What We’ll Cover:
- Understand what causes the 7 month sleep regression
- Know what you can expect of your baby’s sleep
- Wake your baby at the same time every morning
- Follow wake windows
- Feed your baby often during the day
- Get your 7 month old on a sleep schedule
- Start a relaxing bedtime routine
- Create a sleep-friendly space for your baby
- Get your baby sleeping longer stretches at night
7 months is an age filled with developmental milestones. Your 7 month old may be scooting, rolling or pulling to stand. He’s probably laughing, babbling or clearly saying mama or dada. He may have started pointing and realizing that his favorite toy still exists even when it’s out of sight (object permanence.)
But let me guess… your 7 month old suddenly won’t sleep? He’s started waking up every hour at night, fighting bedtime or refusing naps. That’s because he’s so busy working on new skills everyday, and it’s a lot for his brain to process! This is what the 7 month sleep regression is all about.
The good news is that this regression is temporary. With the right approach, you can get your baby through this rough patch and sleeping well. This article will explain what the 7 month sleep regression is and how you can beat it and get your baby sleeping great.
You can grab a free copy of my Sleep Regression Survival Guide here so you can get your baby sleeping well ASAP!
This post may contain affiliate links.
9 Tips for Surviving the 7 Month Sleep Regression
#1: Understand what causes the 7 month sleep regression
Sleep regressions are sudden disruptions in your baby’s sleep that seem to come out of nowhere! It’s when your 7 month old suddenly won’t sleep. Period.
These disruptions come at predictable times because they’re associated with developmental milestones. Pediatric expert Dr. Berry Brazelton explains that a surge of growth in brain development that happens during a developmental milestone (like learning to roll) often coincides with another part of development slowing down or regressing (like sleeping.)
So, what’s causing this regression in sleep is a milestone that your 7 month old is working on- like rolling, standing or talking. It’s hard for your baby’s brain and body to “shut off” when he needs to sleep. Instead, he is fighting naps and is waking multiple times in the night.
Also, Wonder Week Leap 5 happens around this age and can be difficult. Sleep issues arise, your baby may refuse milk or he may be clingy and grumpy. These sleep issues are all because of your baby’s development. So it’s a good thing, but still exhausting for everyone. The rest of this guide will show you how to get your 7 month old sleeping great during this regression.
#2: Know what you can expect of your baby’s sleep
As your baby continues to grow, you might experience some rough patches like your 7 month old is waking up every hour at night and crying. (Yikes! That’s pretty rough.) To help you get your baby sleeping well and navigate these rough patches, it’s best to know what you can reasonably expect from your 7 month old’s sleep.
Bedtime for your 7 month old
Bedtime for your 7 month old should be between 6:30-8 pm. This is the time that suits most babies’ body clocks.
Try to keep baby’s bedtime within a 20 minute range every night. Early risers should have bedtime of 6:30 pm and late risers can have bedtime closer to 7:30-8 pm.
Night Sleep for your 7 month old
Your 7 month old should sleep 10-12 hours at night.
Night feedings for your 7 month old
Your 7 month old may be able to sleep through the night without feeding or they may need one night feed.
Your baby’s growth and weight gain patterns will determine if they still need to feed at night. It’s best to ask your baby’s doctor if night feeds are still needed. Also, my night weaning guide explains when to wean night feedings for your 7 month old.
Naps for your 7 month old
Your 7 month old should sleep 2-3 hours during the day, usually divided between 2-3 naps.
Total sleep in 24 hours for your 7 month old
12-15 hours. It’s ok if your baby sleeps a bit more.
#3: Wake your baby at the same time every morning
I may sound insane recommending you wake your baby up, especially after a rough night. I get it. But this simple sleep training trick leads to a more predictable nap schedule for your 7 month old, which a lot of moms really want.
If your baby’s morning wake time varies by 1-2 hours everyday, then nap times and bedtime will too. This makes it hard to make plans, run errands and settle into a peaceful evening routine. So if you’re desperate for a more consistent sleep schedule for your 7 month old, do yourself a favor and set your alarm each morning.
The best time to wake your baby each morning should fall right in the middle of his typical wake times.
Write down the time your baby naturally wakes in the morning for the next 7 days. Then pick the time that falls right in the middle of this range. That’s your new wake up time!
RELATED: How to extend your baby’s short naps
#4: Follow wake windows
“Wake windows” are simply the periods of time that your baby is awake throughout the day. (For example, in between naps.)
If wake windows are too short, your baby won’t be tired enough and may refuse naps or take short naps.
If wake windows are too long, your baby may become overtired or overstimulated and fight naps or take short naps.
Making sure your baby sticks to the recommended wake windows is a great sleep training tip to help your 7 month old baby nap longer. I can help you with sleep training baby for naps to help you get long, restful naps throughout the day.
Watch your baby for sleepy signs like slowing down, “zoning out,” or losing interest in her toys and in you. She may get fussy or rub her eyes. When you see these signs 2-3 hours after being awake, let your baby take a nap.
