Wonder Weeks Leap 7
- Camille Jaramis
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
The world has an order now.
Why your baby suddenly anticipates what’s coming next (and why sleep can wobble again)
Around week 41 (based on your baby’s due date), many babies enter Wonder Weeks Leap 7, the leap of sequences.
If earlier leaps were about noticing the world, this one is about understanding what comes next.
Your baby isn’t just reacting anymore. They’re predicting.
And yes, sleep can feel a little off while their brain gets busy connecting the dots.
The science: what’s changing in your baby’s brain
Leap 7 is all about patterns and order.
Your baby starts to understand that events happen in a sequence:
First the bath, then pyjamas
First you put them in the cot, then the lullaby
First the lullaby, then you leave
According to The Wonder Weeks, this leap supports early sequencing and memory. Developmental science (including research from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child) shows that recognising patterns is a major building block for problem-solving, independence, and emotional regulation later on.
But here’s the catch:
Once babies know what’s coming next, they often want to pause it, test it, or protest it. Especially at bedtime.
What this means for your baby
During Leap 7, you might notice:
More anticipation (they know when you’re about to leave the room)
Stronger separation awareness
More standing or sitting up in the cot mid-sleep
Increased frustration when routines don’t go as expected
A sudden need to repeat the same game, book, or action over and over
This isn’t defiance. It’s your baby learning how time and order work.
Why Leap 7 can feel intense for parents
Because sleep relies on letting go, and your baby’s brain is doing the opposite.
They’re rehearsing sequences, replaying moments, and staying just a bit more alert than usual. That can show up as:
Shorter naps
Bedtime resistance
Early morning wakes
Night wakes where they sit or stand and seem unsure how to lie back down
It can feel like you’ve gone backwards. You haven’t. This is development in motion.
How to support your baby through Leap 7
This leap responds best to calm predictability, not big changes.
Helpful anchors:
Keep routines steady - the same bedtime flow each night helps their brain feel safe in the sequence
Name what’s happening - “First milk, then sleep” helps them organise their expectations
Practise new skills during the day - lots of standing, cruising, and movement before bedtime
Pause before intervening at night - if they’re briefly awake, give them a moment to work it out. You’re giving their brain space to integrate. Sometimes a parent's presence can make a baby more awake. Depends on the baby!
Sleep during Leap 7: what might change
Common (and temporary) shifts include:
Fighting naps they normally take
Standing or sitting in the cot instead of settling
Waking overnight without needing a feed
Early starts to the day
What helps:
A slightly longer wind-down before sleep
Watching wake windows closely (over-tiredness makes this leap louder)
Gentle consistency; same response, same cues, night after night
Most babies at this age don’t need to wake to feed overnight, even though some still do. Night wakes are usually developmental or habitual, not hunger-driven.
What not to worry about
Night wakes that come and go
Standing or sitting during sleep
Increased clinginess at bedtime
Repeating the same actions endlessly
These are signs of learning, not sleep breaking.
Common myths during Leap 7
Myth: “They’re waking because something’s wrong.” Truth: They’re often waking because their brain is practising sequences.
Myth: “If sleep falls apart now, it’s a bad habit.”
Truth: Developmental sleep disruption is temporary when supported calmly.
If you could ask an expert one thing…
“How do I support my baby through this leap without turning night wakes into a long-term thing?”
👉 Ask Yawn. It reads your baby’s age, development, sleep patterns, and temperament, and helps you respond in a way that supports sleep and growth, without guesswork.
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