DD is 7 mo and she isn't the best sleeper in the world (not the worst either so I am very grateful)

We don't have a definite bed time routine, she gets bathed every other night and then has a bottle and then goes to bed and bedtime is generally between 8 and 8.30 sometimes she falls asleep having her bed time bottle and sometimes she goes to bed wide awake. She settles really well on her own, if it takes more than 15 mins for her to be asleep then there is something wrong. The problem is she often wakens during the night and she can be up for a couple of hours. She generally isn't upset so I just leave her in her cot (only lift her out for a cuddle if she gets upset) and she doesn't get fed during the night. She just seems to be up for a party. Usually she will go through to about 3am before waking and then can be awake for a couple of hours before going back to sleep, this doesn't happen every night some nights she only stirs and if I give her her dummy back she goes to sleep within seconds.

People keep saying about establishing a bedtime routine and that if I establish a bedtime routine it will help her sleep through. But I am not so sure, I just don't think she needs a full nights sleep every night. I am not a routine person and so would actually find it hard to have a very fixed bedtime routine but if it would help I would do it.

What do you guys think? and if you think it would help could you explain why please as I just don't see it. Thanks

Does DD have more then one nap during the day? this could be the reason for not sleeping at night she's simply not tired enough to sleep through. Try to cut down no. of naps she has during the day or length of time she sleeps then she might be tired enough on a night to sleep through.

hi Anngeree she does have 2 naps during the day but she seems to need these! Also it doesn't seem to matter how long she sleeps during the day sometimes if I am out and she has slept lots she sleeps really well at night!

if your lo wasnt settling at bedtime then you could say that a bedtime routine would help but if your lo is settling ok at that point then I dont see how a fixed routine would help in the middle of the night. Some babies do wake in the night, have a bit of a babble and move about and then go back to sleep - if your lo isnt crying then let them just get on with it as the more you intervene the less likely they will be to settle themselves. If it is the noise that disturbs you then try using earplugs (I do - but have reduced to using just one in one ear so that I can lift my head to listen if necessary).

p.s. 2 naps sounds about right for this age and I wouldnt think about cutting them unless they were massively long.