My 6.5 month old baby has three day sleeps some days for between 45 minutes and 1hour 20 minutes each time and other days has two, two hour sleeps instead. It's hard to plan things to do during the day because I dont know when she will need to go to sleep (she doesn't sleep in the car or her pram). Any practical suggestions?
2007-04-15 18:10:06 · 6 answers · asked by nicole b 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Hi Nicole,
I have been looking at this alot because my son is 2 months old and everyone says " do you have him on a schedule yet." Meanwhile I feel like I just got out of the hospital yesterday.
So, the "schedule" that everyone refers to is the night time sleep schedule. It's not a big deal to me at this point because I am a stay at home mother - not sure what your situation is.
The reason the schedule is so important is to ensure good sleep habits going forward, so really the main question is "Does your baby sleep through the night ( most of it)?"
So ask yourself this " are night time sleep habits working" and if the answer is yes, to go forward - you select the babies nap time based on what you know about your baby already. If you want your baby to nap only 2 times a day, pick the time and duration (like I said based on what your already know about your little one)
Your baby may not fall asleep right away, and some days might not be exact to the schedule. No need to be rigid, but this will start a pattern that you and your baby can get used to.
Good luck,
Lisa
2007-04-15 18:35:29 · answer #1 · answered by Ms. Congeniality . 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know how you feel!!!!! Thank god for my husband!
Our boys would sleep whenever they were tired and at different times. I was loosing sanity. We didnt let them schedule our life anymore..... we run theirs!!!
Since your baby is almost 7 months they probably still need two naps. Depending on what time they wake up in the moring put them down for a moring nap about 3 hours after wakening. She will probably sleep about an hour give or take. So lets get say...
Up at 7am morning nap at 9:30ish Lunch at 11:30ish then an afternoon nap about 1:00pm. After she wakes up from that nap do NOT let her take another nap for the rest of the day. Give her a bath the same time every night and put her to bed right after the bath and bottle.
In about 2-3 more months keep her up in the moring until after 11:30 lunch then put her down right after she is done eating. She will sleep longer. This will be the only nap during the day allowing you about 3 hours of sanity. Bed and bath routine the same. Just minus the second nap.
Good-luck with this, it is very hard to do. Just keep following through, it totally pays off.
Our boys are 26 months and 15 months. Sanity is good, love the quiet time!
2007-04-15 18:33:19 · answer #2 · answered by esmth517 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babies seem to do what suits them. My first set his own routine, but my second (now 10 months) doesn't have one at all. You can try the suggestions for putting her into a routine, but first do a couple of days taking notes of when she sleeps/eats/drinks etc - its best to stay at home for these days to see what she does when left to her own timetable. Once you have the notes see if there are times when she usually sleeps and work your fixed routine around that. It will be much easier to put her into a routine if its similar to what she would do naturally. Bear in mind that in the first year babies needs change so much that you will need to adjust her routine frequently. Also give yourself a break - you don't need to plan too rigidly. If you have an appointment and baby happens to be asleep it won't harm her to be woken up and bundled into the car. Just make sure you have something for her to eat, drink or play with to keep her quiet.
2007-04-15 18:50:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try feeding and changing the baby just before nap time. This generally helps them to sleep longer. Also making sure that the room is a comfortable temperature, and there is no draft will help too.
2007-04-15 18:24:07 · answer #4 · answered by PEGGY S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She'll sleep around your schedule :) Babies are so unpredictable. How's she sleeping at night? That's the most important question, LOL.
2007-04-15 18:18:38 · answer #5 · answered by fungirl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It always changes and always will change. When he gets to be a few months older, and weighs a certain amount, he will be a bit more predictable.
2007-04-15 18:16:59 · answer #6 · answered by Andrea 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