around noon she has a 6oz. bottle and about 2 tblsp. of rice and a baby spoon of fruit. then in the afternoon she gets 2-4oz. of juice and she has another 7oz. bottle later. then at night i try to give her 2 tblsp. of veggies and another 6oz. bottle. this schedule has more or less (with some slight changes as her appetite has grown) worked for her since she was almost 6 months old but lately she has decided that she won’t eat a whole 6oz. bottle at dinner and sometimes she refuses to eat the veggie. what should i do?
March 24th, 2010
@ Alice- I’d recommend checking with your pediatrician about her eating habits. If she’s sleeping fine, napping fine and meeting her milestones, then she’s probably fine and may just be going through a phase. Healthy babies won’t starve themselves and will eat when hungry. Just try to stick with your schedule and if she seems hungry at other times, go ahead and feed her.
May 12th, 2010
My son is a little over 7 months. he has been sleeping trough the night since he was four months from 9pm – 7am. and takes two 2 – 3 hour naps and sometimes a catnap… the past few weeks he has been sleeping 9pm – 9am not everyday but more than id like… it worries me and he still takes all of his naps he is very happy and eats normally so i dont know if it is just him growing or what.
May 12th, 2010
My son is almost 8 months old and for the past week he has been getting up for the day between 5:30 and 6 a.m. I’ve made sure his room dark and left him to see if he’ll go back to sleep but he just plays in his crib. He goes to bed at 6:45 or 7 p.m. and takes two naps in the day of about 1 hour and 20 minutes each (the first starts between 8 and 9 and the second is around 12:30 or 1). He recently dropped his third nap.
He is getting close to 14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, which I know should be enough. But because he’s up so early, by the time bedtime rolls around he is overtired. I don’t want to put him to bed any earlier because I don’t want him to get up any earlier.
Is it normal for a baby to get up so early? Is there anything else I can do to encourage him to sleep in a bit later?
May 14th, 2010
OMG! ive just joined up to the site and was perusing the ‘ideal 8 month old’ schedule, and im stunned! not only is my 8months old baby not sleeping through the night AT ALL, but he’s definitely not eating the volume prescribed here. we’ve got a long way to go… i better start reading the guides!
May 18th, 2010
Hi Sarah,
Nicole specifically address this issue here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/waking-too-early/ and explains that it all has to do with a good baby sleep schedule which may need to be shifted a bit to eliminate the early waking. She covers how to do this in her e-book.
May 18th, 2010
Hi Stephanie,
Could be a growth spurt. You might want to check with your pediatrician just be sure.
June 1st, 2010
Hello,
my eight month old has an early bedtime (6-6:30) and an early riser (6-6:30 a.m.)…..no matter what we do this won’t change, so I have adapted. He is still waking up 1-2 at night to eat. I feed him because he’s small 18lbs and also because he is easily distracted from taking milk whether its a bottle or breast. When takling a bottle, he only eats 3-5 oz, no matter what. He is currently getting solids 2times/day…..when he was getting solids 3times a day I was worried because he was taking even less milk. Should I add back 3rd meal? Is it ok that he takes such low volumes?
June 2nd, 2010
Hi Laurie,
This would be something to address with your pediatrician who would be in a much better position to gauge how much food or milk your son needs. A lactation specialist can also help you determine how much breast milk he’s getting during a feeding if you wanted a better idea of how much he’s taking in when he’s breastfeeding. One to two feedings at night at this age is not uncommon. You can read more about night feedings and night weaning here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/night-feedings-by-age-when-do-you-night-wean/
June 9th, 2010
Hello,
My baby girl just turned 8 months. I’m still having a difficult time setting a schedule for her. There are times when I feed her and she doesn’t seem to be hungry but still eats. Lol. Also, she’s an early riser and I’ve tried everything to try and get her to sleep in till at least 7am. She goes to bed at 7-730pm and wakes at 6am. On the dot. Every day. She does sleep thru the night without any night time feedings. This is her daily schedule, let me know what u think:
6am: wake
7am: breakfast (2tbsp cereal & 1 jar stage 2 fruit)
8am: 6oz bottle
830am-10am: nap
11am: lunch (1 jar stage 2 veggie & a snack, like gerber puffs or cherrios)
12pm: 6oz bottle
130pm-230pm or 3pm: nap
3pm: 6oz bottle
5pm: dinner (I usually make her soups and she has that with 1/2 jar stage 2 fruit and a few gerber puffs)
7pm: 7oz bottle
730pm: sleeping
I feel like I feed her all day. Is it ok if I feed her everything at the same time? Like do breakfast then her bottle right after. I don’t know, I feel so lost. (First time mom, lol) and I really wanna figure out how to push her wake time to a later time. Thanks in advance
June 11th, 2010
Hi Yury,
The typical rule of thumb with most babies is that they will eat when hungry and won’t when they are full. That’s not to say that we don’t still need to monitor their intake and make sure they are eating regularly throughout the day but my point here is that it may be best to let your daughter help dictate whether or not she wants breakfast and a bottle so soon together. It does sound like her natural waking time right now is 6 am and she’s going to bed at a good time. Since she’s sleep through the night for you, then my advice here is that you may have to settle for the 6 am wake up. By 6 am, she’s been asleep for 11 hours or more and that’s about what a baby that age would need. Pushing her bedtime later to try to achieve a later wake up time, may not have the results you hope for in that she may still wake at 6 am or she may start waking more at night. I’d say you have a good schedule and good sleep all around.
