7 Month Old Still Sleeping Every 2 Hours

Is your daughter sleeping through the night? My 7-month-old son only takes a couple of naps a day (if even that) and they are never longer than an hour at a time. He goes to bed around 7:30 at night and sleeps until 6/6:30 in the morning. His doctor said that a baby his age shouldn't be napping more than a couple of hours a day.

Hi H.,
My son did this until almost 18 months. He always took more naps then the other kids his age but they were usually shorter as well. This made play groups and mom's groups much harder on us. But it was his natural way of sleeping, so we stuck with it. He has finally consolidated everything into one long nap, but that didn't happen until after he turned 2. My best advice would be try to listen to when she needs to sleep and enjoy the down-time when you can.

Good luck,
K.

I think this is pretty normal...My 8 month old has the same EXACT sleep schedule.

That's totally normal. My 8 month old daughter still sleeps about every 2 hours. Babies really need their sleep for cognitive development. I read a few books that helped. "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" is pretty good. See if you can borrow it from a friend or library because I'm not sure its worth spending money on, but it is definately helpful in understanding why babies and children need the sleep they do and how much they should get. I liked reading about the sleep research too. My daughter takes 2 to 3 naps a day (usually an hour long, but sometimes I'm lucky and she sleeps for 2!), while being awake 2 hrs in between, but around 1 yr or so babies should start taking 2 longer naps and eventually just one nap per day. Every baby is different though!

My daughter will be 10 months old on the 5th and she wakes up between 7-8 am and goes down for a nap from 10-12noon and the again at 3-4:30 or so. by 7pm she is having a melt down..earlier if she misses that afternoon nap... but I can't get her to bed until like 8-9pm. A few months ago I couldn't get her to nap at all! All babies are different. Have you asked her doctor?

I felt that way with my first and I asked my friends with kids for a book that tells me how to be a mom- they laughed and gave me one called the Baby Whisperer- I read it and liked it a lot. Just a suggestion. Good luck, get some sleep!

I would not worry about her sleeping to much. When babies are sleeping they are growing. Some babies need more sleep than others. Babies are on there own scheduled and as they grow they will stay up longer. Try giving her more solids. Good luck hune it should get easier soon.

Hi just wanted to say that you are having very normal feelings. I remember when my oldest was born I too felt as if I had no idea what I am doing. She is now 22 and I have two other children and I work with infants - 5 yo. Does your daughter sleep through the night? How long is she napping each time? If you are concerned then call her pediatritian but she may be going through a growth spurt. If everything is normal then I would say enjoy her nap times someday you will be fighting with her to take a nap.

Don't worry about your daughter. She's still young. If she wants to sleep let her sleep. SHe should start to out grow it soon but if she's not awake all night then just let her sleep. If she was keeping you awake all night then I would say to keep her awake and only let her have 2 naps. Some babies just need more rest.

Hi there,

A child at that stage will likely be read for its first nap two hours after waking. After that first nap, two hours later, they will be ready for the second nap of the day, and again two hours after waking from that nap, will be ready for the third nap of the day. This is a pretty familiar pattern.

Pick up a copy of Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child by Weissbluth where he explains this sleep patter well.

Hope this helps! It all sound normal to me!

H.,
I have only 3 words for you..."Embrace the sleep". I have a little boy that just turned 4 months and it is like pulling teeth to get him to sleep AT ALL! He only sleeps a combined 2-3 hrs of naps during the day, and as far as night goes...the dr. just told us we have to get tough with him and let him cry a little.
My daughter on the other hand is 11 now...she was an AWESOME sleeper (a lot like your little one) and I think because of that she never got the over tired crankies and was a very mild mannered baby, toddler and still is pretty easy going to this day...and she still likes to sleep!
I would not worry about it too much...trust me...the day when naps go by the wayside you'll remember these days!
Good Luck!
T.

hi H.,
my son is 8 months old and he will take 3 2 hr naps if i let him. he usually takes a morning nap and after noon nap and sleeps for 2 hours and he is still tired after that and gets cranky about 4 -5 pm and i won't let him go to sleep until like 7 0r 7:30 b/c he won't sleep thru the night if i let him. i totally think this normal. you are doing a great job it sounds like. every baby is different and every bay has different personalities and schedules. their schedules change rapidly. does she have any teeth yet and if not maybe she is teethinh and thats why she is cranky. my son has 2 bottom teeth and now getting to teeth and he is a monster when teething non stop cranky pants. hang in there and if she wants to sleep let her but if you are overally concerned about it contact your pediatrician and discuss w/ him/her your concerns and or you canrequest your doctor to do and iron test to see if her iron level is noral. they usually do it at the 9 month check up in mass anyway, every doctor is different. but good luck and hoped some of this helped.