Sleeping Habits of a 7-Week-Old

Having a 7-week-old baby in the home can interrupt everyone's sleep. Babies at that age often don't know the difference between night and day, so they wake up several times during the night. While babies sleep several hours a day, they also wake every few hours. At 7-weeks-old, you'll start recognizing your baby's habits and be able to recognize tired signs.

  1. Getting on Schedule

    • If you want to get your baby on a schedule that suits your family's needs, follow these tips. First, learn your child's sleep signs and put the baby down for a nap as soon as you notice them. Babies often don't know the difference between night and day, so it's up to you to teach them. Interact with him when he's alert during the day by playing, singing or bouncing. Keep the lights dimmed and noise level low at night and don't play with the baby when he wakes up.

    Tired Signs

    • Know the signs your baby shows when she is tired, so you know when to put her down for a nap and avoid meltdowns. This also helps with sleep training. You can put the baby in her normal sleeping spot at the first sign of tired signs. Some signs that babies exhibit when they are tired include rubbing their eyes, pulling their ears or they might have dark circles or marks under their eyes. Pay attention to your baby's habits and you'll probably know when to put your baby down for a nap.

    Baby Sleep Patterns

    • Around 6 to 8 weeks of age, babies naturally begin to sleep longer at night and shorter times during the day. When they are just a few weeks old, babies sleep about 14 hours a day, waking every few hours. Some infants might start to sleep for long stretches at night around 7 weeks old, but other infants don't sleep for long stretches until ages 5 to 6 months. At 7 weeks old, babies can be put down to sleep while awake to fall asleep on their own.

    Safe Sleep

    • Safe sleep is important to keeping your child healthy, and it can even save your baby's life. Unsafe sleep habits have been linked to suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Babies should be put on their back to sleep. If you notice that your baby has rolled to the side or even all the way over, flip the baby onto his back. Also sleep surfaces that are too soft have been linked to SIDS. Keep bumpers out of cribs also because of a link to suffocation, and the same goes for stuffed animals, blankets and pillows. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping soft bedding out of cribs until babies are at least 12 months old when they have the dexterity to move these items out of their way.

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