Your baby's snooze patterns are changing like crazy these days. Here's how to help your 6-month-old sleep better at the half-year mark.
How much should a 6-month-old sleep?
Your 6-month-old should sleep about 15 hours a day, fitting in two or three naps in addition to the nine to 11 hours of sleep she’s logging at night.
If she dozes like a dream, sticks to a schedule and all is calm in your household, congratulations. It's also perfectly normal if your 6-month-old's routine continues to be a little unpredictable, especially because another sleep regression can rear its head this month.
Some babies naturally transition from topsy-turvy newborn sleep patterns into a regular schedule. But it's not uncommon for her half-year sleep routine to resemble an abstract painting: a thing of beauty to her, but baffling to everyone else.
If she’s often cranky, finicky at meals or showing other signs of mild sleep deprivation — all quite common for this milestone, particularly if she's going through the 6-month sleep regression — know that you're not alone, and there are a few steps you can take to improve her sleep.
While each baby is different, they do tend to fall into similar sleep patterns depending on their age and stage. Trying to establish a napping schedule right away for a newborn is a futile effort and could interfere with breastfeeding by impacting your milk supply.
