Sleep Schedules

8-Month-Old Sleep Schedule

As your baby hits the 8-month mark, you’re likely navigating new adventures and challenges, including changes in their sleep patterns. If they haven’t already made the shift from 3 naps to 2, that’s likely to happen this month along with new skills including increased mobility, and some separation anxiety as they begin to understand object permanence. While the 8-month sleep regression can certainly create sleep disruptions, the main focus of this blog is to take a deep dive into your 8-month-old’s sleep schedule. We’ll delve into the sleep requirements of an 8-month-old, explore sample schedules, and provide tips to help your baby (and you!) get a good night’s rest.

A Note on Sleep Schedules:

It’s important to use your baby’s adjusted age to determine their sleep schedule. However, keep in mind that every infant’s sleep needs can differ. The sleep totals discussed in this blog are average figures for this age group, but your baby’s requirements might be different, and that’s perfectly fine. The most important indicator of adequate sleep is your baby’s overall mood and alertness. If your little one appears well-rested and happy, they’re likely getting the right amount of sleep, even if it doesn’t match up precisely with the provided guidelines.

How Much Sleep Does an 8-Month-Old Need?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 8-month-old babies should get 12-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, including both naps and nights. Ideally, they should have 10-12 hours of sleep during the night, and 2-3 hours of sleep during the day, divided between 2 naps.

Sample 8-Month Sleep Schedule

Keep in mind that the length of each nap can differ, just be sure to cap any single nap at no longer than 2 hours. Doing so will help you manage your little one’s sleep pressure to help ensure they get optimal daytime sleep and help you keep their sleep schedule on track.

The goal is that your baby naps for a cumulative daytime total of 2-3 hours, but this is just an average. Every child is unique, so if your little one seems content and well-rested with slightly more or less daytime sleep, that’s perfectly okay. It’s not necessary to focus too much on the exact numbers.

8-Month-Old Nap Schedule

Most 8-month-old babies take 2 naps each day. If your little one is new to a 2-nap schedule, they may still need the occasional late afternoon catnap to make it to a reasonable bedtime. Average wake windows for an 8-month-old baby are 2.5-3.5 hours. Most babies make the shift from 3 to 2 naps between 6-8 months of age. If your little one regularly takes 3 (or more) short naps each day, it may be time to gradually increase their awake time between naps to increase sleep pressure and encourage longer naps. Additionally, it’s important to stick to a regular start time for the day. This can help you set a consistent time for the first nap, and the rest of the day will then follow suit.

Should My 8-Month-Old Be Sleeping Through the Night?

The goal for an 8-month-old baby is to achieve approximately 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep. Most babies start to sleep through the night around 6-9 months, but this can vary. Sleep patterns vary considerably among babies, so at 8 months, many infants are still in the process of consolidating sleep periods and sleeping for longer stretches at night. Night waking is still common, and night feeding can also still be common at this age – especially for breastfed infants.

It’s also important to note that the definition of ‘sleeping through the night’ can differ from family to family. Some may consider their baby to be sleeping through the night even if there are a few night wakings, as long as these wakings are efficiently handled and do not significantly impact overall sleep. Others might define it as a completely uninterrupted stretch from bedtime until morning.

By 10-12 months old, many babies are capable of sleeping for longer periods of 10-12 hours at night without waking. However, these are general guidelines and can vary widely among individual babies.

Tips for Longer Stretches of Sleep At Night

Typically, the longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep is at the beginning of the night, with more restless sleep occurring during the second half of the night and early morning. This is because sleep pressure and melatonin are highest at the start of the night and dissipate toward morning hours.

If your little one is not sleeping for a solid period in the first part of the night, you may want to take a look at their sleep schedule to see if they may be going to bed overtired, or perhaps not tired enough. It’s also useful to look at their feeding schedule to ensure they’re getting most of their feeds in during daytime hours as this helps to encourage longer stretches of sleep at night. Just remember, it’s always a good idea to consult with your pediatrician before making big changes to your little one’s feeding routine – especially if they were born prematurely or are underweight.

Would Sleep Training Help?

In addition to the schedule transitions that are common at this age, there are also developmental milestones occurring that can contribute to the 8-month sleep regression. 8-months is a common time for separation anxiety to peak thanks to your little one’s budding realization that objects and people continue to exist even when they’re out of sight. Additionally, teething and increased mobility can impact sleep.

Sleep regressions can last for 2-6 weeks. The severity and duration of sleep disruption due to schedule transitions and developmental milestones depends on several factors including your response to your little one during these times. It’s normal to need to offer support to help your baby sleep during the most acute phases of developmental growth, when they’re experiencing discomfort from teething, or when they’ve had a tough nap day and too little sleep. However, it can be easy to get stuck in an unsustainable pattern if your main method of settling your child back to sleep involves a lot of interaction from you.

Typically, families who have well-established and consistent bedtime routines, nighttime interactions, and sleep habits tend to experience shorter and less intense periods of sleep disruption. This is where sleep training can be beneficial as you learn to implement consistent routines throughout the night and healthy sleep habits that can help foster your little one’s ability to self-soothe so they can more effectively transition between sleep cycles throughout the night without relying solely on a feed or rocking for example.

Looking for More Sleep Tips?

If you’d like support and guidance on how to establish more consistent sleep routines, The Batelle Sleep Program is a great option to help you achieve better sleep for your whole family. We’ve helped over 5,000 families get the sleep they need, and we’d love to help you too!

Summary

As we wrap up our discussion on 8-month-old sleep schedules, remember that every baby is unique. While guidelines and schedules can offer a helpful framework, it’s equally important to keep a flexible mindset as every baby is unique, and no two days with your unique little one will be exactly the same. Babies grow so fast in the first year, and sleep can be a bit of a moving target. Things will not always be this variable though. As your little one grows and develops, so will their sleep. If you’re finding sleep challenges overwhelming, remember, support is available. The Batelle Sleep Program can provide tailored guidance for your family’s specific needs. Here’s to peaceful nights and joy-filled days with your growing little one!