What is a normal sleep schedule for a 5 month old baby?
You wanted to know what a normal sleep schedule looks like for a 5 month old. And between 4 and 7 months, most babies are sleeping about 12 to 16 hours during each 24 hour period. And by 6 months of age, most babies are on their way to sleeping about a good 9 hour chunk at night and about 3 to 4 hours during the day, and this is usually broken up into at least 2 naps. Some babies are still taking 3 naps at this point, and that's okay. Their sleeping patterns largely govern their eating patterns till about 5 or 6 months of age, and so they eat, and then they sleep, and then they wake up and play for a little while, and then they eat again, and they go back to sleep. So if your baby is taking 3 1-hour naps, that's totally typical and fine. The most important thing is that they're getting enough sleep overall.
It's good at this point to start developing good sleep habits in the sense that you have a bedtime routine, especially at night - something that's done every night around the same time that's going to teach your baby that it's time to calm down and get ready for sleep. This can be whatever you want it to be. It could be just rocking and talking, or singing a lullaby, or reading a book - just something that's going to be comforting to them. Some parents incorporate bath time into it as well. Just find something that works for you and stick to it.
It's also okay at this point (as long as your baby doesn't need extra night time feedings) to begin letting them learn how to self-soothe. In other words, this means that if they wake up in the middle of the night and cry for you, you'll only reinforce those wakings by responding to it, so it's okay to let them cry for a little bit before you go in and see what's going on, as long as you're sure that they're crying because they just want you. So give it 5, or 10, maybe even 15 minutes before checking on them. And if they continue to cry after reassuring them that you're there, making sure that they don't have immediate needs, the next time, give it 20 to 30 minutes before you go check on them. And continue to do this and be persistent and consistent about it for at least about a week or so, and they should learn that they don't get what they want most when they cry, which is you. If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's sleeping habits, talk with your pediatrician. And if you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at / intermountainmoms , and recommend us to your friends and family too.