June 11th, 2010
My baby is almost 8 months we have a good feeding schedule but his night sleeping patterns are very irregular. He usually has a bottle around 10 pm and goes to sleep well, sometimes sleeping until 7:30am. However, other nights he is up 3-4 times and I have to keep rocking him back to sleep. He takes 3 naps in the day each are about an hour. I am so frustrated with the night wakings and I am not sure what he needs. I haven’t given him a bottle in the middle of the night for months, lots of people have told me to let him cry it out but I have a hard time listening to the crying. When I have tried to let him cry he seems to get really worked up so I end up rocking him. Am I spoiling him? What can I do?
June 13th, 2010
Hi,
I have a some questions about my 8 month old son, who sleeps from 7pm till about 5am, nurses, and then continues sleeping till between 730 and 8am (otherwise I wake him about 745am).
Actually, I’d be grateful for advice and even some reassurance whether I am doing things right with regards to feeding and sleeping routines. I will post my current routine in a moment, but firstly I should mention that I am still breastfeeding, but have also introduced solids to my son since 6months. He isn’t a great fan of solids (perhaps also cos he hasn’t got any teeth yet) but certainly he eats some (definitely got a preference for sweet stuff
. Typically he eats about 10 to 15 baby spoonfuls of whatever is offered before fussing here and there. However, he does like to hold his food and self-feed…though not alot actually goes in I suppose.
I actually used to breastfeed every 3 to 4 hours before we started solids, but for the last month or so, this has dropped to 3 times a day (once at between 5 and 6am when he awakes for a feed), another before he takes his afternoon nap at 130pm, and a last feed just before placing him in his cot (645pm approx). *** Please, after reading my schedule, do tell me if I should nurse him MORE OFTEN….and WHEN you feel I could fit the extra nursing sessions in?
I am concerned whether this is enough milk for him. I am worried if this is the reason why he has to awaken at 5-ish (sometimes it’s 430am, but rarely) for milk. It is always roughly 10hours after his last milk feed at bedtime, and he does drink, so I’ve stopped ignoring his cries (I tried CIO several times, but resulted in distress for both him and myself.) It is afterall, no real problem to feed him between 5 and 6am, although I am just wondering WHEN he can give this feed up and just wake up nicely at say even 630am…
I should also mention that because of my insecurities about the milk-issue /etc, I’ve regularly fed him yoghurt, cereal and fruit for breakfast, and offered milk-based vege or fruit dinners to him. Also, I try to give him some cottage cheese in addition to what he has for lunch.
My son seems to be worst with the solids at lunchtime (I don’t know if this is a timing issue…or that he shouldn’t have too much at breakfast?) This morning, I started breastfeeding him again the first thing after he awoke at 730am, before offering some fruity yoghurt cereal(and much less than before, in hope that he might be hungrier at lunchtime).
Ok, I’ve gone on long enough…here’s my current routine…I do appreciate any advice from anyone out there!
Karen
between 5-6am – Awakes and I nurse him before he goes back to sleep(he can be put back in his cot awake -he still just goes back to sleep)
between 730-8am -Awakes and NOW I nurse him before offering a very small breakfast (BEFORE, he never nursed – straight to the solids and I encouraged him to eat more…but maybe that disrupted his lunchtime appetite.)
