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Sleep at 6.5 months?

5 replies

sleepylittle · 26/02/2024 20:00

Hi,

I'm just looking for some advice on daytime sleep for my 6.5 month old. She is still very cat-nappy and has more naps in the day (usually around 5 or 6) than other babies we know of her age who are on 3 or even 2 naps. She also has zero nap schedule (although I do try to follow wake windows).

She has bottles 3 hourly in the day and still tends to need a sleep after each bottle. She almost always falls asleep in her pram / carrier / car seat and we are often out and about hence she has lots of short sleeps in the day. When at home, I don't have nap times for her. I put her down once she shows signs of tiredness (her usual wake windows are around 2 hours) and she'll sleep in her cot for 40 minutes or so. She goes down for bed somewhere between 7/8pm (usually either in bed with me or on the sofa with DH but sometimes in her cot) and then goes down easily in her cot at 11:30pm after her last bottle and sleeps through until we get her up by 8am.

Today has been a fairly typical day for her - three 30 minute naps in the carrier as we were out on dog walks, a short 15 minute doze in her prams when I popped to the shops, one 45 minute nap in her cot and then she fell asleep for 30 minutes after her 5pm bottle. She's now fast asleep next to me after falling asleep around 7:30pm.

I don't think she's getting too much sleep but I'm conscious that her sleep patterns are very different to the other babies we know. I'm worried I'm setting myself up for future failure and that I should be trying to have a stricter nap schedule and get her down for fewer but shorter naps and doing more naps at home in her cot but it seems impossible to get there currently as she just can't stay awake on the move and I don't want to avoid going out!

Any advice? Should I just keep on going with the flow or will we end up with sleep difficulties? TIA!

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Onelittleone216 · 26/02/2024 21:12

Omg I’m so jealous that she’s sleeping 11:30-8! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Yes she’s having more naps than other babies her age but if it works for you then don’t change it for the sake of it. If she was up all night then fair enough you might have to look at her routine but it sounds pretty good right now!

Skykidsspy · 26/02/2024 21:14

Sounds like a dream! If it’s working, enjoy overnight rest and leaving the house!!

sleepylittle · 27/02/2024 16:38

Thanks both! I agree with 'if it ain't broke' usually but just panicked a bit as it seems very different to other baby friends are doing and I don't want my lax schedule to come back and haunt me in bedtimes down the line!

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Nix99 · 27/02/2024 17:54

100% agree if its working for you, stick with it. There's plenty of time for her to slot into a nap routine if this is something you all want. Just do whatever is best for you.

Skykidsspy · 27/02/2024 18:32

I think it naturally shapes when they go onto solids - 3 meals a day plus snacks and milk is quite structured. If it causes you issues you can address it then! Try for good habits like not feeding to sleep if you’re worried

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