Do some babys need LOTS less sleep than others (also dummy q)

[tootiredtothinkofwittyname]

First post here. DS is just over 6 months, has never gone to bed early, thats fine with me and dh, he is good company and not grouchy. 2 weeks ago we got rid of his dummys as they were causing MANY problemos. Nights have been ok, now and then a few mins grumbling before dropping off but less waking, naps are now all over the gaff and he is really miserable before falling asleep which is massively upsetting. Now, a couple of queries. Is it normal for babies to have a few mins whinging before going to sleep without a prop...ie the dummy, even those who have never had one? I do not want distressed crying and when we have got to this point I have got him up again. Again let me clarify this is for nap times, not nights which seem better. Also, he has never been a huge sleeper but we have gone to a 9ish hour night (thats gr8)but maybe only x3 20 minute naps in day. Yesterday he was up from half 4 in the avo to nearly 10pm....is this normal?

Hello. Wow, your baby sounds very normal! Lots of babies (certainly mine and all my friends') have a good old grizzle before sleep. I'm not talking screaming, just a bit of a cry/grizzle and then asleep after anything from 2 to 15 mins. He's maybe miserable because he's tired, but I know it's upsetting as ideally we'd like to just put babies to bed and they'd fall asleep!

Think you're right to go and get him if he's doing distressed crying - sometimes they need help to get to sleep and I often have to stick DS in the pushchair to get him to sleep if he's having a bad sleep day.

If DS is getting 9 hours sleep a night and is refreshed the next morning then it must be enough sleep for him. Combined with his short naps, it does sounds like quite a low sleep requirement for a 6 month old but if he's not grizzly and tired, you can't force him to sleep! My DS has a big sleep requirement - 12 hours at night and 3 hours naps during the day but all babies are different and that's why they are so bill!

my 7 month old DS always amazed me with his ability to go 12+ hours with maybe one little 20 minute cat nap, and then have a totally fitful night.

But I finally did discover his natural nap times and that has helped. IMO if they are taking very short naps, it is because they are very tired and not having the full sleep cycles they need at naptime or overnight.

i agree that some babies just seem to need less sleep, but 9 hours of night sleep sounds very light to me. are you sure he wouldn't go back down for a couple of more hours if you give him a feed then?

And is this 9 hours with any feeds, or not?

our sleep schedule runs like this:

8:00am ish - up for the day
11:00am ish - 30-45 minute nap, very occasionally as long as 1.5 hours
4:00pm ish - 30-45 minute nap. have tried to move it forward to 3:00 but not much luck. sometimes skipped entirely after much screaming and he then is dozing off around 6pm.
8:00pm - asleep after feed starting at 7:30.

we give one bottle at 10:30pm and then he wakes for at least one BF, usually around 3am or 4am.

I also have to wonder if keeping him up late is messing with his inherent sleep pattern. Not to get all sleep book about it but there does seem to be a strong case for babies having a natural sleep cycle of roughly 7 to 7, give or take an hour.

We used to keep DS up until 9 or 10 and things seriously improved when i moved back his bedtime. Means he doesn't get to see DH most evenings, which is a shame, but in this case he did get cranky.

also agree grizzling before sleep is very normal. like i said, once i realised when he needed his naps, he almost always will fall asleep, even though he might moan for 15 minutes or so.

good luck.