930 – 1030 or 11am – Morning nap (no nursing before nap)
1230pm – Lunchtime – Solids of vege-protein and some water from a beaker (he eats poorly…tends to fuss)
130pm to 330pm -Afternoon nap (I started nursing him before this nap, because I was worried he didn’t eat enough at lunchtime)
530pm – Dinnertime solids (He is pretty hungry by this time, and eats a milk-cereal with pureed veges and fruit mixed into it) plus some water from a beaker
615pm- bath and change for bed
640pm- nursing before placing in cot. No problems going to sleep.
Thanks alot,
KAren
June 24th, 2010
@Karen An 8 month old should be nursing at least 5 times per day and I only see 4. He may continue to need that early morning feed for another 1-3 months, so I’d continue to nurse him then. If a baby is not nursing enough, I typically recommend reducing solids so he will and a breastfed baby does not really need water, so if he is drinking too much water, you can reduce that and offer breast milk, instead. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. is a long time to go without nursing, so you might alter his schedule to nurse him at 11:30 and move lunch to 12:45 or 1 p.m. and then fit in another nursing session around 4 p.m. Hope this helps! Good luck!
June 24th, 2010
I LOVE this site! If I have questions regarding sleeping/schedule/eating I can usually find the answers here. Also, I read it when I have trouble getting my son to nap and he is fussing (not screaming but just being mad) and usually by the time I am done reading it he is asleep. He is almost 8 months old and has always slept well at night 8pm-7 or 8 am. I won’t let him sleep any later than that or the day is all messed up. He is moving back his naps a bit because he is older, but usually he does well. Some days he really fights naps, especially the afternoon ones, but nights are always great. We were late coming back from a day trip this week. He had refused his afternoon nap, fell asleep in the car at 5 on the way to dinner, and stayed awake in the car until 9:15pm. At 10 we got home, I bathed him and did the usual nighttime ritual, put him in his crib at 10:30 and he was asleep in 5 minutes.
Thanks for all the advice!
June 24th, 2010
Thanks for taking the time to reply, Nicole!
Time really does move fast with a baby. My son is on his way towards 9 months… Even before I received your response, I actually decided to nurse him every early morning when he awoke, as well as fitted in a feed just before he goes down for his 2nd nap (1pm nap). Also, I offer much less water (and you’re right, he doesn’t really need it, so I cut it down alot.)
Our schedule now looks more like the one found below(and yahoo, he’s eating so much better now, especially when I combine more finger foods with spoon-fed purees. Luckily his fussing-whiny behaviour is much reduced and we’re all less stressed!)
Does this now suffice? Or do you still think I should be reintroduce a nursing session (the 5th) at 330/4pm INSTEAD Or IN ADDITION to his fruit n cereal puree? Interestingly, he doesn’t seem to ask for milk (or do babies at this age in general NOT SHOW any interest in breastfeeding unless offered?)
To be honest, I’m quite confused how weaning actually works, or how my son will gradually and naturally wean himself off of breastmilk. I’m rather hesitant to offer more nursing sessions than he requests, not cos I don’t want to, but more out of worry that I’ll be interfering with his smooth progression onto more solids in his diet. Plus, I wonder if offering him milk at 330pm cause him to eat less solids at 5pm and worse, drink less milk at his final nursing session?
HOWEVER, I should add that I would gladly increase the milk during the day if it means he might stop waking at say 5 or 530am for some milk (whether out of true hunger or just comfort, I don’t know!)
Sorry for so many questions, but I’d sincerely appreciate any advice about the milk issue. Hmm, would giving him some formula in a sippy cup during the day (such as at his 330pm snack) work equally well (just thought he might at least get some practice with a cup rather than introducing a bottle at this stage)?
approx 530am – he wakes; I nurse him; back to sleep
7/720am – he either wakes for the day or I wake up and go get him (often, I find him quietly playing – how fascinating he doesn’t want to cry out for me?!)
7/720 – nurse him before getting changed. Then eat breakfast (muesli, yoghurt and some fresh fruit plus a tiny baby biscuit or toast)
approx. 9am- He heads for his morning nap after playing/ crawling about the place.
10am – wakes from nap and plays
1130/1145am – Lunchtime (vege-meat combi: whatever vege/protein meal we’re having, made simply into handy bits or pureed) Only little bit of water in sippy cup.