Want the best tips for the 7 month sleep regression?
Learn all of our secrets for surviving sleep regressions and getting your baby sleeping great right away!
#5: Feed your baby often during the day
Growth spurts make your baby hungrier, night and day. And they usually coincide with sleep regressions.
If your 7 month old suddenly wants to eat more one night, let her. But make sure to feed her more the following day too. You may offer feeds more frequently or a larger volume at each feed. This helps her get the extra calories she needs to fuel this growth spurt, but aims to keep the majority of these feeds happening during the day. So she can sleep longer at night!
#6: Get your 7 month old on a sleep schedule
If your 7 month old baby takes 3 naps per day, I recommend that you stick to wake windows of 2-3 hours between sleep periods. This means that they should be awake for 2-3 hours before taking another nap. These wake windows encourage longer naps during the day and better sleep at night.
As long as your baby naps a total of 2-3 hours (combined for all naps) this is sufficient daytime sleep. Our schedule shows three naps of one hour each, but this isn’t necessary. It’s normal to have naps of varying lengths. By following a 3-nap schedule similar to this one, your baby can sleep for 12 hours at night and have 3 hours of nap time during the day.
If your 7 month old takes 2 naps per day, I recommend wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours. When babies take fewer naps, they need longer periods of being awake.
As long as your baby naps a total of 2-3 hours (combined for all naps) this is sufficient daytime sleep. Our schedule shows 2 naps of 1.5 hours each, but this isn’t necessary. It’s normal to have naps of varying lengths. By following a 2-nap schedule similar to this one, your baby can sleep for 12 hours at night and have 3 hours of nap time during the day.
If baby takes 3 naps a day
7:00 Wake
7:30 Milk
8:30 Breakfast
9:00-10:00 Nap
10:30-11:30 Snack/Milk
12:00-1:00 Afternoon Nap
1:30 Lunch
3:00 Milk
3:30-4:30 Nap
5:00 Optional Milk
5:30 Set the scene for relaxation *
6:00 Dinner *
6:30 Bath *
6:50 Peaceful nightly ritual *
7:00-7:30 Asleep
If baby takes 2 naps a day
6:00 Wake
7:00-7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Morning Nap
10:00 Wake, Milk
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Afternoon Nap
2:30 Wake
3:00 Snack
4:30 Set the scene for relaxation *
5:00 Dinner, Bath *
5:40 Peaceful nightly ritual, milk *
6:00 Asleep
#7: Start a relaxing bedtime routine
The best way to get your 7 month-old to sleep through the night is to start a relaxing bedtime routine.
The purpose of a bedtime routine is to calm your baby in the evening, so that his body can relax and welcome sleep. Certain activities have been proven to relax babies, and when done in the right order, it sets your baby up for sleeping longer at night.
The simple act of doing a bedtime routine each night helps babies fall asleep easier and sleep longer overnight. Plus, it’s a great time to bond with your little one everyday.
My Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit walks you through the exact steps of setting up a peaceful bedtime routine with your baby, at any age. You can start all tips tonight!
RELATED: Find Out When Your Baby Is Ready To Drop the 3rd Nap
#8: Create a sleep-friendly space for your baby
The best sleep training trick that will help your baby sleep better right away is to create a sleep-friendly environment for your baby. With just a few tweaks to your baby’s bedroom, your 7 month old can start sleeping through the night.
My Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit walks you through exactly how to adjust your baby’s bedroom to improve their sleep. I’ve got my 3 best tips for sleep in there (including creating a bedtime routine), and you can start all of them tonight!
#9: Get your baby sleeping longer stretches at night
Once you have the above steps in place, it’s time to get your baby sleeping longer stretches at night.
Feeding or rocking your baby are natural and gentle ways to help them fall asleep. If you nurse your baby to sleep, and they sleep well at night, you don’t have to change anything!
It’s only when 7 month olds are waking twice or more every night that I suggest parents get their babies falling asleep on their own.
When your baby can go into the crib awake and settle himself to sleep, without any help from you, he’ll start sleeping long stretches. This is how parents can get their 7 month-olds to sleep through the night without feeding! This is because your baby will be able to resettle himself during the night if he wakes and isn’t hungry. This is the basis of sleep training.
At 7 months old, most babies need either one quick night feed or they can sleep through the night without feeding. The best way to wean your baby’s night feeds is to teach him to fall asleep on his own. If he stirs during the night, but isn’t hungry, he’ll put himself right back to sleep. If he’s hungry, he’ll call out for you.
I often see babies go from waking 7 times a night to only once just by learning to self-settle. It’s pure magic!
My sleep training program for babies walks you through teaching your baby to fall asleep without any help and sleep through the night!
How to get your baby falling asleep on their own
The trick is to make sure your baby’s eyes are open when they go into the crib. They need to “be aware” of the fact that they’re in the crib and falling asleep there. That way, when your 7 month old wakes later in the night, nothing about their environment will have changed. They’re used to settling back to sleep on their own, so they’ll easily do it again.
