A mother tells the nurse she is concerned because her 8 month old infant sleeps all day and night and is only awake about 2-3 hours per day. What is the nurse's best response?

A) "This sleep pattern is very normal for an infant at this age."
B) "Adding an additional feeding will keep the child awake more."
C) "I recommend that you notify the child's pediatrician."
D) "Be sure you are laying the child on his back to sleep at night."

By approximately 6 months of age, the infant should sleep through the night with at least one nap during the day. 2-3 hours of wakefulness per day is not an expected finding at age 8 months and should be reported to the pediatrician to determine the underlying cause. An additional feeding may be warranted; however the pediatrician should be notified first. Lying on infant on the back to sleep is recommended to prevent sudden infant death syndrome; however the priority concern is the length of time the child is sleeping.