Approx 1pm: Wind-down to afternoon nap with nursing session.
2/230pm – he wakes from his nap.
330pm – Fresh-fruit puree mixed with a little unsweetened cereal and a baby biscuit.
5pm- Milk cereal mixed with some vege /fruit puree, plus a variety of finger-foods (usually a rehash of something similar eaten at lunch)
530pm – Bath
550pm – Nurse before bed
6pm – In bed.
June 24th, 2010
To give everyone a sample of the schedule we *try* to stick with every day…and then Nicole (or others) suggestions on what to do on vacation for 10 days.
Almost 8 months old:
7:30 am wake, nurse
dressed, walk dogs
8:15ish breakfast (cereal, fruit, cheerios)
play
9:30 or 10 down for nap (1 hour)
nurse upon waking
12ish lunch (meat/veggie/yogurt/finger foods)
1:30 offer to nurse
2:30 or 3 down for nap (1 to 1.5 hours)
nurse upon waking, (either cheerios, pieces of fruit, or some other finger food snack)
play
6ish nurse then dinner (meat, veggie, finger foods)
play
7:30 bath
7:45 nurse
8:00 bed/right to sleep
Occasionally he resists naps, wouldn’t nap in the pack n play when we were out of town for a day. I am worried about his napping/bedtime when on vacation. What will help him sleep in the pack n play? He used to sleep in it before he moved into his own room, but he would NEVER nap in it…naps were always in his bed.
Does his schedule look okay for a normal day? Should I worry about the vacation and try to “make” him nap, or should I just go with the flow and not worry about it until we get home?
July 1st, 2010
Hi Dyan,
If you have some time before you leave on vacation, you could always try to get him to start napping at home in the Pack n Play or if that won’t work, maybe just let him play in it for a little while each day so he gets used to it. I’d also recommend bring sheets, blankets or stuffed animals with you that smell like home. Nicole usually advises to try to stick to your routine as much as possible but to also have fun and not stress about it too much. Just recognize that after you come home, things might still be a little off as he re-adjusts to being home. If he doesn’t do his afternoon nap while you’re on vacation, then you might be looking at a little earlier bedtime during that period.
July 23rd, 2010
My 8 month old is a great sleeper – he goes to bed between 5:45 or 6, at the very latest and sleeps through but wakes up so early for the day – 5 am, sometimes 4:50! He gets approximately 2.5-3 hours in naps for the day and he goes to daycare, so there isn’t much I can do to adjust that. the other night his afternoon nap went a little late so he didn’t go to bed until 6:30 and he still woke up super early. Do I just have an early riser on my hands?
July 23rd, 2010
I should also tell you, I’ve tried giving him a bottle and putting him back down, but he doesn’t want to go back to sleep!
July 26th, 2010
Sarah- It does sound like his early rising could be adjusted by working on shifting is overall schedule and then pushing his bedtime to a little later. The problem here is that he is daycare so you would need the help the daycare provider in helping to shift his naps a little bit each day. Since he’s going to bed so early, then he’s ready to get up at 5 am because he’s already had 11 hours of sleep and he’s done. I think it’s too early to say that you just have an early riser on your hands, but if working on shifting his schedule really isn’t possible because he’s in daycare, then this may be the schedule you will have to work with. You can check out Nicole’s e-book on Shifting Schedules and see if there’s a plan you can come up with that your daycare provider will also go along with. http://www.babysleepsite.com/waking-too-early/
August 4th, 2010
Hi everyone,
My 8 month old baby currently has the following “routine” (not really scheduled as she is a difficult napper and we try to go by her sleep cues, which are either super subtle or non existent)
5 to 5.45am wake (leave in crib until feed)
Hold off feeding to 6 to 6.30am (5 to 7oz)
Nap 1: 7 or 7.30 (50mins to 1hr 30min depending on day)
breakfast after nap 1 around 8.30am (she doesn’t like solids still after 2 months of trying so we just go through the motion)
Bottle 9.30 ish
Nap 2 10.30 ish (depending on previous nap length and start time) (50mins to 1.5hr)
Lunch post nap 2 -noon
Bottle 1 ish
Nap 3 around 2pm (depending on previous naps lengths and start time) (30mins to 1.5hr)
Bottle 3 or 4pm
Nap 4: If Nap 3 was short and ended before 4pm, then another 30min nap at either 4 or 4.30 or 5pm.
