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Baby Hints & Tips

8 Month Old Routine – Sleep and Your 8 Month Old Baby

Your 8 month old baby has the ability to sleep through the night… if you’re lucky… but we’re not all so lucky!  He’s eating more, and more solids so he’s sleeping harder and longer.  He’s also using a whole lot of energy during the awake times in his routine.

8 month old routine

What the experts say about your 8 month old routine

We asked Tara Mitchell, baby sleep consultant, what mums can expect from an eight month old baby.  If you have any concerns about your baby’s sleep patterns, feeding or general health, speak to your doctor right away.

This time is all about movement, babbling, playing and touch. By 8 months your little one really does have the ability to sleep throughout the night (providing there is no medical or weight issues). That doesn’t mean that they have to or that you even want them to however, as it is quite normal for your little one to continue to need a feed overnight. I enjoyed the night feeds with my little ones so much I kept one feed a night until 12 months.

By this age, most little ones will be heading towards two solids naps a day so around 1.5 hours each, with an average awake time of around 2.5 – 3 hours. Keep the bedtime routine fun – sing songs, play with different bath toys and make it a positive time of the day.

What our community of mums said about the eighth month

 

  •  My little boy is 8 months 1 week, he wakes between 630- 7am has breastfeed than plays on the floor while I get the other 3 kids ready for school. Than has breaky at 8. Yogurt or ceral, weetbix or porriage. Then we take the kids to school then has breastfeed at 9am and sleeps til 11am most days. Wakes up has a play than lunch at 12 and a drink of water. He has fruit or sandwitch or vegies. Then breastfeed at 1 pm and sleeps til about 3 . Then plays outside on the grass. Has a few biscuits. Has another breastfeed at 4. Bath at 530 than vegies at 6pm than breastfeed than top up formula at 7pm than bed. He wakes around 3 am for a feed than sleeps til 630-7am most days anyway. Melissa
  • My boy was 8 months yesterday. He is bottle fed and has 4 bottles per day, morning and night he has 210ml and two bottles during the day of 240ml. He also eats cereal in the morning and fruit and veg twice a day (eats like his father!). He wakes anytime between 6-7am and is in bed by 7.15pm. He is just starting to try to crawl so most of the day he is on his play mat trying to figure this out haha! We go for an afternoon walk each day which we both love!! Jess
  • My girl wakes up at 7 has her bottle breaky at 8am bed at 9:20.  She then gets up at 11 and has a bottle lunch at 12 bed at 1:20 then sleeps till 3:15-3:30. She has another bottle dinner at 5 then bath bottle at 6:15 bed at 6:30. While shes awake she chases her brother in her walker plays with toys practices crawling and gets cuddles Tiff
  • My 8 months boy wakes between 6am and 7am (now that it’s daylight saving’s). He has a breast feed and then some cereal for breakfast. We walk his biggest sister to school and then he has a sleep for about 1.5hours. Then up for a play, another breastfeed around 12, then some fruit for lunch and back to sleep. If he sleeps well, this will keep him going until 5or even 7pm, but often he has hsort sleeps an I end up getting him up and down all arov. He has another feed around 5pm, some veges for tea and goes to bed for the night around 7pm. And a dream feed at 9.30pm. So 4 feeds a day, + 3 meals Kristin
  • He is 7 and 2 weeks. He wakes at 5:30!! because his daddys alarm has set him into that routine. he has a half an hour nap at 8am and then maybe an hour around 11:30 , then usually a half an hour in the afternoon. He is in bed asleeep by 7pm. Has 3 solids a day and 4 /180ml bottles of formula also one juice or water if he is thirsty ( as directed by his paediatrician) he plays in his jumper or sitting on the floor in the playroom while his sister zips around him, they have recently started fighting over toys. He rolls around the room and won’t be far off crawling. Victoria
  • My bub is 10 months now but still in the same routine as he was at 8 months, on a normal day he wakes around 7:30-8am BF has a play with his big brother has some cut up fruit then BF to sleep at 9:30am sleeps for 2 hours, has some lunch and BF after a play another BF then to bed about 1:30pm sleeps for 2 hours, has a BF when he gets up and some fruit and rice biscuits he will feed a few times before dinner, if it’s been a busy day he sometimes sleeps again at 4:30pm, dinner then BF story with daddy then BF to sleep at 7:30-8pm Kristy-Lee
