WE HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER AND MY HUSBAND AND I CAN'T SEEM TO AGREE ON THE AMOUNT OF FOOD/FORMULA SHE IS EATING OR A BEDTIME FOR HER. RIGHT NOW SHE GETS UP ABOUT 8AM AND HAS 4 OZ OF FORMULA THEN 1 JAR OF RICE CEREAL. SHE GOES DOWN FOR A NAP AROUND 10 OR 11AND SLEEPS FOR ABOUT 1 1/2-2 HOURS. FOR LUNCH SHE HAS 4 OZ AND A JAR OF FOOD. THEN GOES DOWN FOR A NAP ABOUT 3 OR 4 AND ABOUT THE SAME FOR DINNER EXCEPT WITH MEAT. THEN PLAYTIME AND BATH. THEN SHE TAKES A CAT NAP AROUND 7:30. SHE GETS A 7 OZ BOTTLE ABOUT 9 OR SO AND GOES TO BED AROUND 11. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A NORMAL SCHEDULE. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT HER TO BED EARLIER.
My kids did the same thing until they were almost one and the double nap didn't stop until 18 months. I think you're doing fine. If her doc isn't concerned about her weight, then she's alright.
Everything except the bedtime sounds about right, I think. I do exactly the same thing except I put both of my girls to bed at 8 or 8:30 every night. They wake up at about 5:30 or 6, but they get plenty of sleep at night. It does depend on the child but you could get rid of that late nap and just put her to bed at 8 or so! I hope it helps!
I think you could get rid of the 7pm catnap and put her to bed at 8:30 or so. Babies this age really only need two naps and to sleep for about 10 hours at night. However, this depends on your child. When my daughter was that age, we put her down at 8 and she would sleep until about 6am. She also took two naps per day, each lasting about 2 hours.
I think you should both stop worrying about how much she eats and her schedule cuz it's going to keep changing as she gets older. Let her eat until she is full and sleep when she is tired. As for getting her to bed earlier it sounds like all you need to do it skip the last catnap. Engage her in something she finds interesting, then put her to bed early. She should be getting 12-14 hours of sleep a day. If she is getting that in naps during the day she is not going to sleep much at night. My 13 month old son naps 1 1/2-2 hours and sleeps from 7pm-7am. My kids have not napped much naturally, but they both go to bed at 7. That's my sanity to take time for myself and for my husband and I. You have to do what works out for you and your family and also respect her natural rhythms.
I have a 7 month old, she turned 7 months on Feb. 27th and I do have her on a schedule.
7 am..Wakes up and has a 4 oz bottle
9 am. Two hour nap
11 am. Half a jar of #3 and 4 oz milk
1 pm. Two hour nap
3 pm Half a jar of #3 and 4 oz milk
5 pm Two hour nap
7 pm Half a jar of #3 and 4 oz milk
9 pm 4 oz milk and then to bed for the night
Have you tried to cut out her evening nap? That will help so much!! I know that it might be hard for a few weeks, but then she can have bath and bed and then go to sleep about 830 or so. Have you tried to give her rice with her night bottle. That was the only way that I could get my kids to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time during the night.
I would cut out the "cat nap" at 7:30pm all together. Keep her awake until 8 or so, not 11pm, and then put her to bed. There is too much napping going on. There should be one morning one afternoon, and then bed. That way she will be more on a schedule for you. I always did nap time at 10:00am or 10:30, and another at around 1:00pm. Then by 7:30ish, my baby would go to bed for the night. She still woke up in the middle of the night, but she was on a routine for the day. As far as the feedings go... if she seems to be fulfilled after eating, then she is getting enough. I always fed my kids 6-8oz of formula in each bottle that they received. Then they got cereal with fruit in the morning, a jar of food for lunch, and then a fruit and a meat/veggie for dinner. Every child is different, believe me... I have 5. And not one of them did things the same way as another. But for the most part, I think if you change napping schedules you will find that it is easier for your daughter to go to bed at night. Hope some of this helps. Have a great day!
