Is your baby already 7 months old and you can’t forget the moment when you held him for the first time, hearing his first cry? Yes, time flies. 7 months is a critical age. A child’s body and brain are growing so fast during that time. A peaceful night’s sleep of 11 hours and almost 2-3 hours of daytime sleep, along with the required nutrition is necessary for his healthy growth.
However, the sleep cycle changes when a child grows. It is quite common they might skip a nap, wake up early in the morning and frequently disturb you at night time when they turn 7 months old. These nap troubles can even lead to sleep issues, difficulty falling asleep, and waking up early from a nap, hence destroying the quality of sleep. But let me assure you that it doesn’t last more than 2-3 weeks. It’s just part of the baby’s normal biological cycle, and he eventually learns to cope with it.
7-Month Sleep Regression:
There are many sleep regressions during the first year of a baby’s life. There is a 4-month sleep regression, then 6 months followed by a 7-month sleep regression along with 8 and 12 months.
A 7-month sleep regression describes the sleep disturbances and disruptions your child may face at the age of 7 months. You recognize these disturbances as they come out of nowhere and the baby sleeps fewer hours than normal. In such circumstances, parents are frustrated and get easily worried about their child’s health.
One thing new parents should remember about the 7-month sleep regression is that it’s completely normal. Some developmental changes may lead your child to resist sleep. A baby’s brain, when learning something new, can’t shut off the mind completely during sleep, eventually waking up the little angel. So don’t panic.
Why Is My 7-Month-Old Not Sleeping?
Being a mother of a 7-month-old makes you realize that your baby has the oddest hours of restlessness. He’ll wake you up in the middle of the night, crying as loud as possible. Not only that, his sleeping hours will be much shorter than usual.
As mentioned earlier, a baby in his first year should get at least 11-14 hours of sleep. But what is the matter that disrupts a child’s sleep schedule?
The main reason could be developmental changes. During the first year of life, a child’s body and brain are growing immensely, and the baby is learning new skills. These include flipping over, crawling, and trying to move. Learning all these new skills makes him more energetic, and the idea of perfecting them makes him restless, and he finds it difficult to fall asleep.
Besides the hours of restless sleep for you and your partner through your 7-month sleep regressions, it is a sign that your baby is heading forward in life with all the necessary potential and kicking the most important developmental milestones as an infant. So, don’t stress out.
What Does Sleep Regression In 7-Months-Olds Look Like?
The issue with Early Bedtime:
Kids suffering from sleep regression usually get tired, but an overtired baby is even harder to get to sleep. He’ll fight sleep for the early bedtime and you may have to sleep-train him at some point.
Early Morning Wakings:
Despite the tough and tiring routine he’s going through, he’ll wake up early in the morning. He’ll get up around 6 a.m. and will make sure you also stay awake. Moreover, he’ll not go for a third nap during the day.
Constant Crying:
When a baby with sleep problems wakes up after a nap, he immediately starts crying. The reason could be the tired routine he’s following those days. The key is to be patient with him. You can play your part in solving these issues by sticking to a routine and giving him the nutrition and rest he needs. Your baby needs you in developing his new sleeping habits and can’t get through it without your assistance.
How Many Times Should a 7-Month-Old Wake Up At Night?
It’s common for a child to wake up 2-3 times during the night. However, a child suffering from a disrupted nap schedule finds it tough to fall asleep. He’ll wake you up dozen times during the night’s sleep.
It affects the quality of sleep and frustrates the parents.
Signs of 7-Month Sleep Regression
Sleep regression affects infants at multiple stages during development. One of the classic stages is 7-month sleep regression. Want to know if your baby is also going through that stage? Here we provide a few signs and symptoms a child shows during that stage;
- Restless nights
- Short naps
- Frequently waking up in the middle of the night
- Changes in the appetite and eating schedule
- Unstoppable cries
- Fussiness during sleeping hours
- Tired during the evening
- Difficulty falling asleep at night
How Do I Respond To 7-Month Sleep Regression?