  • My bub is 8 months old and has 4 bottles a day.  She usually wakes around 8 and has a 180 ml bottle then breakfast at t around 9 then has a sleep from 10-12 then a 180 ml bottle the usually lunch around 12.30 -1.  Then she is mainly on her play mat – she is currently trying to crawl we go to music one day a week. She usually has another sleep from 2.30-3.30 another 180 ml bottle at 4 maybe a little sleep around 5 dinner at 6 then a bath bottle at 8 p.m then she is in bed for the night Sonja
  • My little prince just turned 8 months and is a little all over the place at the moment. I used to mix feed breast and formula but now he is completely formula. He normally goes to bed around 9 ish and wakes around 7am. He has 3 bottles a day 3 meals and snacks and 2 big sleeps and 1 small nap. He is learning to crawl so spends most of the day on his playmat trying his hardest, or in his walker, jolly jumper or play centre. Joanna
  • Wakes between 5 and 6am, naps are around 8:30, 12 and 3 for about 40 minutes each, goes down for the night around 7, wakes at least once in the night. He has toast and fruit for breakfast, veg and yoghurt for lunch, meat and veg for dinner and snacks in between of some sultanas or fruit. He is breastfed still and has maybe 4-6 during the day and also when he wakes at night. We go out at least once a day to the shops or the park and at home we love to read books or play with toys. We’re a bit all over the place but we do what works. Rebecca
  • Wakes 6:30-7:00 has a 210ml bottle 8 am has cereal and fruit 9:30am sleep for 1.5 hours 11am 150ml bottle 12 lunch 1:30 sleep for 1-2 hours 3:30 210ml bottle 6 dinner bath 210ml bottle 7 bed sleeps through the night… When he is awake he is mr independent and just loves to explore the house and garden ( is crawling and pulling up on everything) or sit and play with his toys at least one day a week we do craft/sensory play as well as fitting in swimming lessons am mothers group lots of socialising Katie
  • She wakes up at 6/6:30am… Has cereal then play time / a bath and back to bed with approx 100-150ml bottle by 8:30/9am! Sleeps for 45 mins then is up playing / use this time to go shopping and run errands etc then around 12 she had some Lunch and then 2pm back to bed with small amount of bottle (100ml-ish) and she sleeps for approx 1.5-2hours and then awake til 7pm (has dinner around 6pm). At the moment she is still waking up at approx 3am for a bottle. Oh – and she has about 150ml of bottle right before night time bed! We have tried giving her water at the 3am wake up and she screams until we give her bottle. And she is actually hungry because you can hear her tummy growling! – and that’s after a big dinner and bottle!) Samara
  • My daughter sleeps from 7:30pm to 7am. She has 4 bottles a day (180ml) and 3 meals and 1 sippy cup of water. She has 3 day naps of about 1.5 -2 hours each and when she is awake we play with her toys, use flash cards and go swimming. She is crawling now has veen since 7months old and gets into everything! Haha. She is now trying to walk. Becky
  • My son is 9 months but has been in his routine from 6 or 7 months old he wakes at 7 has brekkie (flavoured oats) then plays for an hour goes back to bed with a bottle and sleeps until 10 then wakes up and has a sandwich or bikkie and a cool drink of juice then is content until about 12 then he has a nap till around 3 or so if there’s no startling noises and wakes around 5 then he has dinner and bath and is back in bed at 6 he then sleeps until morning but we always give him a formula bottle at 10 or 11 and change his nappy Denise
  • My son is 8 months. Wakes between 6-7am.  Breast feed after waking. Breakfast 7:30-8am Sleep 8:30am Wake 10:30 -11am Breast feed 11am Lunch 12 noon (fruit, sandwich, cheese) Sleep 1:30pm Wake 3pm Breast feed 3pm Dinner 5pm Bath 5:30pm Breast feed 6pm Bed 6:30pm  We also go for an avero walk & he loves playing with his sisters Renee
  • Wow! I’m really envious. My bub is 7months old. Wakes at about 4 or 5am. Goes back to bed at about 7:30. Takes half an hour or hour to get him to sleep. Then he sleeps 20mins. Awake for 2 hours. Another 20min nap. Isn’t content to play by himself (but is very happy and social-lots of energy) This routine continues until 5.30. Bath, story, massage and try to get him to sleep. Then he wakes every hour or two until the next morning. Elissa
