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How much day time sleep for 8 mnths old?

21 replies

mamusia · 12/01/2009 10:00

My dd (8,5 mnths) does not seem to be able to stay awake for longer than 2,5 hours and has 3 40min naps. She also wakes up at night for 2 houres at the time - partly becouse she is teething (2 came out, 2 visible but not through)- but maybe she sleeps too much in a day? We tried to lose 3rd nap but she was just falling asleep ealier (6.30 instead of 8)and waking up at 9- as if after nap- expecting food and play . What's the best rutine and how do we achieve it? Help

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Takingitslowly · 12/01/2009 10:11

Think DD was having 2 naps at that age, of about 1.5 hours each, something like that.

Your total daytime sleep is about 2 hours right now which doesn't sound excessive at all.

The nightwaking might be due to teething. Have you tried calpol/nurofen at night to see if she sleeps through with that?

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 11:25

I do give her calpol before bed but not at nightime as she seems quite happy just awake

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LaTrucha · 12/01/2009 11:31

I think one of the baby books recommends 3 naps at this age. We never got into three naps.

We fell somewhere pretty close to this.

2-3-4

So awake for two hours then nap, awake for three hours then nap, awake for four hours then bed.

Having said that, her sleep patterns changed very fast between 6 and 10 months. I basically just kept an eye on her and put her to sleep when she looked tired, although I did get it wrong at times.

It doesn't sound to me that she's having too much.

I think you can manipulate it a bit more successfully when they are older. For example, DD is now a year and I have swapped two naps for one by keeping her awake for longer than she really wanted in the morning for a few days. I would have abandoned it if it had been difficult after that.

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TheOtherMaryPoppinsDiets · 12/01/2009 11:33

Mine's gone from having short naps frequently to a good hour in the morning and upto 2.5hrs in the afternoon, it's not affected his nighttime sleeping.
It all changes once they become mobile and wear themselves out thank fuck! I'd never get any housework done.

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PortAndLemon · 12/01/2009 11:38

DD was (broadly) having two naps of around an hour to an hour and a half each and normally a third nap of 20-30 minutes too.

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 12:32

ok, thanks, I'll let her have three naps than and wait for teeth to come, give calpol when needed

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walkingwomb · 12/01/2009 12:43

My DD did something similar to yours and I found that making the second nap longer, she could last the whole afternoon and getting rid of the third nap (that she had abou 4ish) meant she woke up less at night. She had to go to bed earlier. It was 6.15 for a while, but now she can go to 7 if she has had a good 2.5 hour nap at 12.30

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 14:46

How did u make sleep longer second nap?

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 15:02

If i was to let her nap only twice at what time is it best for her to sleep - she wakes up usually about 7 ?

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walkingwomb · 12/01/2009 17:30

Hard graft I am afraid. I got the baby whisperer book and she said to go in a bit before the time she usually wakes up and when she stirs start doing the whol putting your hand on her and settling her back to sleep. It took ages at first - literally 45 minutes to get her to go back to sleep, very dull, but it has paid off in the long term.

She gets up at 7 too and naps at 9 (take her upstairs at 8.45) and 12.30 (take up at 12.15).

HTH

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LaTrucha · 12/01/2009 18:17

I fed dd back to sleep when she woke.

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 19:10

I guess i will need to wake her up at regulare times in the morning - at the moment, because of disturbed sleep at night she wakes up anytime between 5 and 8

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LaTrucha · 12/01/2009 19:40

I found a regular getting up time made a huge difference. It just gets easier to judge things. I wasn't super strict about it though.

We're never in bed past 7am now. THat's not my idea though

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mamusia · 12/01/2009 20:07
Smile
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mamusia · 12/01/2009 20:14

i'll do my best tomorrow morning. She had 2 naps today, last one 2.30 - 3.30, had a bath at 6, fell asleep 6.30 but woke up for more milk at 7 . We'll see how it goes tonight and try to get up at 7 ( might not have a choise anyway ). Wish me luck everybody .

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mamusia · 13/01/2009 16:05

It was not a great night but when dd woke up at midnight she fell asleep 20 min after i gave her calpol; unfortunately woke up again at 3 and it was too early for next dose so I waited to 4 to give it to her - and again - she fel asleep 20 min after -- so I'm assuming it's all because of teeth. She woke up at 6 though and wanted to go back to sleep at 7 but i kept her awaik till 8 - she slept till 10 (and so did I)
She had second nap at 1 and woke up after 40 min - tried rocking her back to sleep and giving her milk but that only extended her nap to an hour. I need to research baby wisperer more closely. Welcome any advice on how to make naps longer .

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LaTrucha · 13/01/2009 19:24

Ahem - when I was trying ot get DD to take longer naps I sat by her bed and intervened the moment she awoke. (with a breast, usually).

Some do say leave the a few minutes to see if they'll fall asleep byt hemselves but DD never did and it was much easier to get her off to sleep again if I caught her early. I find stroking her tummy up and down and putting my hand on her tummy and rocking her are good methods too.

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mamusia · 14/01/2009 13:30

something happend last night - dd woke up at 9 pm and could not get back to sleep, I put her down in the cot at about 11 and left the room for a minute and she suddenly went quiet - I came back to check and she rolled onto her front. She was still awake but happy and quiet so i let her fall asleep like that and she only woke up once again ( becouse i was checking if she's breathing) and slept till 10 to 7 am. She slept on her tummy the morning nap too, from 9 to 10.30. Is she big enough now to sleep like that, is it safe?

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mamusia · 14/01/2009 13:31

dd is 8 and half months old now

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LaTrucha · 14/01/2009 14:35

Sounds ace! THey do say once they can move themselves it is fine to leave them on their fronts. Lots of people have told me that their babies sleep better that way. I'd say if she can turn to move out of that position then she's ok. (but I'm no expert!)

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mamusia · 14/01/2009 18:46

You're right La Trucha, u're right!!!! I spoke to health visitor - she said it's fine!! oh I hope DD will sleep now

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