7 month old will not sleep

[momneedtime]

Hi, I have a 7 month old boy and i am having a problem with him going to bed once he does after midnight he sometime he sleeps till 7 or 8 am but 4:30 or 5 am sometimes. I am so sleepy from his sleeping that nothing is getting done. If he does not get up on his own by 7 am I will try getting him up to feed him. On the days I have to do this he does not eat just goes right back to sleep. Then he is up by 8 or 9 am. Then by 11 each day he is ready to sleep again and most days he is up by 12 noon but at 2:30 or 3 he is a sleep again. He sleeps at this time 30 mins or so. I walk at that time to my older sons school and he goes to sleep on the way there and back. Then up as soon as we get in the house. If I drive he does it too. After this time he goes back to sleep around 5 pm sometimes 7pm. We play with him trying to keep him up but he will fall fast to sleep setting up playing. Then he is up after 15 or 30 min.and he is mad and will not go back to bed till after 12 midnight. The days he gets up at 4 or 5 am he still does all of the above. He cries from 7 till 12 midnight. Each day now for the past two weeks. What am I doing wrong and what could it be. My older son is in bed by 7 to 8 pm each night on his own. Never had this with him.    

[aim7407]

Well, to be honest, it sounds as if he sleeps quite a bit, just not at the right times in terms of a schedule for you! I know it's hard, and you're probably exhausted, but every baby is different, and to be honest, there is not a whole lot you can do about it if he's stuck in this pattern, except try to break it, by setting a firm bedtime, try not to let him nap close to his bedtime. My daughter never slept through the night , not till she was about 2 years old, and even then she still got up occasionally. I tried Everything I could think of, and nothing worked. I was sooooooo tired all the time.  Now, I have a 7 month old baby boy too! He usually goes down for bed between 8 and 9pm, and he'll usually wake up once between 2-4 am to nurse, then he goes back to sleep till about 6-7 am.  Every once in a while he'll sleep all the way through the night, but usually not. He wakes up with a wet diaper and wants to be changed and to nurse. But he's changed his sleeping pattern on his own several times since he was born. He really kind of set this pattern himself, and I had little to do with it, and he is a very bad napper during the day. He will take 15 minute cat naps here and there , and then about twice a week he'll have a day full of long naps, as if he's trying to catch up!  The general rule is , if he's a healthy baby, he will sleep when he needs it, and even if it doesn't seem like it to you, he is getting enough sleep. I know all the books say they should sleep a certain amount, but the babies haven't read the books. It's so frustrating, but for me, I kind of just let him guide me. I am just thankful he has his days and nights straight at all. The only thing I can suggest is that you try to get him to sleep less during the day. If it's possible try to get him to  only two longer naps during the day, and then he might sleep more at night. But like I said, this is Very difficult to do  if the baby doesn't want to cooperate! ;-)  I hope it works out, and just know you're not alone,  I'm exhausted too! Like most moms are,  but when I'm too tired to move, and feel like I just can't function, I always remind myself, that he will Never ever be this little and precious again, and I savor and treasure every second with him, even if it's when I'm too tired. They grow up sooo fast, my daughter is now 10 years old!!!! Where did the time go?!!!  Just try to remember when you're tired, that soon enough, it will all pass, and you'll be wishing you had a little tiny baby to keep you up at night. I hope this helps!  ps....  really good coffee..... helps ;-)

[Kirsten1022]

I have a 7 year old son who for several months now barely sleeps. He's never been a napper - literally never; 20 minutes max as a baby. We now put him to bed at 8; he used to come out about 10 times saying this and that, water, snack etc. Then I explained that we've had so much fun today and that after 8pm it's your job to be in your room sleeping.  That worked for 2 nights and we didn't see him until the next morning.  There have been many nights at midnight when I go check on him that he's still up reading books.  Of course, we have to drag him out of bed in the morning to go to school.  He sais that he's afraid to sleep by himself, afraid of his room, afraid of the dark etc.etc. He's got nightlights, a sound machine, lava lamp... You name it, I've tried it. I just feel like he can't turn his brain off and relax enough to fall asleep.  It's always been an issue and it's not getting any better. Any advice would be so much appreciated!!!