  • He wakes at 630/7 has bf then breakie of weetbix and banana at about 8. Has nap at 10 for about 1 to 2 hrs. Bf upon waking and lunch shortly after but usually 12/1230. Has bf at 230/3 and nap for 1/2 hr to an hour. Dinner at 5 and then bath (every second day) at 6. Then bf and sleep 630/7 depending on how long afternoon nap was. His bf’s are much shorter now only about ten mins for both sides. He has plenty of water during the day. Usually wakes about 330/4am for a feed. At the moment he is unsettled because of a cold and has been waking twice . I think he is also close to getting some more teeth. He already has two. When he is awake we play with his blocks and cars and trains. He loves books and going for a ride in the car. He can stand really well and is working hard at walking. He can’t crawl and doesn’t seem interested. Just wants to walk! Alison
  • My 8 month old routine is 7am Wake up and have a bottle 10am Breakfast (fresh fruit & yoghurt) 11am Bottle & back to bed 12:30pm Wake up 1pm Lunch (fruit or veggies with quinoa – fills him up!) 2:30pm Bottle and back to bed 4pm Wake up 5:30pm Dinner (fish & veggies, fruit for dessert if still hungry) 6-6:30pm Bath 7pm Bottle and straight to bed Playtime varies from quiet reading, walks to the park with our dogs, exploring through “treasure baskets”, practising walking, outside play on the grass if the weather is nice. Anything to keep him interested and busy as he doesn’t sit still for long – quiet reading doesn’t happen very often! He has 4 bottles of formula a day, 3 meals with snacks if needed, two naps and LOTS of play to wear him out Kel
  • Wake at 7 have a bottle 210mls, sit in bouncer and chill til 8:30 then sleep, awake about 9:30-10 and then have cereal and fruit. Play with big sis or jolly jumper. 210 ml Bottle at about 11 then a sleep usually about 2-3 hours. Wake and have lunch usually fruit and yoghurt or a sandwich, then play with big sis or more jolly jumper, lots of crawling around. 210 ml bottle at about 4pm Dinner at 5:30-6 veggies and meats with cereal for bulk. Play with dad and a shower or bath, 210ml bottle at 7:30 then into bed. Sometimes we have an extra bottle if it’s hot or he’s hungry. He also loves playing with his toys, crawling, and chasing anyone who has food he wants. He loves when his brother and sisters sing and play guitar for him Sallie
  • My eight month old baby wakes anywhere between 6:30/7 had a bottle then goes back to sleep for and hour or so. Then toast and fruit for breakfast (milk and soy intolerant) then a bit of a play then a bottle and a sleep for 1/1.5 hrs. Then she has a snack and play again, she may have another sleep, seems to be dropping it lately and then has dinner and a bath and a bottle before heading to bed for the night between 6:30 and 7. Still having 5 bottles but reduced amounts from 180ml to 240ml. The interesting thing is that this is led by her, I demand fed and followed her tired queues from day one and she has slept through the night since 9 weeks. When awake she is on the move, crawling, standing.. Trying to walk. She has no fear. I think we have lots of bumps and bruises to come. Nicole
  • Depends on the day. Wakes anywhere between 5-7am. Bf on waking. About an hour later has porridge. If daycare day – has a 10min nap on way to daycare at 820am, then has lunch and a bottle of ebf at around 11am. Sleep at 12 for around 2.5hrs – her choice as she won’t go down for a nap until the other kids have their sleep as she might miss something. Then afternoon tea of a bottle of ebf plus a snack. Then sometimes a 10min nap on way home at about 430pm. Dinner at 6pm, bath and bf before bed usually by 7pm. Non daycare days I watch her cues re sleep as she is really difficult to get to sleep during the day. Usually try for a nap around 10ish and then again around 2pm but she won’t always have 2naps sometimes she will only have one. In the last few weeks she has started sleeping through overnight. Jaclyn
  • My 7.5 month old wakes anywhere between 6/7am has breakfast at 7am plays with her sister and I get her ready for the day then bottle and back to bed at 9:30am – sleeps for about 1.5hrs usually wakes at 11am then we usually go out and about and be home for lunch at 12:30 then back to bed at 2 with a bottle and then wakes about 3:30 and is up for the rest of the day/night. We do dinner at 5ish and bath at 7pm and then bed by 7:30pm she sleeps right through the night until 6/7am. She has 3 meals a day and sometimes a snack of fruit or toast. Kasey-Lee

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