Some parents give lots of hands-on comforting to help their baby accept falling asleep in the crib. You can pat, rub or stroke baby so they can fall asleep. It’s ok to pick them up briefly if they get really upset. Each night focus on helping your baby a little less, so they can learn to do this on their own.
Sleep training your 7 month old can take anywhere from 3 days to a few weeks to achieve. All sleep training methods work, as long as parents are consistent. My sleep training program walks you through teaching your baby to fall asleep without any help and sleep through the night!
Bonus Sleep Training Tip for 7 Month Olds
“Do I have to wean my baby off the pacifier?”
If you can offer the pacifier to help your baby fall asleep and she doesn’t need you to replace it during the night- keep it!
But, if you’re having to replace the pacifier several times a night, that’s a sign that baby is dependent on the pacifier to fall asleep. In this case, you have 2 options:
Option A: Sprinkle 5 pacifiers around baby’s crib when she goes to sleep.
That way, she can easily find one in the night. This option works once your baby can easily reinsert the pacifier by herself, which usually happens around 7 months.
In order for this to work, you have to stop putting the pacifier in baby’s mouth for her. Instead, each time she wants it (day and night) you put it in her hand and help her replace it by herself. Many days of doing this will teach her how to do it all by herself!
Option B: Wean your baby off the pacifier as a sleep aid.
If baby can’t (or won’t) replace the pacifier by herself during the night, and it’s causing her to wake constantly, it’s time to wean off it.
You can still offer the pacifier during the day when she’s awake or for comfort when she’s sick. I recommend you combine sleep training with weaning off the pacifier and in my sleep program for babies I show you how!
Final Thoughts
It’s common for 7 month-old babies to experience sleep difficulties due to developmental changes and milestones such as learning to crawl, stand and communicate. These changes can disrupt good sleep patterns and make your baby suddenly fight naps or wake up multiple times in the night.
The good news is that following the advice given in this blog post can help improve your baby’s sleep and get them taking longer naps and sleeping through the night again. We’ve helped over 80,000 families worldwide get their babies sleeping better!
If you’re looking for more detailed guidance on how to get your 7 month old easily falling asleep on their own and sleeping through the night, our baby sleep program walks you through all the necessary steps. It’s customizable, gentle and breastfeeding-friendly. Learn more about our program here.
RELATED: 8 month sleep regression tips and tricks
FAQs
What is the 7-month sleep regression?
The 7-month sleep regression is a common phase that many infants go through where their sleep schedule and habits suddenly change. During this time, babies may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, they may be fighting naps, or they may wake up at night and cry. . This regression can be caused by a variety of factors, such as developmental milestones, teething, or separation anxiety.
Why is my 7 month old not sleeping?
At 7 months old, babies can experience Wonder Week Leap 5 which can lead to waking up every hour at night crying, refusing naps and more disrupted sleep in general. Leaps and regressions are actually a good thing because they’re a sign that your baby is developing! Although it can be tiring and frustrating, it is temporary and can be improved by following our tips in this article.
How to get my 7 month old to sleep through the night?
One of the most challenging things you may face is getting your 7 month old baby to sleep through the night. It’s completely normal for babies to wake up during the night for feedings or diaper changes, but as they get older, they should be able to sleep for longer periods.
Following the advice in this guide such as following wake windows, getting your baby on a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine and starting sleep training will get your 7 month old sleeping through the night. Our 7 month old sleep training program here walks you through it all!
How much should a 7 month old sleep?
The amount of sleep a 7 month old needs can vary, but on average they need around 13-15 hours of sleep per day. This includes 2-3 naps during the day and 11-12 hours of sleep at night. It is important to establish a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine to help your baby get the sleep they need. To learn more about getting your baby sleeping great, check out our comprehensive and gentle sleep training program here.
Heya, my 7 month old has always wanted milk throughout the night. Sometime 3 full feeds of 210mls. If we don’t feed him he won’t go back to sleep. Any advice on this?
He’s in his sleep regression now so milk doesn’t always get him down but even before this I’ve been struggling and need to see what I’m doing wrong. He loves to fall asleep to his bottle day or night but not always. Happy to settle himself to sleep in his cot with no bottle sometimes. It is just so inconsistent I can’t tell what I’m doing wrong. His calories and sleep during the daytime are more than enough, he’s huge!
Hello Mary,
Thank you so much for reaching out to us. It is great that your little guy is such a good eater! Teaching your LO how to fall asleep independently (without feeding to sleep) is truly the key to him learning how to sleep independently and resettle throughout the night on his own. My girls were both feeding to sleep before we did Jilly’s 21 Days to Peace and Quiet program. I know it seems impossible that our LOs can learn this skill, but I promise, he can!! We would love to support your family in this program.
CLICK BELOW to learn more about our program. You can also use the coupon code “AT” to get $25 off.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
I really hope we get the opportunity to support your sweet 7 month old!
