My 8 month old is suddenly sleeping alotmore than usual. I don't want to sound ungrateful for having a baby who sleeps...:) but I also don't want to blow it off if it's not normal! He will sleep 12-13 hours a night then take at least 2 x 1 hour long ( sometimes 2 hours long) naps/day. I could understand him being tired if he was all over the place but he is still on the verge of crawling. I breast feed him 5 times a day and he also eats solids(3 meals), and his appetite is unchanged.
From your experience is this normal or am I overreacting??
From what I've read, that's exactly how much he should be sleeping. Mine's been sleeping less and I wish she would sleep that much, but sometimes she does. So, don't worry!! It sounds like you're doing everything perfect!!
ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS!!!! My son was the same way...which was a PLEASENT SURPRISE since my first one never slept.
SO, sit down breath and enjoy!
K. J.
Sounds perfectly normal to me! My daughter at that age slept right around the same schedule as your son, and now she sleeps 12 hours at night and one 2 hour nap a day.
I don't think that's too much sleep at all! In fact I would expect him to be taking at least one nap that is at least 2-3 hours at this point and sleeping 12 hours at night. That's just my opinion though! =)
Yup, my daughter did the same thing. In fact, from a few weeks old she was in that sleeping pattern, and now at 2.5 yrs she is still a good sleeper (well, once she stays put in her bed!) I hope her new little brother does the same.
~J.
hi M.,
my daughter who is now 5 years had the same nap routine until she was 1yo and then went to one good nap a day and still 12-13hours at bedtime. naps for her just recently stop because they do not nap in kindergarden. my daughter is good and healthy and i always believed it was because she was a great sleeper and she ate very hardy! my 1 year old on the other hand will NOT take a nap all day long and still wakes up after 8 hours of sleep at night to nurse!!!!!!!!!! i say, my oldest spoiled us! sorry for the lowercase - baby who needs a nap is in one arm tugging on me and the keyboard. have a great day
If he is sleeping normally at night then he is fine. He's just getting what he needs. Lucky devil!
What you are describing is totally normal. Babies need a lot of sleep - sleep is when their brain is "growing". They process and "learn" during sleep. Especially since you say he is about to crawl, this extra sleep is helping him learn that skill. Enjoy it!!
I was told that kids should be sleeping 12 hours a night and sleep 2 1-hour naps a day around that age. Unfortunatly that was only a dream for my daughter although lately she is doing MUCH better.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
S.
Some reassuring words... all of these wonderful little beings are so individual, they all have different needs. At this age they are growing so fast (that is hard work;-) Some babies may need extra sleep to help in this process. If you still have concerns, ask your ped (don't feel dumb, mothers intuition knows best!)Besides that is what they are there for.... Mothers milk does seem to have a sedative effect, the whole process is so cozy and snuggly, it just sounds to me that baby is content and happy...Congratulations,and enjoy....
Hi M.,
I'd ask the doctor if it's a sudden change - but all four of mine slept that much, if that's any consolation! Good luck!
little ones sleep a lot longer when they are growing. i would say you can expect him to start out growing clothes soon.
M.,
That's perfect! I did the BabyWise schedule with my kids (from the book On Becoming Babywise) and I got them to sleep through the night by 8wks. The schedule your baby is on is the exact schedule that they should be on at this stage..they really need their sleep!
If he's eating well, growing, and happy, I was told by my pediatrician that all is well and count your blessings because most parents don't get sleep for the first few years of their babie's lives. :)
I did notice around that time that my kids would go through a growth spurt about every 2 weeks or so. They'd eat like crazy and sleep like crazy...more than usual and more than you are describing your son sleeps/eats. I started to notice a pattern and it started around 6mths and would also work around teething too. So, all bets were off on the sleep schedule during those times, I'd just feed them and put them to bed for several days at a time and then it would pass and we'd go back to our normal routine.
Enjoy your sleep and it sounds like you are doing an amazing job as a first time mommy!! :)
C.
Mommy of 4!
Amber (6 1/2) Aubrey (5 1/2) Aidan (2 1/2) & Aren (14mths)
Mine did the same thing, and from what I have read that is normal behavior. As he gets older he will still sleep about the same amount of time each night but the naps will decrease.
Hello M., Congratulations on your baby boy. You are not overreacting you are just being a great Mom. My daughter is on the same exact schedule. When babies have established a routine, they sleep beter (longer) Babies need sleep for growth and proper developement. Your baby boy is on the right track.
