8 Month Old Wakes Too Easily
July 28, 2010 6:04 PM Subscribe
My 8 month old daughter is a light sleeper. How can I help her sleep more soundly?
When we brought her home, my husband and I were so worried about her sleep that we made sure to be quiet while she napped and slept at night. Now that she is beyond the super-tiny-infant stage, we realize that we shot ourselves in the foot.
She sleeps with a white noise sound machine. Our house itself is pretty quiet, we don't have TV but the radio plays at low volumes much of the day and night. She is still taking two naps a day, when she misses one she becomes quite grumpy.
This week I started making more noise around the house during nap time (after she had slept 45 min). Even starting with very low level noises, she rouses almost instantly.
Should we remove the sound machine? Work on this during the nap times or at night? Any other tips?
When we brought her home, my husband and I were so worried about her sleep that we made sure to be quiet while she napped and slept at night. Now that she is beyond the super-tiny-infant stage, we realize that we shot ourselves in the foot.
She sleeps with a white noise sound machine. Our house itself is pretty quiet, we don't have TV but the radio plays at low volumes much of the day and night. She is still taking two naps a day, when she misses one she becomes quite grumpy.
This week I started making more noise around the house during nap time (after she had slept 45 min). Even starting with very low level noises, she rouses almost instantly.
Should we remove the sound machine? Work on this during the nap times or at night? Any other tips?
Our daughter still sleeps with white noise at 25 months. I do recall that there was a period of time where she woke up much more readily, probably around that time through 16 months but I can't recall for sure when it was. But it definitely coincided with her greater awareness of the world around her and a realization that other things continued to happen after she went to bed. This was also about the time that separation anxiety set in. But then it passed and now she sleeps well again and we're not as on edge all night hoping to keep her asleep. Kids change and what worked before doesn't work the next day. I don't really think the noise machine is the problem.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:07 PM on July 28, 2010
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:07 PM on July 28, 2010
Research has shown that running water makes babies calmer and puts them to sleep because it calls back memories from the womb. I'm not sure whether it has the same effect as a white noise machine, however.
posted by Senza Volto at 1:05 AM on July 29, 2010
posted by Senza Volto at 1:05 AM on July 29, 2010
Best answer: I am almost 34 and I still like a little white noise when I sleep, usually a ceiling fan or a floor fan. Both of my kids sleep with fans on in their rooms, too. I use a white noise machine if we have company and will be rowdier than usual. I would suggest stepping down from the white noise machine to a fan, just because that is easier to replicate in other sleeping situations, like on vacation or when visiting the grandparents. Then live your life in your house as you normally would. Don't make extra noise for her benefit, but don't tiptoe through the house either. You might have a few days where she wakes up more often that usual, but like all things, it will pass.
posted by Hushpuppy at 6:22 AM on July 29, 2010
posted by Hushpuppy at 6:22 AM on July 29, 2010
Best answer: The whole "sleeps like a baby" thing is bunk, or at least it was for me. My daughter used a white noise machine at that age too (out of total necessity/desperation on our parts), and probably did until she was 2 or so. (We took it away because we didn't want her to get dependent upon it).
Now, at age 5.5 she sleeps like a baby! Seriously, she can fall asleep with any manner of noise and lights, and sleeps through all kinds of stuff. I never thought I'd see this day when she was 8 months old. So, perhaps don't worry about it. She'll probably improve as she ages.
posted by kirst27 at 7:38 AM on July 29, 2010
Now, at age 5.5 she sleeps like a baby! Seriously, she can fall asleep with any manner of noise and lights, and sleeps through all kinds of stuff. I never thought I'd see this day when she was 8 months old. So, perhaps don't worry about it. She'll probably improve as she ages.
posted by kirst27 at 7:38 AM on July 29, 2010
Maybe other things are contributing to her light sleeping? We have 3 kids and the oldest and youngest (4 and just under a year) sleep great and deep. But our toddler has some weird food sensitivities that I think keep her uncomfortable and perhaps in a lighter sleep phase for much of the night. I had to eliminate dairy and eggs and have kept certain things out of my girl's diet, like artificial food coloring. My kids sleep best in a cool room without socks or footie PJs, too.
Oh, and this is a big one: putting the baby on its tummy helped all 3 of ours sleep much better -- we made sure to eliminate the SIDS stuff we could, like stuffed animals, blankets, etc in the crib, and waited til our babies could lift heads, etc.... YMMV of course depending on your comfort with the idea.
Good luck --
posted by mdiskin at 10:16 AM on July 29, 2010
Oh, and this is a big one: putting the baby on its tummy helped all 3 of ours sleep much better -- we made sure to eliminate the SIDS stuff we could, like stuffed animals, blankets, etc in the crib, and waited til our babies could lift heads, etc.... YMMV of course depending on your comfort with the idea.
Good luck --
posted by mdiskin at 10:16 AM on July 29, 2010
Best answer: Don't blame yourself. DH and I specifically tried not to be quiet for our baby, and she still needed quiet to sleep. That's just her.
At your baby's age, I would say to keep doing what you can to provide her with the best sleep. (And yourselves, too!) Babies need to mature into their ability to sleep more deeply; it's part of brain development. You may go through a lot of effort for nothing, and then she'll suddenly start sleeping more deeply at, say, 18 months without your help.
posted by Knowyournuts at 2:50 PM on July 29, 2010
At your baby's age, I would say to keep doing what you can to provide her with the best sleep. (And yourselves, too!) Babies need to mature into their ability to sleep more deeply; it's part of brain development. You may go through a lot of effort for nothing, and then she'll suddenly start sleeping more deeply at, say, 18 months without your help.
posted by Knowyournuts at 2:50 PM on July 29, 2010
It is funny how often light is overlooked as a factor in infant and baby sleep. Blackout shades solve many sleep problems in day and night.
Good luck!
posted by Riverine at 9:10 PM on July 30, 2010
Good luck!
posted by Riverine at 9:10 PM on July 30, 2010
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On some level, you cannot control what kind of sleeper she is - heavy or light. You can have the same house for two fraternal twins, same environment, and one will sleep like a log and one will be awoken by a sneeze.
Also, just so you know, you will not be 100% satisfied with your child's sleeping habits for the next 18 years. Wait 16 years until they want to stay in bed until 3pm in the afternoon, that will be a much more annoying sleeping habit than your 8 month old.
Give her time, she will learn to sleep like everyone else. But, do ween her off the white noise machine - I think that will cause you head-aches down the road.
posted by Flood at 6:48 PM on July 28, 2010