Dinner 5.30
Bottle 6.00
Bed time 6.30
The problem we have mainly is that she is extremely tired by late afternoon and refuses to try solids or even take a bottle. Often only taking 2 oz by the last feed. Same feeding issues if her naps were short. She has no appetite. I am sure if I put her in her crib at 6pm, she would pass out no problem, but her wake time would get even earlier! It sounds like she has enough hours overnight and during the day (naps totally -3hrs), but she is still so tired by evening. Even if she wakes from her nap at 5.40pm, she can still pass out at 6.30pm! She can’t seem to stay awake for very long during the day, so we run out of nap times really early in the day.
I am hesitate to give her more day time sleep hours in fear of affecting her night time. But I wonder if maybe her night sleep isn’t as great as we think. Do you think she is one of those babies who needs it though? Is it bad to give an extra late nap to move her bedtime to 7 or 7.30pm? Time change will be coming in the fall also, so I would prefer if she could sleep later.
She has no problem sleeping with no help at bedtime. We leave her to nap by herself. She either falls asleep quickly or doesn’t, and we think we just missed the “window”, and we just try again later.
Any advice would appreciated.
thanks!
August 4th, 2010
I should add that she does not like to eat much. Her 5 feeds totally about 20 to 25 oz per day only with very little solids. She refuses solids but we were told to just keep trying.
August 4th, 2010
Is it a concern that my 8 month old baby seems to get tired and have sleepy cues within one hour of waking up in the morning and from naps??? Might it be anemia? Or do I need to train her to stay up longer between her naps?
August 10th, 2010
i dont know how you think those schedules work for people. My son sleeps a max of 10 hrs a day, and my daughter never slept much either. My son takes a nap at 10 and a nap at 2, his naps are 30 min to and hour. He is a very clingy boy. He goes to bed around 10 and is up by 7. He will sleep til 11:30 and want to be cuddled, and then he is up every hour after that unless he sleeps in bed with me. Plus i do not feel you should train your child, you should go around your childs schedule. Your child is not a pet!!!!!
August 10th, 2010
@Jennifer I completely agree that “training” is a poor choice of words and our children are not our pets at all. The best word should really be “teaching” or “coaching”. Did you ever consider your son is clingy precisely because he’s not getting enough sleep? A 10 p.m. bedtime and just 9 hours at night is not enough for an 8 month old. Not even a 5 year old. It sounds like you should try TEACHING your son to sleep without “help” so he can get the rest he needs. Children thrive and learn a lot better when they aren’t so tired. Imagine what it would be like to learn a new skill on just 5 hours of sleep a night for months on-end. Your son getting 10 hours a day rather than 13-14 is probably the equivalent. Good luck!
August 13th, 2010
My 8 month old daughter has never had trouble sleeping through the night exept for maybe the first month and a half and a 2 week stint around 3 months. Currently, She goes to bed at 9pm and is up around 7:30am. I work during the day and my husband works at night so that one parent is always with her. I don’t agree that 9 or 10pm is too late of a bedtime for an 8 month old, especially since it works with our family schedule. She gets 10.5 hours of sleep a night and naps well during the day getting at least 4 hours of additional sleep sometimes more. If i put my baby to bed at 7pm, i would never see her during the week.
August 13th, 2010
@Lawrence- I’m glad to hear that she is able to fall asleep on her own easily for naps and at bedtime. Have you tried some different food brands or possibly making your own baby food for her to try. She might just have a finicky palate and if you struck upon the right food, she might just go for it. I ask about her intake because I’m wondering if her daytime sleep needs stem from not eating enough. I’d also ask if she’s formula or breastfed. If it’s formula, you might try a different formula as sometimes babies can change their mind about liking their formula. Is she sleep through the night or does she wake to feed at all during the night? Have you considered a dream feed? That might help her to sleep later if she’s waking up hungry. Has she always had these daytime sleep needs? I’d also be wondering if she’s going through a growth spurt.
@K- It’s hard to say if that’s a concern or not without knowing more specifics about her daytime and nighttime schedule.
@Kerri- It is certainly a family choice regarding how you choose your baby’s schedule and I can understand trying to balance that with work and home so you get a chance to see your child during the day. It sounds like your daughter is napping well during the day as well, which is great. However, while this schedule works well for your family, it should also work well for the baby and her developmental and sleep needs and that may not be the case for all families. As children get older and meet more developmental milestones, then nighttime sleep becomes all the more important. Your comment is a good reminder that each family is unique and there is no one size fits all approach. Thanks for chiming in!