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Client Support Manager
My 7 month boy is having sleep regression. He wakes up wailing. Then causes his twin sister to stir. I am on my own most nights so I have them together in seperate beds/cots. He is asking for extra feed during the night. My twins were on 1 feed since 5 months now changing. What advice can you give me to settle his wailing? They are both trained to self soothe, but this month they have been extra clingy, so I give them extra cuddles.
Hi Mai,
Thanks so much for reaching out and congrats on your twins! I can only imagine how busy you are juggling two sweet babies! Regressions are tough. While they are normal, it is exhausting when sleep goes a bit haywire. Most regressions last 1-2 weeks. If your LO’s are still struggling after this point, it could mean that they have had a few too many cuddles and now struggling to fall back asleep independently. In this case, I would definitely just do a little retraining with teaching them to fall asleep independently. It could also be that they need some adjustments in their schedules with wake windows, especially if they went through a leap. Either way, we are happy to help you investigate what is going on and get your sweet boy’s sleep back on track.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our 21 Days program–> https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
We are here to help!
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Client Support Manager
Hi.
My 7 month old is having trouble staying asleep. Some days she does fine and sleeps in the crib till 11-12. And other nights she only last about 2 hours. I know some of it might be due to a sleep regression but she seems extra clingy and only wants to contact sleep as of late. She does still wake up for a night feed, but other than that she wakes up and cries. I am just having trouble getting her to stay asleep in the crib, we do nurse to sleep method.
Hello Madi,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us!
You can learn all about 7 month old sleep expectations by clicking on the guide below.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/7-month-sleep-regression
The great news is that your little one is the perfect age to learn how to fall asleep independently. This is truly the key to longer stretches of sleep every night! We can definitely help you get your LO’s sleep on track and get your entire family sleeping better. We can provide the best support to your family in our 21 Days to Peace & Quiet program.
In this program we offer 4 step-by-step sleep training methods. You choose the one that feels best for your LO. We have super gentle & gradual all the way to quick & efficient. Each step of the way you get advice based on your baby’s developmental stage, energy levels, and temperament.
Definitely click on the link below to learn all about our DIY package, Support package and VIP package! Our support is amazing! You will gain a month’s access to our private Kajabi community with a jam-packed FAQ video library AND 2 live group Zoom calls per week. You will always get the support you need every step of the way.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about our program. We hope to get the opportunity to support your family!
Sincerely,
Alyssa, BSMS Client Support Manager
My 7 month old self settles every night about 7/7:30 and by himself. My issue is up to 11pm he will sleep through and then after wake up nearly every hour before being wide awake at 5:30am! He doesn’t always feed during the night but won’t settle back off by himself during these times! I don’t know what to do. He usually naps about 8am-9pm then again around 11-1!
Hi Ash,
It’s great that your 7 month old goes down independently every night. That’s a great start! Now we just have to stop the random night wakings and early wakings.
We would love to help you in our baby program where we can get your child sleeping all night long:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant/
You’ll learn how to deal with night wakings and early wakings, and quickly get him sleeping all night long and waking later in the morning.
Can’t wait to work with you!
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
hi
my little one is 8 months next week and won’t self settle on a night, she sometimes falls asleep during her last bottle and then stays asleep when I lay her in the cot. but other times is awake after the bottle, I’ve tried and tried laying her down awake and hoping she will self settle but she just screams and screams until she is picked back up. she is still waking for 1-2 feeds overnight and has around 2 hours in total through the day spread over 3 naps.
I’m due to go back to work in January and really was wanting her in a routine were she self settles by then.
please help lol.
Hi Charlotte,
I’m so sorry your 8 month old is struggling with settling at night and falling asleep on the bottle (or screaming when you put her down).
This is really hard, but totally solvable. We can help you!
What you need to do now is get her on a routine, make her LOVE her crib, and teach her how to fall asleep peacefully and independently (and stay asleep all night). Our program helps you do exactly this! And it has helped thousands of other parents:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant/
The best part is it’s 20% off right now (but only for a few more hours) – so make sure to sign up fast! Once you’ve joined, we’ll take great care of you and help you reach all your goals. Don’t worry, we’re sleep pros!
Hoping to work with you soon,
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
Hello,
My 7.5m old is on 2 day naps and her bedtime is 6/6/30pm- last few days she is waking up 1 hr or 2 hours after bedtime and we have to resettle- she is sleep trained and can self settle. She also is only doing 45 mins of her lunch nap- but will sleep 1-1.5 hours in her morning nap. She can stay awake for 2.75hrs during the day. I think the cause of her waking up an hour or less after bedtime is overtiredness from not having a sufficient lunch nap? Or the wake window from when the lunch nap ends before bed is too long? If she wakes eg 2.30pm from the lunch nap I put her to bed at 5.45pm so she doesn’t get overtired or is it too early..
