Learn how to get your 8-month-old baby on a sleep schedule
Having an 8-month-old is a fun time! At 8 months, your baby may be attempting to crawl, clap, and even pull themselves up to stand! Your 8-month-old may even be sleeping for a 9 hour stretch at night… possibly! Good sleep is an important part of your 8-month old’s growth and development but creating a sleep schedule for your 8-month-old can be challenging. Below are some FAQs for creating an 8-month-old baby sleep schedule.
Why is a sleep schedule important for an 8-month-old?
Creating a sleep schedule for your 8-month-old is important for everyone sleeping under the same roof. That’s because people of all ages tend to operate better with a schedule in place. With routine comes comfort and familiarity and these are things your baby will respond to in a favorable way.
By now, your sleep schedule for 8-month-old may already be in place. Many parents have a wind down or nighttime routine that includes snuggling, reading, quiet music – all things that will help settle their 8-month-old for a good night’s sleep.
Your 8-month-old sleep schedule also becomes more routine as their circadian rhythm develops. At 8 months, your baby’s circadian rhythm has likely kicked into gear and their internal clock is now ticking! This means they can tell the difference between daytime and nighttime which helps tremendously when it comes to making that night time stretch of sleep the longest.
What is the average sleep schedule for an 8-month-old?
The average sleep schedule for an 8-month-old varies from baby to baby, but in general, by 8 months, most babies are averaging around 12-16 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period. This includes between 9-12 at night (hooray!) and two naps a day that may be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Below is considered a typical schedule given the average sleep cycle of an 8-month-old baby who naps twice a day:
- 7 a.m. - Awake
- 9:30 a.m. - 1.5-hour nap
- 11 a.m. - Awake
- 2:30 p.m. - 1 hour nap
- 3:30 p.m. - Awake
- 7 p.m. - Bedtime routine (begins around 3.5 hours after last nap)
This guideline is the average schedule due to as every baby being unique and develops their own sleep schedule in their own time.
What is the best way to get an 8-month-old on a sleep schedule?
At 8 months old, you’ve probably established certain sleep cues that let your baby know that it’s time to go to bed. Sleep cues are also an important part of the bedtime routine as each one reminds baby that bedtime is here. When done consistently over time, sleep cues like a bath, some reading time, snuggling, and quiet music let your baby know that it’s time for light’s out. The Dreamland Baby Weighted sleep sack is easy to incorporate into your 8-month-old sleep routine and has these benefits:
- Relaxes and induces sleep
- Naturally reduces stress and anxiety
- 100% soft, natural cotton for comfort
- Bottom zipper for easy diaper change
- Perfect for learning to sleep in longer stretches
What time should an 8-month-old go to bed?
Generally speaking, most parents find 7pm to be the ideal bedtime, or at least the time to begin the nighttime routine. At 8 months, your baby will likely be awake for a good 3 hours before it’s time for their long stretch of nighttime sleep. So, keeping in mind the time of their last nap, will help determine what time to put them down for the night.
What is a good nap schedule for an 8-month-old?
On average, an 8-month-old will take anywhere from 2-3 naps a day for as little as 30 minutes or up to two hours. Because each baby is different, you’ll learn to recognize the cues of when your baby is tired and need to nap. That said, please look at the chart above for some guidelines on a nap schedule for an 8-month-old.
What happens in the next stage of sleep?
As your baby approaches the one-year milestone, sleep changes may start happening. Again! Separation anxiety is a normal stage of development and that may cause your baby to cry out at night for some extra reassurance. If you’ve done sleep training, remember, it’s okay for your baby to learn to self-soothe. They may cry for a few minutes and then learn to fall back asleep. You just entering the room may be enough to calm them down, or you may need to give them a little bit of a cuddle. It’s really up to you how you want to handle the discomfort your baby may experience as they learn to sleep through the night on their own with little assistance from you. With so many different sleep training options, you’ll have to find the one that works for you.
Tips for 8-month-old sleep schedule:
- Consistency: routine, routine, routine helps to create important sleep cues. Your baby will find this comforting which will help them get better quality sleep.
- Sleep Training: teaching your baby to self-soothe is an important step in teaching your baby to fall back asleep on their own if they wake in the middle of the night
- Daytime Sleep: the better your baby sleeps during the day, the better they’ll sleep at night. But try to limit daytime sleep to no more than 4 hours to help ensure a longer stretch of nighttime sleep
- Get Help: parenting is hard! Sleep (or lack thereof) can be stressful. When needed, talk to your pediatrician or join a parent group for any extra support you might need.
Remember that your baby is unique and will hit certain milestones like sleeping through the night in their own time. The Dreamland Baby line of products have been designed with your infant’s sleep in mind. Our products are designed to help baby feel calm, fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer which results in a better night’s sleep for everyone!
