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Parenting

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High sleep need baby?

2 replies

Hungus93 · 02/10/2024 09:00

My baby turned 6 months on 21st of September. She has always been a sleepy baby, I could barely see her eyes when she was a newborn. She's now 6 months and awake for longer obviously but she still seems to be sleeping... A lot. I know that for some people this may seem like an "awesome" problem to have but I'm getting slightly concerned. She usually sleeps for 12 hours at night, with a feed around 11pm (used to be a dream feed but she wakes up for it herself now), and then sometimes she wakes for one more feed, sometimes she sleeps through until morning. She's then ready for a nap after around 1.5hrs of awake time. I'm then lucky if I can get her to be awake for 2hrs for the next wake windows without her being overtired. She goes down into her cot wonderfully at night but all the day naps are still on me. She's on the 96% for weight, and seems to be hitting her milestones pretty much spot on. I tried bringing this subject up with my GP but they basically brushed it off and laughed at me as "they have never heard of a parent complaining about their baby sleeping too much" but I'm worried that she may have some deficiencies which cause her to sleep so much? Or could she just be a high sleep need baby? Does anyone have similar experience with their baby sleeping so much?

Just to add as well, I'm going to try the gp again and speak with my health visitor about it, and I'm hoping to get her checked but it would be great to hear if there's anyone who's got a similar experience.

OP posts:
Nightowly · 02/10/2024 10:51

i know I’m a month behind but my baby is 5 months & is about the same. Manages 1.5hr wake windows and gets very easily overtired if he’s awake much longer than that. If he is awake for 2 hours I certainly know about it 😅
Does she go down in her cot during the day for naps at all or does she wake when you put her down?
I’ve found that since I’ve used the cot for naps in the day, he gets better quality naps and is then in a good mood when he wakes and can manage slightly longer wake windows.
I was told to let him sleep when he needs, he’s gaining weight and growing well so no problems as long as that is the case.
It would be worth another visit to GP if she was sleeping through feeds and not gaining weight but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case 😊

Hungus93 · 02/10/2024 14:07

Nightowly · 02/10/2024 10:51

i know I’m a month behind but my baby is 5 months & is about the same. Manages 1.5hr wake windows and gets very easily overtired if he’s awake much longer than that. If he is awake for 2 hours I certainly know about it 😅
Does she go down in her cot during the day for naps at all or does she wake when you put her down?
I’ve found that since I’ve used the cot for naps in the day, he gets better quality naps and is then in a good mood when he wakes and can manage slightly longer wake windows.
I was told to let him sleep when he needs, he’s gaining weight and growing well so no problems as long as that is the case.
It would be worth another visit to GP if she was sleeping through feeds and not gaining weight but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case 😊

Edited

Thank you! She wakes up the minute I take my boob out of her mouth usually 🤣 I'm not too bothered about contact naps but I now do wonder if this is the culprit, she's not getting quality sleep in the day and that's why she's so tired!

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