Hello Claire,
Thank you so much for your message. It is wonderful that your LO is able to fall asleep independently. Often times, some schedule adjustments can help get sleep back on track. I would definitely recommend booking a 1-1 private consult (45 minutes) on Zoom. We can chat about your LO and create a customized schedule to help get sleep back on track. I would love the opportunity to help your family! If interested, definitely check out the link below for more details.
https://programs.babysleepmadesimple.com/30-minutes-private-consultation-checkout/
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Thanks for the blog article – really helpful. My little girl is 7 months and falls asleep independently for most naps and bedtime. However, we seem to be going round in a never-ending circle of a couple of nights of sleeping through and falling asleep on her own and easily, and then we revert back to fighting nighttime sleep to the point she gets herself so worked up and then won’t fall asleep, by which point shes then been awake for 3 hours+ (tonight 4 hours). Can see she’s shattered and rubbing her eyes and trying to fall asleep but cant. We’ve been round in this circle (sleep through and then fight it) for the last 6 weeks – she cant seem to maintain consistency.
Any suggestions on this repeated circle?? Do i need to lower my expectations?
Hi Nell,
So sorry to hear about this vicious circle of sleep issues! The way to set your baby up for good sleep long-term is to officially sleep train them. This will get her sleeping happily on her own and stop fighting night time sleep for good. We’ve helped thousands of parents just like you in our program here:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
Hope we get to work together soon!
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
What to do when 7 month old refuses to the last nap of the day? She will just play in her bed and not fall asleep. Would I just put her to bed early? If so how much earlier?
Hi Christina,
If your little one refuses a 3rd nap, then you will definitely want to bring bedtime forward at least 30 minutes early. Check out our 3-2 nap transition guide to definitely keep an eye out for signs that your LO is ready to drop down to 2 naps!
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/3-to-2-nap-transition-6-months-baby-2
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hi! My 7 mo has been going down awake most nights (occasionally falls asleep nursing but not required) for the past couple of months with very few issues after the first few nights we started doing it. She would typically wake twice a night to eat, which was manageable and fine with us given her very low weight percentile. However, in the past 5 nights or so she won’t sleep more than about an hour at a time. I’ve tried only comforting her for the first waking and can usually get her back to sleep, but I’ve resorted to letting her nurse more thereafter because I’m simply exhausted. Does this sound like a sleep regression that might somewhat resolve on its own?
Hi, Julie!
I’m sorry your baby is now waking every hour. So exhausting!
It’s definitely wise to keep a few night feeds given your daughter’s weight. However, there is no need for her waking up every hour. That’s just tiring for her, and also for you!
We can help you teach your baby how to fall asleep independently, sleep long stretches at night, while still keeping enough night feeds for her weight gain. Jilly is a lactation consultant and always prioritises the breastfeeding relationship. All you need to do is join 21 Days to Peace and Quiet – our sleep training program.
Here is the link:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant
I hope to see you in the program!
Artemis, BSMS Support Team
My 7 month old puts himself to sleep, but will usually wake up around either midnight or 2 am and won’t go back to sleep unless he is held. If you hold him for a short period of time and he falls asleep and you try to lay him back down in the crib, he wakes up and won’t take his paci, so we you have to pick him back up. If you hold him for a longer period of time (1 hour or more), then he will usually stay asleep when you lay him back down in the crib. Any tips on how to get him to go back to sleep on his own, rather than us have to hold him? He used to put his paci back in his mouth and he would be fine, but he won’t really do that anymore.
Hi! When you say that he puts himself to sleep at night do you mean that you put him into the crib awake or drowsy? That is amazing that he is falling asleep on his own especially if you are putting him in the crib fully awake. He might have a sleep association with falling asleep at bedtime, which he is looking for when he wakes up in the middle of the night. He is at the perfect age and sounds like he is ready for sleep training. Many people think of this as “cry it out” but that does not have to be the case. Our 21 Days to Peace and Quiet program teaches parents how to get their babies to sleep independently, throughout the night and for naps. We offer 4 different methods so that you can choose what works best for you. By the end of the program, you will do your nightly routine, set baby down into the crib, say good night and walk out and baby will asleep on their own!! Here is the link to our program: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/
The reason you need to hold him longer is that the beginning 10-15 minutes of a sleep cycle is very easy to wake up from. You have to wait until he reaches his deep sleep before you can lay him down without the risk of him waking up. When baby is in deep sleep, you can pick up his hand ever so slightly and it will fall limp when you let go. The only way to move past this is teaching him how to put himself to sleep when he is placed in the crib awake.
That is interesting that he won’t take the paci. At this age they are getting to be more aware and learning how to manipulate the people and things around them (not in a bad way but just learning that their actions cause other things to happen) so maybe his denial of the paci is because what he really wants is to be held so if he refuses the paci. He knows you will eventually pick him up? I would need to more details to know for sure. Anyways, check out our sleep training program, there are different options at different price points and a 30 day money back guarantee. I would highly recommend an option with personalized support because it can be so helpful to have that support when you have specific questions.