August 17th, 2010
@Kimberly
Thanks for you reply. She is formula fed. She really does not want the bottle and I really have to force it into her mouth at each feed and if she is absolutely starving, then she would want the bottle but would refuse it after only a few oz, then I would force it into her mouth and she might suck a bit more. I might try a new formula.
As for solids. I have tried many brands and home made many varieties of food at different consistency. She does gag a lot and chokes easily even with drinking milk. I might mention that to her doctor at her next check up.
She was not needing an overnight feed sleep, but the past 3 days, I decided to feed her when I found that she was awake near 4am and was thumping her legs on the bed. She does not cry when she wakes and I had ignored her previously, and she would eventually fall back asleep but wake again at 5am or so as her morning. I tried for the past 3 days to feed her at this wake even though she does nto cry out for food (she never really seem to want to eat), she took the bottle and finished 4 oz with no complain, which is amazing compare to the day time feeds. Then she slept until 6.40am and even 7am one day! So maybe she does need an overnight feed, but just doesn’t cry to wake me up for it! But now with this new later morning start time, the naps are a mess, but will have to figure out when she wants to nap when she sleeps in!
I did try dream feed before but she won’t eat this way. Also tried waking her at 11pm but she would only take about 2oz and then refuse b/c she wants to go back to bed. She doesn’t feed to sleep but would just refuse to eat when sleepy.
So you suspect she is tired from not eating enough? I guess that is possible.
Thanks. I might try to feed her really often in hopes to get more into her…
She has always been tired all the time but I had assumed it was her sleep issues. Before turning 7 months old, she used to not sleep well at all and woke hourly overnight, and also napped only 2hrs total during the day. She actually ate better then b/c she use to nurse to sleep. Funny how now that she sleeps better, she eats worse.
August 18th, 2010
Hi Kimberly,
Just to following up on my previous post:
Last night, she did not wake at 4am, so I didn’t get to feed her. I was surprised as she only had 20oz of milk all day and no solids. She ended up waking at 5am, but then she didn’t thump or make much noise, just one small noise. She looked like she was trying to fall back asleep, so I left her. I only know b/c I happen to be awake. She ended up falling back asleep after 30mins of trying quietly. Then she woke after 30mins and then she did cry and she was trying to sleep again but did not work. I let her try a bit, then fed her at 6.25am, and am keeping her up now.
I have been trying to push her bedtime to later, so she sleep at 7.30pm now, but obviously, cannot make it to 6.30am.
In this case, do you think hunger is the issue here that is not allowing her to finish her night sleep? Or she just can’t sleep well the last couple of hours? She did sleep really well the few days I manage to feed her at 4am. But again, she doesn’t always wake up and thump at that time.
Thanks for any advice!
August 18th, 2010
Hi, does anyone know what if I am putting my baby to nap too late if she does fall asleep within half an hour after being in the crib but wakes after 30mins, then she will sleep again but only after being awake and fussing for 10 to 20mins…and sometimes, this next 30mins cycle has many little screams and seems very unsettled. Does this mean I keep her up to long? I usually keep her up around 2 hour or just over that.
August 18th, 2010
Kimberly- I just wanted to update you on what happened on our vacation and since.
For the first few days he refused naps altogether, but since we were in a new environment and we had places to go I let him nap in the car..he had to get some rest. After about day 2 he started taking morning naps but wouldn’t do the afternoon ones in the pack n play, but the car was still okay. He slept well at night.
When we got home he was so happy to be home he settled straight into the routine…(and an even better one, in my opinion) Bed at 8, up at 8, nap at 9:30-10 up at 11-11:30, nap at 1:30-2 up at 3-3:30 (or later).
Thanks for the help!
(PS…a few days before the trip I slept with his sheets and spare lovey)
August 18th, 2010
It seems as though my son needs a catnap around 12:30pm. Would that make sense? Yesterday he fell asleep for 20-30min while I drove home from 12:30-1pm. I usually put him down for a nap at 1pm and he’ll wake up at 2:30pm, still tired. But yesterday he woke up when I got him out of the car, cried in crib for a little so I fed him, then he cried/wimpered himself out by about 1:45pm but slept til 3:30pm. The rest of the day was wonderful! No crankiness or tiredness.