While the 7th month arrives with the good news that your baby is growing well, it’s likely to put you at restlessness. It results in awakened nights with endless cries and unlimited fussiness.
Some parents get frustrated when their child doesn’t follow the sample sleep schedule. We suggest newbie parents calm themselves first, then remember that it is a temporary condition. Your child will get out of this phase real quick.
Lastly, we suggest they regularly check their kid’s temperature as soon as he starts showing sleep disruptions. As lack of sleep can make him sick. Whenever your child feels dizzy and his body temperature shoots above average, seek medical assistance.
Some of the measures you can take to be careful during his 7-month sleep regression are:
- Keep his morale high and give him the comfort and care he needs.
- Try managing the nap schedule.
- Give him proper nutrition, as it is the time for his mental and physical growth.
- Hug your baby when he feels down.
- Try to wake him up early in the morning if he feels tired during the evening.
Tips for Parents
Handling a 7-month-old with sleep regression can be tiring. Your baby may feel joyful, cheerful, and happy sometimes, while other times, he can become fussy, annoyed, and restless. All these are signs of his normal developmental stages, but it can be stressful for parents dealing with it, even for the ones who already have dealt with it.
Here are some sleep training methods to help you in sleep training your baby and setting healthy sleep habits.
How Can You Manage Your 7-Month-Old Sleep Schedule?
Managing Bedtime Routine:
Sleeping at 6-8 p.m. is the ideal bedtime routine for a 7-month-old. Not everyone can follow the same sleep schedule, but researchers have idealized this time as the most suitable biological clock for babies.
Full Tummy Before Sleep:
A full tummy is the secret to a good night’s sleep and maintaining your 7-month-old sleep schedule. So try to feed your child before he gets to sleep; otherwise, he’ll get up in the middle of the night to fulfill his craving.
How Many Naps:
As mentioned earlier, 2-3 naps of 2 hours each are pretty normal for a 7-month-old to maintain a daytime sleep schedule. If your baby doesn’t follow this sleeping pattern, then he might be suffering from the 7-month sleep regression. However, a third nap during the day is also normal.
Feeding During the Nighttime Sleep:
If your baby is full, he’ll not wake up in the middle of the night to disturb you for night feeding. But if you fed him early in the evening, then he might need to be fed at least one time in the night. But with a child with sleep regression, the number of times the child wakes up for night feedings can increase up to 3-4 times.
Quality Night Sleep:
A night sleep of 11-12 hours is essential for a kid under 1 year of age. Try to help your child get enough amount of sleep and also maintain sleep training.
Try to Limit Screen Time:
Children nowadays are curious about using mobile phones and other screen devices, especially TV. As a parent, it must intrigue you whether limiting screen time can have a positive impact on your child’s quality of sleep.
Researchers have given data that suggests that 7-month-old kids having more than 2 hours of screen time find difficulty in falling asleep. So limiting screen time can have a practical impact on your baby’s sleep.
Avoid Untimely Naps:
If your child has woken up from his usual nap early, don’t make him sleep untimely because this distorts his sleep schedule. Let him have enough sleep for the day and manage his nap schedule.
Calm Environment:
One of the key elements of the quality of sleep of an infant is a peaceful and calm sleep environment. A relaxing bedtime routine helps him fall asleep peacefully without anything interrupting his slumber.
Final Verdict
Remember it’s all normal and your child will eventually be able to sleep peacefully after passing through this stage of 7-month sleep regression. It doesn’t last more than 2-3 weeks. But you have to play your part.
Ask your trustworthy family members to look after your child while you are not around him. Try maintaining the baby’s sleep patterns yourself rather than reaching out to sleep consultants and spending your money on appointments for sleep training your child. It will be stress-free for you and the child. However, you can opt for what best suits you for setting his sleep schedule. If you have any queries or suggestions, reach out to us anytime.