Becca, BSMS Support Team
Hi 🙂 my 7.5mo has been waking basically every 10-20 mins every night for weeks, he can’t seem to get into a restful sleep at night. During the day I can’t get him to stay awake for any longer than 1.45hr. His naps are great, he links cycles, resettles himself back to sleep for most naps but can never self settle at bedtime, he always needs help 💗
Hi Kristen! It sounds like he has his nights and days mixed up. Since he is not resettling himself I would highly recommend sleep training him so that he can begin to put himself to sleep at night which will then transfer to wake up times during the night and day. Until then, you can utilize the tips from the article that you read, get him on a set schedule that is appropriate for his age and for the time being, do whatever you have done in the past to get him to sleep and focus on getting him to sleep those set times during the day and night. Here is a link to our sleep training program: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/ With consistency, we can definitely get your baby sleeping through the night and taking consistent peaceful naps! We offer programs with lots of one on one support as well as cheaper, DIY options. Within the program we offer four different methods of sleep training to fit your personal parenting values. Please check it out and go ahead and get him started on an appropriate schedule for wake times, nap times and bedtimes that are consistent making sure to wake up him before he reaches too much nap time sleep. I spoke with Jilly directly about your situation and she mentioned this guide as well: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/newborn-sleep-schedule/ It is meant for newborns but covers some things that could help you to get his days and nights back on track. Please take a look and see if there are some tips in there that can help you out!! Becca, BSMS Support Team
Hi, my son is 7m 2w and he has been going to bed independently. When he hit 6.5m, he takes awhile to go to bed esp during naps, but he naps well. He usually wakes up for 1 feed but now 2 feeds. We tried dream feed for 1 night and he did well but the night after he wakes up 2x in the night after dream feed and feed again. The later one he will take some time to go back to bed. He will be rolling around in bed, trying to stand and talking. Is this sleep regression? should I just leave him and let him fall asleep on his own? Help!
Hi!
This definitely sounds like the 7 month sleep regression, given that he was previously sleeping independently and had this sudden change in sleep behaviour. We usually give sleep regressions 1-2 weeks to “play themselves out”, but then you can start sleep training.
Sleep training is the best way to ensure your baby sleeping amazingly long-term. Here is the link to our program: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/
We will be happy to help you in 21 Days to Peace & Quiet, to help your baby (and yourself) sleeping through the night!
/Artemis, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly, I’m very grateful for your infographics for each month. It saved my sanity during our son’s first few months. I’ve been waiting for our son to get old enough to do your sleep program. I have been bed sharing which worked great for a few months, so I put off sleep training. However, now my son is freshly 7 months, and he doesn’t want to be in my arms anymore. We have been moving him over to his crib in our room, but I think it’s time for some professional, structured help 😅 I just wanted to make sure that you provide a method where we could still be in a crib in our room. We would like to put off him being in his own room until he is two. Thank you’
Hello Carolyn,
Thank you so much for your message. We would love to help your LO achieve independent sleep. We have several parents in our program that continue to room share while sleep training, so we can certainly help you! Please let me know if you have any additional questions!
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly,
My just turned 7 month old for the past week has decided to not have his morning nap. I can get him down eventually after an hour but im lucky to get 30mins out of him and then the rest of the days schedule is off and naps are short. Its just this morning nap Im struggling with. Im not sure if its a phase or he wants to drop a nap and if so how to reset to get it to be the last not the first?
Thanks
Hello Holly, Check out our 3-2 nap transition guide to look out for signs if your LO is ready to drop a nap! If your LO is still needing 3 naps, I would try 2 hours of awake time before nap 1. Best, Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/3-to-2-nap-transition-6-months-baby-2
Hi
Jilly
My son is 7 months old he was doing great sleeping all though the night and would take naps 2 times a day for 2 hours now that he turned 7 months he has suddenly stop taking naps maybe 2 ..45 minutes naps at the most and doest want to sleep at night please help I’m a single parent that works full time job it has been hard on me for the past 2 weeks how can I get him back to his routine is this temporary
Hello Samantha,
Check out our FREE Exhausted Mom’s Survival Kit for helpful tips! When does your LO turn 8 months?
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly,
My baby is on her 7th month and currently her long stretches of sleep became a nightmare. She wakes up a lot every hour. And there are times that she wants to play(crawl). Currently she know how to sit on her own. I don’t know what to do. I believe its been 2 weeks since she is doing this. What should I do in order for her to sleep again for a long stretch? Thank you.
Hello!
Thanks so much for your post! Does your LO fall asleep independently at the beginning of the night? This is often the very best way to ensure that your LO can connect sleep cycles in the middle of the night and sleep longer stretches.
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
No. She’s been sleeping thru feeding. She’s breastfed. I want to change this but I don’t know how. I tried to change ways but she just cry until she gets to be fed
Hello! This is what we help clients do every day. Our sleep training program 21 Days to Peace and Quiet offers 4 step-by-step methods that walk you through teaching your baby how to settle to sleep on their own, which will show them how to resettle during night wakings too. It also covers reducing and fully weaning off night feeds.