Today he accidentally nursed out at 1pm. I thought I could nurse him and then put him down at 1:30pm, but he went right out and then woke up at 2:30pm screaming. Wouldn’t stop. I tried letting him cry it out, going in to sing/soothe him once, until 3pm. No luck. It’s like he has an internal alarm clock that goes off every day at 2:30pm unless he takes a quick nap at 12:30pm or something.
I’m desperate to fix this and figure it out! Do I just keep putting him down at 9am and 1pm every day until his alarm clock changes? Or should I try a new schedule watching his tired cues?
August 19th, 2010
I don’t want to knock on wood – but we may have figured it out. He woke at 10am from 1 hour nap. We played. I tried to feed him purees for lunch. He struggled but then all of the sudden took it from the spoon – after he chewed on his self bag feeder for awhile. (The difference today was I DID NOT nurse him after that first nap.)
Then after lunch around 11am, we went on an errand, kept busy and alert (a stroller ride would work too I think), then I nursed him when we got home around 1pm – slightly before. He was awake. (I felt bad that he didn’t nurse between 8:45am and 1pm, but he gets 5-6 feedings in a 24 hour period.)
He talked in crib til about 1:15pm, fell asleep, and is still asleep at 2:30pm! That’s a good sign, cause he usually wakes up then.
Anyway, just wanted to let you all know in case you have the same issue we did. Here is our tentative schedule.
2:00am nurse
5:30am nurse
7:15am wake up
8:45am nurse
9:00am nap
10:00am wake up (maybe 10:30am sometimes)
11:00am lunch (maybe 11:30am sometimes)
12:50pm nurse (hopefully will not nurse to sleep if ate lunch)
1:00pm put in crib and let talk to sleep (nap til 3pm or 3:30pm)
4:00pm nurse (not sure – I want him to eat dinner so we’ll see)
5:30pm dinner (maybe 6pm if I nurse at 4pm?)
6:45pm nurse
7:00pm bath/massage/songs/story time
7:30pm to bed (goes immediately out)
The only frustrating part is when he won’t eat solids or purees for lunch. Then the day is HORRIBLE. I’m hoping I can figure out a way to keep to this schedule on the weekends when we are out a lot. That is the hardest part for me, cause it is hard to get back into it on Mondays then. But it’s hard for my husband to not get to go out and visit family and friends!
August 25th, 2010
I am breastfeeding my daughter and since she has been 6 months old I have slowly being introducing solids to her diet as well. Now she is 8 months old and has 3 meals a day and 4 nursing feeds. She is gaining weight and sleeps well, but I often wonder if she needs more milk. It is so hard to tell when you are nursing. How can I tell if she is getting enough breast milk?
Thanks
August 27th, 2010
@Lawrence, I would definitely mention to your doctor about her gagging with the foods. It would be good to rule out any underlying medical issues she might have related to eating. It’s hard to tell if her sleep issues are related to hunger. From what you’ve described here, it doesn’t sound like she’s waking from hunger. Is she restless during the night? I wonder if she wakes during the night but doesn’t cry out. If her natural bedtime seems to be around 6:30 or so, then that might be what’s right for her. A later bedtime generally doesn’t translate to a later wake up time.
September 2nd, 2010
@Kimberly
I am taking her to the doctor next week and will make sure to ask about the gagging.
She has been sleeping at 7.30pm for a while now, and with time change coming, I don’t want to move her bedtime any earlier as it will be 6.30pm when the the fall change comes. She has been sleeping to almost 6am. I obviously don’t know what happens before that as I am a man, and somehow do not wake up that easily from baby noises. I assume she sleeps ok through the night but when I am up to get ready for the morning, she is “sleeping from 5 to 6″, but she is often restless, like constantly moving or shaking her ahead or making little sounds. Form 6 to 6.30am, I am unsure if I should go in to get her b/c she would wake and dose off and wake again repeatedly. So I wait until 6.30am when she actually sits up or cries. Is this how babies normally gradually wake up in the morning? Or should I be feeding her when she is restless and putting her back down to finish her “night sleep”? She does seem tired after getting some days.
Really appreciate this website and all the help! My wife has postpartum depression still and I am pretty much on my own while she is taking some time off as per her doctor’s recommendation. I have no maternal instinct so it has been very hard….very lost as to how to care for a baby.
Thanks again.