🤔7/8 month bedtime refusal🤔
This is a post based on my own personal experiences from all 4 of my boys that I found around the 7 month age.
I had done the whole bedtime routine. The feed (they had stopped feeding and didn’t want any more), the wind-down, the cuddles. I knew they were tired. I had put them in the cot… and suddenly, it’s like they had never been tired in their life😅
Crying, arching, fighting sleep — and I was left wondering, “Wait, what just happened?!” They didn’t want any more milk, they even signalled to go into the cot!
I would end up getting them out, giving another feed, redoing wind down and they’d go down beautifully. It was like they thought they were ready and then realised they actually were not ready! I am seeing it more and more in my clients babies around this age. So why does this happen?
This phase is so common around 7–8 months.
💭 They’re in a developmental leap.
Their brains are busy. They are learning, practising and processing new skills like sitting, crawling, or babbling. It’s exciting… and it can make switching off harder.
🍼 They’re still needing that last feed.
Lots of babies around this age seem to finish their bedtime feed, they pull off, get distracted and it feels like they’re done. But then, once they’re in the cot, they realise… nope, not quite done after all! A quick top-up feed can make all the difference.
🫶 They need a little more connection before sleep.
Separation awareness starts to kick in around now. They just want a little extra comfort and reassurance before settling.
So if bedtime suddenly feels messy — take a breath. You’re not doing anything wrong.
Try offering that little extra feed or comfort if you sense they need it, even if you thought they were finished. It doesn’t mean you’re going backwards — it’s just meeting them where they are in their developmental stage.
This phase does pass. Keep your routine calm, predictable, and comforting — and trust that you know your baby best.