Jilly’s philosophy is that there are many ways to teach babies and toddlers to sleep well, but the best way is the one that feels right with your parenting intuition and is shaped around your baby’s unique temperament.
I’m confident we can get you and your baby sleeping great.
Happy to answer any other questions you have about the program. Here are all the details: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Micaela BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly!
My husband and I rock our 7 month old to sleep but once we set him down in the crib he starts to kick and roll over and lifts his head up and starts crying. He sleeps perfectly fine when he’s in my arms. (but fights me about it) His grandmother takes him some nights cause she likes being with him also. Is this not a good idea and we should just keep him in our room? My Husband is currently sleeping with him in his arms and our son hasn’t moved, he’s just straight snoring. He usually gets super cranky and slept around 9-11pm. Please help!
Hi Natalie, the crib is the safest environment for your baby to sleep in so I would encourage you to try and have him sleep in his crib. The best way to achieve this is to proper sleep train him. We have clients every day in our sleep training program 21 Days to Peace and Quiet. You can check it out here https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/
If you want a little sneak peek our FREE Exhausted Mom Survival Kit consists of the first 4 lessons of the program 😉 Sign up for free here https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
Micaela BSMS Support Team
My LO has been able to fall asleep on her own since she was 2-3 months old and still does a great job of it now that she’s 7.5 months old. Staying asleep at night, however, is a different story. The past couple of weeks she has fallen asleep fine on her own, wakes up 1-2 times in the first couple of hours and puts herself back to sleep. Then usually wakes up wanting to eat so I feed her and then she proceeds to wake up 2-3 hours later (we usually let her cry a little to see if she’ll put herself back to sleep) seemingly wanting to feed but then just nurses a little before falling back asleep. After this early early morning feeding she usually wakes up again every hour or even sometimes more frequently. She isn’t hungry. We’ve played with temperature and nothing helps. She sometimes seems in pain but whenever we wake her up (her cries at night are always with eyes closed seemingly still asleep but very angry) she is happy and doesn’t seem to be in pain at all while awake.
Any thoughts on how to help her?
Hi Kayla, I’m sure with a few changes you can go back to the previous situation. First make sure your baby is really falling asleep on her own at bedtime. You should be placing her in the crib with her eyes fully open and leave the room. It should take her 15-20min to actually fall asleep. If this was not the case it could be what is now causing her to wake up a lot during the night. Also limit her total nap time to 3h. Finally check out our guide on the 3 to 2 naps transition to see if this might also be what’s having a say in her night wakings. https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/3-to-2-nap-transition-6-months-baby-2
Have a nice day and let us know if you have any other doubt! Micaela, BSMS Support Team
My sons who is 7 months old, sleeps at 8:30-9pm and his nighttime schedule consists of bath time, feed and then sleep. I give him his dream feed which is his final feed at 10:30-11pm. He sleeps throughout the night.
I’m currently sitting with him in my arms sleeping because he has been waking up for the past two days, he has been fussy / whiny throughout the day and he’s a calm baby.
Is this a sign of sleep regression? Any help is welcomed
Hi there Mani. Yes this could be a regression. What you can do is try to be consistent to your previous schedule and routine and also follow the tips from this guide (follow awake times, make sure your baby naps enough for his age).
Try implementing these tips for a few days and then let us know how things work out. Good luck. Panagiota, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly!
Great information as always.
I have a 7 month old who falls asleep on her own in her crib but recently she has been waking up in the middle of the night and breastfeeding. She wakes up at 3/3:30AM, feeds and goes right back to sleep. I can’t tell if she really needs to eat all of a sudden. She hasn’t needed to eat in the night since she was 4 months old.
I don’t know if I shouldn’t feed her And shes’s creating a habit or it’s just another phase. if I don’t feed her she’ll talk and talk and start practicing all her new moves in the crib and keep us awake so…I just feed her and move on.
However it’s been some days of this and I’m already tired from broken sleep and then being with her all day and working etc etc
Please tell me she’ll go back to 10 hour stretches at night ?
Hello Fiona,
Thanks so much for your message! If your LO’s pediatrician gave the “OKAY” to stop night feedings, then I would try to wean that last feeding. I would give your LO time to resettle in the middle of the night. She could be going through a growth spurt, but she could also be using you as a way to fall back asleep! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly,
My 7.5 month old son is rocked to sleep while eating a bottle. Once he is put in his crib, he usually sleeps for at least 5 hours. He still wakes up for one night feeding, anywhere between 1230-230. When we try to put him back in his crib, he screams and will not stop crying until my husband or I pick him up. We have been placing him in our bed (one of us goes to our guest room to sleep) after his night time feeding. How do we get him to fall back asleep in his crib after his feeding? Thank you!
