Kavi at day care.
Daycare wears my little one out.Did your baby's sleep habits change after he or she hit the 6-month mark?

Maybe it's the introduction to or stimulation from daycare. Or maybe it's because of her chaotic holiday weekend. Whatever the case, little Kavi's been fighting sleep like crazy these days.

Used to be my little one could fall asleep anywhere at any time -- and stay asleep despite the sirens and shouts that come with urban living.

Now she's officially 7 months old -- my, how time flies! -- and while she was sleeping between six and eight hours a night, lately she's reverted to a once a night wake-up call.

She's also napping a lot less than she used to. She's never really had a set sleep schedule during the day, but I could generally count on a few short naps. These days, though, getting her down midday is a full-on battle.

As I get her PJed up and fed, it seems to have the opposite of the desired effect. She'd rather play than nap, despite all the rubbing of the eyes and snuggling she'd been doing just minutes before. She'll babble and babble and babble, fighting sleep even if she can't keep her eyes open.

Kavi's daycare teacher, Miss Adele, assures me that this sleep disruption is normal the first few weeks after a little one starts a new schedule. In fact, she says that it's highly likely that Kavi will be sleeping longer and better once she gets used to the new schedule.

I sure hope so. In the meantime, I've found that a little activity is the best pre-bedtime soother. We go for a nice walk or have a warm, toy-filled bath. It really helps calm her down and get her into sleep mode. By then, a little cuddliness is all she needs before she's off to dreamland.

Did your little one have trouble sleeping at 6 months? How did you help your baby develop a comfortable sleep schedule again?

 

Image via Navdeep Singh Dhillon