8 month old | Imamother

amother

Thu, Nov 30 2023, 4:37 am

How do I get my 8 month old to sleep through night? She's adorable and active bH. Crawling around for 6 weeks already and sitting. She nurses and takes 2 formula bottles at the babysitter. She eats very little real food just because she isn't too interested. She had a couple bites of baby yogurt here and there. Yesterday she had a couple cheerios in the morning, half a jar of pears and finished the jar later. She ate some puffs. I'll give her some dinner if appropriate. I gave her a couple of nibbles of chicken or sweet potatoes. She doesn't want more and turns her head away and closes her mouth. She got her first 2 teeth very recently. Anyhow, it's 430am and she's awake crawling around! Yesterday I ran an errand after picking her up from babysitter so she took a catnap in infant seat. Then she dosed off again on her way home and also slept a short time (maybe half hour). When she was tired, she wouldn't settle down to go to sleep. Ended up nursing her and she fell asleep around 645pm. For her that would be a nap because she constantly wakes up. She did wake up around 830 and was very cranky until I nursed her and she fell back asleep. And now it's party time. I've been up over an hour already and she isn't newborn. Last night, we had a different napping schedule and I was also up in middle of night. Any advice? This is my 8th kid. Nursing back to sleep now after trying to settle her in crib.
Sorry for rambling

amother

Slategray

Thu, Nov 30 2023, 8:06 am

Sounds like a napping issue. She should probably only have two naps, with a wake window of 4 hours or so between the last nap and bedtime for the night.

Also, many babies prefer to self feed vs having food spooned into their mouths. The more you can offer finger foods on the tray, the more she is likely to eat.

amother

Stonewash

Thu, Nov 30 2023, 10:57 am

OMGGGGGG
We should exchange phone numbers to talk at that time in the morning. Adorable 8 month old baby boy who refuses to eat much during the day and then wakes up every night between 3:30-4:45 for a bottle, diaper change, and 45 minute play session. Then he goes back to bed for two to three hours. 🙈
I’ve tried everything and every time I think I have it down pat, he changes it up. 🤣

amother

Cappuccino

Thu, Nov 30 2023, 12:25 pm

She sleeps from 8:30-4:30 straight? That's really great.
Though her nap schedule seems to be not so great. At this age, they don't need more than 2 naps a day. 1 short & one longer one & wake time between nap and bedtime for the night, should be at least 4 hours. Baby needs to have a good & consistent nap routine, to be able to sleep well at night. If her nap schedule is erratic, then you can expect her night sleep to be erratic as well.
Good luck.

Brit in Israel

Thu, Nov 30 2023, 12:37 pm

It's all about the schedule.
She most likely shouldn't be going to sleep for the night before 7 or 8 if you want her to sleep in.
She will still probably wake up once or twice for a nurse but go straight back to sleep. So e kids sleep through the night at 8 months but many don't.
Some of mine (especially the difficult eaters) were waking up until they were 1.5 years, others had stopped before one year.

My routine was a nap for 1.5-2 hours at around 10 and then for approx 30 mins to an hour at 3.
Then bedtime at 7 or 8 depending on the child.
You have to be fixed with timings especially at the first few weeks so that get in schedule. Including over Shabbos.
If they wake during the night it's a feed and in bed even if they are full of energy. At most in your bed so their body clock starts working on time.
From 6.30ish at earliest they can play.
With one kid they woke up at 5.30/6 so I would put toys in the crib, they played a few mins and then went back to sleep. It stopped after 2 weeks.

Putting kids in schedule is no fun whilst doing it but great after.