Hello Kaitlyn,
Thanks so much for your message! One night feeding is still appropriate for your 7.5 month old. It seems that your little one is used to being rocked and fed to sleep and these are both sleep associations. This means that every time he wakes up in the middle of the night, he needs to be fed and rocked to sleep in order to fall asleep again. My suggestion would be to have your little one work on falling asleep independently. Try to keep him awake while feeding and put him in his crib in a drowsy state so he can learn to fall asleep on his own. I am attaching our 7 month sleep guide for you to get some helpful tips to get your little one sleeping better! Let me know if you have any questions! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/7-month-sleep-regression
Hi Jilly!
We are trying your bed time routine from your exhausted Mom’s survival kit and it is helping! Our 7 month old has slept great and is now getting up earlier and takes a lot of settling to get him to fall asleep at night. A lot of your tools make perfect sense and we are working on putting them to use! But wondering about the first nap. My baby gets up at 6:30 typically and is ready for a nap by 8. This morning he woke up at 5:30 and was ready for a nap by 7:30. Is this a long enough wake time? He goes right to sleep usually and sleeps a couple hours typically. It just seems so early to me to be going down for a nap that early. If he gets up at 6:30, should his bed time be 6:30 too?
Hi Stacie!
Great to hear that the Kit is of help! We usually recommend that the first nap doesn’t happen before 8am, so that should be the earliest you let him nap.
An early bedtime like the 6.30 pm you mention is often handy when naps are all over the place as it helps avoid overtiredness. Often people think that it’s counterintuitive, but at this age, your baby can usually sleep through the night. Early morning wakings could definitely be a sign of the 7 month sleep regression, but luckily it shouldn’t last very long. Follow the tips on the guide closely.
If you are interested in starting sleep training, we offer 4 different pathways for you to choose from
(from super gentle/no-cry to quick & efficient.) Each step of the way you get advice based on your baby’s developmental stage,
energy levels, and temperament. For more information on the program, please don’t hesitate to ask, here is the link to it:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Best of luck/ Leena, BSMS Support Team
Hi my 7 month old baby boy used to sleep great and used to fall asleep on his own but ever since he turned 5 months and started rolling everything went downhill, it’s like he’s hitting milestones one right after the other because now at 7 months he’s crawling, sitting and standing in his crib. He won’t go to sleep unless I hold him because if he’s awake and I dare to put him in his crib all he wants to do is crawl and stand and talk or cry. It’s been a tough 2 months and I honestly don’t know what to do anymore 😕
Hello Stefany,
It can be super tough on sleep when LO’s learn new milestones. The best thing you can actually do is give your LO a ton of milestone practice during the day so that he masters the skill faster. Also, I would try to work on having your LO fall asleep independently in the crib. He will eventually learn how to lay himself back down to sleep once he is given the space to do so. If you are looking for more step by step guidance, definitely check out our 21 Days to Peace and Quiet sleep program for more helpful tips! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Hi! We used your program To get our son To sleep when he was 5 month old. Now 2 months later I find that he still cries about 10 minute before falling asleep. We used the checking In method. He may wake up during the night but he can resettle himself now. Am I doing something wrong or can it just be that its his way To fall asleep?
The program was lifesaver. It took only To night To get our son wakin every hour To sleeping great whit only 1or 2 wakings and even those times I dont have To go To him 🙂 so thank you
Hello Aliisa,
Thank you for your message! I am so happy to hear that your little one’s night wakings have greatly improved. Just remain consistent and you will see them continue to improve as he gets older (developmentally). I would look at your PNR. Make sure you are giving yourself a solid 30-35 minutes for your PNR and make it as calming as possible. I would really try to get him to settle down before bedtime and give him LOTS of snuggles during book reading. Give this a shot for another week and then message us back if you haven’t seen it improve! Best, Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hi Jilly!
My husband and I are on one income and currently out budget doesnt allow for anything extra so unfortunately I cannot afford your program ? is there any way you could advise me what to do with my 7-almost-8 month old son?
I would like to get him to fall asleep on his own (currently I rock him to sleep). I had a short bedtime routine but he struggled to fall asleep so I implemented a longer routine and that did the trick. But when I tried putting him down sleepy but awake he wakes (but never cries, he’s never been much of a crier) all the way and starts playing in the crib. At first I would pick him up immediately and rock him and try again. Then I realized that some babies need a few minutes to themselves to fall asleep on their own. So then I tried leaving him for a bit but the longer I leave him the longer he takes to fall asleep when I go in and rock him again!!! So I’m not sure what I should do! I hope you are able to help me!
Hi Stephanie,
If your baby doesn’t cry when placed in the crib, I agree that you should leave him to settle himself to sleep.
Don’t interrupt his efforts of learning to fall asleep on his own. When he can do this, he’ll sleep longer stretches at night (and eventually sleep through the night when he’s ready.)
It may take him over an hour on the first night, but each night should get shorter and easier (as long as you’re keeping a consistent sleep schedule with the tips recommended from this article.)
That’s actually great that he doesn’t cry (most parents would be jealous 🙂 )
Give him the space and opportunity to learn to fall asleep on his own.
All the best,
Jilly