Schedule for a 6 Month Old

Updated on February 14, 2008
L.H. asks from Cincinnati, OH
5 answers

I am curious about how much sleep my 6 month old needs and what his schedule should be like. Looking for other Mom's out there who have a baby this age to tell me what there baby's day is like. My baby usually goes to bed around 10:00 pm, wakes around 6 to eat and goes back to sleep until 7:30 or 8:00 am. Then naps at 9:15-11:00, takes another afternoon nap and wakes up around 4:30 or 5:00,this is where I'm hesitant, after this nap he is up and I don't know whether to give him a third nap or try to put him to bed earlier. I have been giving him a third nap around 7 and letting him sleep until 7:30 then he goes to bed at 10:00. I would like it if he would go to bed earlier but everytime I try to put him down earlier he wakes up when I'm ready to go to bed, like if I try to put him down at 8:00, he'll wake up at 10:00 pm.... Does anyone else have this problem???

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K.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

You might find this helpful.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_chart-how-much-sleep-does-you...

I think it seems like a pretty good schedule. It's just a matter of you deciding do you want him in bed earlier and to wake up for one last meal at 10 or just stay up later?

You could try pushing back his morning nap about 30 minutes and that would push back his afternoon nap and then maybe he'd be ready for bed by 9 pm and he'd just sleep through the night. Just a suggestion.

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

Our first one did the same thing. We let him watch Hockey for an hour. He then went to bed an hour later and slept all night. I'm totally against TV at that age, but he was so cranky without it. That extra hour was so helpful. The stage was short lived as he figured out that taking a longer nap helped him make it to the later bed time. A later dinner also helped, which really meant 4 meals for him since he never understood snacks. It really was a short stage, so hang in there.

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R.T.

answers from Provo on

I don't have this sleep issue, but I know lots of moms who do. My suggestion is to start movig your son's bedtime back slowly. A reasonable bedtime is anywhere between 6 and 8 pm (my little girl goes to bed at 7). I would suggest eliminating the 7 pm nap... he'll be cranky few a few days, but when you eliminate the nap you'll also move bedtime forward. Take your son's cues as to when he gets tired without the 7 pm nap. In order to get him to a reasonable bedtime and not waking up at night you may need to wake him up in the morning (7:30 or 8 am is a great time), but he may not need you to. Every few days, more his bedtime forward by 15 or 30 minutes until you reach the time you want him to go to bed. Also, I would suggest moving the afternoon nap to an earlier time (so he doesn't sleep past 4 pm or so) or waking him up from it around 4... that will make sure he's a little more tired for night time sleep at a good bedtime. Eventually you will get your little guy to sleep 12 or 13 hours every night (my 6 month old little girls sleeps from 7 pm until 7:30 or 8 am every night). Do be aware, however, that he may self adjust his early morning feeding to a few hours earlier with an earlier bedtime.
As far as his might waking... my daughter does this sometimes. I don't know how you feel about it, but your son may need to cry it out at that time. He needs to know that it is night time, sleep time, and just becuase he wakes up and wants you doesn't change that. If you are opposed to letting him cry, try going in to confort him but don't pick him up... replace the binky, turn on the soother, rub his tummy... whatever works to soothe him, but don't pick him up. if you pick him up he'll keep doing it. Give a few days and he'll probably learn that bedtime means bedtime. Good luck! If you have more questions or wondering, I highly suggest the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child". It is WONDERFUL!

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B.

answers from Boise on

Hi L.,
I have an 8 month old, as well as a 4 and 5 year old. My 8 month old wakes up at 8:15-8:30 or so, breastfeeds right away, eats 4-5 ice cubes of frozen pureed food, breastfeed again around 10am, goes down for his nap 10:15-12 noon or so, breastfeeds right away, eats pureed lunch, breastfeeds again around 2pm, naps from about 2:30-4:30pm, breastfeeds right away, breastfeeds again around 6pm, eats pureed dinner, has been laying down for SHORT nap 7-7:30 or 7:45pm, breastfeeds last time 8:15 or 8:30pm, down for the night. He doesn't really wake up at all. If he does talk at all, I always leave him alone until at least 8am. I hope this was helpful! When he was 6 months old, I just gave him a pureed lunch and that's about all the solid foods he got. Good luck!

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M.R.

answers from Provo on

I have a 7 month old, a 3 and 5 yr old. My baby goes to bed around 8-8:30 and usually wakes up around 7:30 or 8, she then takes a nap at 10:30 - 12:30 and then goes down again around 4pm to 5:30 or so, occasionally she'll take another nap around 6:30-7, but not all the time, I only let her do that if she's really cranky.
I think that what I've found helpful is that when she wakes at night I don't turn any lights on, I go get her, feed her and weather she's asleep or not I put her back down. I don't change her diaper, turn lights on or talk to her at night at all. That way she knows is night time, and is time for sleep.
If your baby cries when you put him back down, let him, unless you can't stand it. If you don't like doing that, then try to lay him back down when he's already asleep for the first few days, but try not to be super extremely careful when you put him down, the idea is that he kind of realizes he's being put down. After the first few days try to put him down when he's almost asleep, until you get to the point that he knows it is night time. These are my Ideas. Good luck!

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