An eight-month-old baby can follow a sleep schedule on an ongoing basis. A lot of changes happen in the life of a child of this age. He is already sitting, contemplating everything around, says the first syllables, and actively crawls. These changes leave their mark on sleep and wakefulness patterns. 8 months is the critical age for switching to two naps.
| Suggested Time | Average Duration | |
|---|---|---|
NIGHT SLEEP |
9 pm – 7 am |
9 - 10 hours |
1st Nap |
9:30 am – 10:30 am |
1 hour |
2nd nap |
2 pm – 3:30 pm |
1.5 hours |
3rd nap |
6 pm – 6:30 pm |
0 - 30 min |
Total Sleep Time |
|
13-14 hours |
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Early awakening of the child may not be appropriate in the life rhythm of the parents. Putting to bed at night in this case should be shifted to a later time. Changing the schedule should always depend on the parents. Sometimes the child himself dictates new conditions. It is better to change them if they do not fit into the daily routine of adults.
The baby’s sleep schedule should not infringe on the personal and working time of the parents.
How Much Should 8 Month Old Baby Sleep Per Day?
An eight-month-old baby should sleep at least 13 hours a day. This time includes daytime sleep divided into 2-3 times and night rest. There is much less time for sleep during the day. This is due to the increase in the period of wakefulness.
Sleep becomes more uninterrupted at night. This makes the chart more stable. Compliance with sleep norms favorably affects the mood and general well-being of the child.
Breakdown Between night sleep and naps
Daytime sleep with each month of development becomes less. 2-3 hours a day is considered normal at 8 months. This time is most often divided into two main naps. The child should sleep at least 8 hours at night and at least 6 hours continuously. Many children begin to refuse night feeding. The duration of sleep at night can be disturbed by teething or other reasons.
Compensating sleep and missing naps
Lack of daytime sleep at 8 months is not a normal limit. There may be problems with falling asleep, regression is possible, but the complete refusal of sleep is unacceptable. A child at this age is still in dire need of daytime rest.
If the baby slept well at night, then this will be compensated by a shorter duration of naps. The child will want to sleep earlier during the day than usual and will sleep longer if the sleep at night was restless. Such compensation is present to balance the daily sleep norm.
How Many Naps On Average 8 Month Old Takes?
The age of 8 months is a transitional period from 3-time to 2-time naps. Many children still have a short third nap. It doesn’t last long and disappears from time to time. It is believed that by 8 months the baby can already get by with 2 naps and some go to one long nap.
What if Baby takes fewer naps?
Reducing the number of naps does not significantly affect the well-being of the baby, especially if the daily norms are maintained. Some babies switch to one long nap at 8 months. It takes place in the afternoon and lasts at least 2 hours.
The number of naps per day is a very individual indicator. A well-organized regime will help to establish the ratio of daytime and night-time rest without losing daily allowances.
When should you worry?
You should start to worry if the baby does not sleep during the day for more than several days in a row. This may indicate a strong overexcitation or other disorders of the nervous system. A complete lack of naps at 8 months is still unacceptable.
Waking up a child at night more than three times should also alert parents, especially if the baby is crying heavily and for a long time. Such behavior will indicate that the child is not feeling well.
8 Month Old Napping Schedule During the Day
Daytime naps are an integral part of the daily routine of an 8-month-old baby. His schedule must include mandatory rest every day. Daytime naps are sometimes highly shifted due to the increased wakefulness period. Either morning or evening sleep may disappear. The napping schedule at this age is consistent. It will be almost unchanged up to 1 year.
Average sleeping time per nap
The duration of one sleep is determined by how many times the baby will sleep during the day. The average time of one sleep will be 1-1.5 hours if it is 2 times.
When the third evening sleep appears, its duration does not exceed 20-30 minutes. Such naps are rare and manifest as unstable. It is rare to find babies who sleep only one but a long nap. Its duration is 2-3 hours.
Important Information
If up to 8 months the baby slept well and then began to sleep badly, then this is a regression. It is expressed in the rejection of daytime naps, increased moodiness, and instability of the daily routine. It is worth considering these points when adjusting the sleep schedule.
Sleep regression is a natural stage in a child’s development. It’s almost impossible to influence him. Not all children experience it acutely. It is better to slow down a little persistence in observing the sleep regimen if you notice symptoms of regression.
Total napping time
Daytime nap time has been significantly reduced compared to previous months. An eight-month-old baby sleeps 2-3 hours a day. This time is most often distributed between two naps. There may be a third nap, which will be very short.
Daytime naps are diluted with periods of wakefulness. A baby at 8 months can stay awake for 3-4 hours in a row.
Does Every Baby Follow Sleeping Routine?
Strict adherence to the sleep regimen is not subject to every child. Children who have health problems are strongly attached to the treatment. They can’t get used to one rhythm. Children whose parents are supporters of a free schedule get used to this lifestyle. Rebuilding them differently is not possible.
Compliance with the sleep regimen is the lot of genetically predisposed children. Many parents try to enter the mode to no avail. This suggests that their children are not prone to this lifestyle.
Getting a child to sleep when he does not want to is almost impossible. These attempts will not succeed and will only harm the baby. Not all children live on a strict sleep schedule. They are guided by their needs and show signs of sleep only when they are very tired.
Why Some Parents are Way off Schedule?
Supporters of a free sleep schedule are not so few. These are mostly parents with an active lifestyle. They do not stay on maternity leave and raise kids without interrupting work. This lifestyle cannot interact with a strict sleep schedule.
Mothers of some children from birth teach their babies to eat on demand and not by the hour. This greatly complicates the introduction of sleep mode. Such parents adhere to free methods in education and do not limit their babies to schedules and plans.
Not following a child’s sleep schedule does not mean being a bad parent. Such an attitude towards life cannot be imposed. It either exists or it doesn’t. Each parent decides for himself at what pace his child will live.
Tips for Getting on Sleep Schedule
Making a sleep schedule can make life much easier for mom and the rest of the family. Use several tips from us to avoid mistakes:
Stick to daily allowances
Be sure to maintain sleep norms when scheduling for an 8-month-old baby. Distribute daytime and nighttime sleep so that the baby is comfortable. Extend or shorten the duration of sleep and adjust the mode if necessary.
Fatigue control
The child’s sleep will become more restless if he is overtired. Drowsiness and other symptoms of fatigue may disappear. There will be excitement. Fatigue control is the best assistant in scheduling sleep. Follow this moment and then the regime will improve faster.
Set limits on possible deviations
A sleep schedule is not a strict schedule. The child will not fall asleep strictly minute by minute when you want it. Set the time intervals in which sleep is allowed. Most often, this is no more than half an hour in any direction from a fixed time. Your schedule will be more lively and flexible.
Save your sleep time
Sleep during the day can constantly shift, but try to keep falling asleep at night in the same time frame. This will help the child’s sleep to maintain stability for the longest possible time. Otherwise, there will be a constant shift in the wake-up time. Wake periods will begin to accumulate and the sleep schedule will be disrupted.
Sleep regression period
Maintaining a sleep schedule during sleep regression is extremely difficult. Do not try to immediately return the child to the previous daily routine. See how the regression proceeds. Perhaps the baby will gradually improve sleep. Will have to make a new schedule for the day if this does not happen.
