need help with putting my 8 month old on a schedule

wonderwoman101

Wed, Aug 20 2014, 11:05 pm

Is a baby at this age supposed to have a schedule? I start my day at 6 am with my 2 year old and don't go to sleep before 1 am with my infant and of course don't forget the night time feedings in the middle of everything. How can I get her on a normal sleep schedule? Bath time doesn't seem to work. She wants to be nursed to sleep or hummed to in daddy's arms. I tried putting her in her bed with the projector mobile but she cries for me to hold her and I don't want to let her cry so as not to wake up her sister. What can I do?

MaBelleVie

Wed, Aug 20 2014, 11:29 pm

Is your problem getting her to fall asleep or having a regular schedule? Babies that age should be on a regular sleep schedule, but they often still need help to fall asleep. If you're trying to wean her off that there are methods, but you can't completely avoid crying.

wonderwoman101

Thu, Aug 21 2014, 9:22 am

I'm not trying to wean her. I don't love having to wake up in middle of the night but I don't care to do it since she is only breastfeeding and it isn't enough to keep her full all night.
My goal is to set a bedtime for her and try to have her learn to put herself to sleep. So many people tell me they put the baby in bed and walk out and baby automatically understands it's bed time. I would love that! But how do I get that done?

acccdac

Thu, Aug 21 2014, 12:00 pm

read "healthy sleeping habits happy child"

I would nurse to sleep, as I moved them to crib they would open eyes and stuff, not always, put them in the crib and thats it.

my 4 months old sleeps more consistently during the night (meaning 7:00 feeding, putting down at 8:00, and not getting her until 6:00) if I put her down a bit awake. The nights where I put her down solidly asleep she tends to cry out between 2:00 and 4:00, I give her a pacifier and she sleeps again until about 6:00.

The books gives you different methods and levels of crying that you are willing to apply.

mandr

Thu, Aug 21 2014, 2:22 pm

Establish a routine. Bathtime, story, nursing and bed. Don't deviate from that unless you really must. Eventually your baby will realize that a+b+c=sleeping time. It's ok to let him cry for a few minutes. This stops after 2-3 nights.

sunny90

Thu, Aug 21 2014, 3:27 pm

mandr wrote:

This. A routine is so important.
Babies generally NEED a bedtime between 6-8 pm. They need 11 hours of sleep a night at this age. It could be that she is also overtired which is making it harder for her to fall asleep in the first place, its a cycle. Yes you may have to let her cry for a few nights, but she will get the idea and you will both be happier!
Speaking from the experience of someone who tried every no cry sleep solution there was before finally throwing in the towel and doing CC. And all my kids are kah generally good sleepers now.

LittleDucky

Thu, Aug 21 2014, 4:18 pm

Mine b"h goes easily down to bed at night but doesn't stay asleep. I have a fan going for white noise, doesn't like a pacifier, and will wake at random intervals throughout the night and be up at 6. Any tips to push back bedtime (6:30 ish) when DC is falling asleep then? The few times bedtime was later I was woken in the morning closer to 7 or even later which is SO much better. Plus woke up only once vs up to 3 times. Could be a fluke though and later bedtime won't help things...