How does your baby sleep?

Jill - posted on 11/10/2010

Wow what you said is almost identical to my situation! My six month old wont sleep and my 2 1/2 year old slept straight through the night when we brought her home from the hospital. I dont really have any advise but I definitely know how you feel. You arent alone!

Nicole - posted on 11/10/2010

I haven't read the other responses, so forgive me if I sound redundant...

All babies are different and just because some (like your DD) will sleep for 12, 10, 6, etc. hours at a time, others will not. Just keep in mind that this is what he needs and this is his bedtime routine. I know it can be very exhausting for you, but it WILL pass and he will grow out of it. I have 4 kids. My eldest slept 8+ hours by the time he was a few weeks old. My second didn't sleep more than 4 hours until he was AT LEAST 12 months old and then he would ONLY sleep for 4 hours at a time until he was at least 18 months old. While my third slept 4+ hours within a few weeks and would sleep 11+ hours by the time he was 4.5 months old. Now, my fourth (13 months old) still wakes about every 2 hours! I am exhausted! But, I know that this is just who he is and how he sleeps and I am just trying to work with him.

I always recommend that a parent wait until their child is at least 12 months old before they try to *gently* change their child's sleeping patterns. I just started working on mine (since he is now 13 months), but it is something I am trying to do very gently while keeping his needs in mind. The No-Cry Sleep Solution is a great book once your baby reaches toddlerhood!

Hang in there sleepy mommy like me! We'll get a full night's of sleep before too long and then we'll feel great for our sacrifice on our child's behalf. You can do it!!! I promise it will get better before you know it!

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/10/2010

Not selfish! It's just hard adjusting to this sleeplessness thing. I really want more sleep every night but I'm ok with it, I chose to have a baby and now it's not fair of me to not care for him. Soooo, it's hard and I'm tired but he is so so worth it and I Know I will miss it when he is older, it's such a sweet time in the night where he clings to me and is just all cuddled up in my lap, so sweet :)

Celeste - posted on 11/09/2010

I don't think it's selfish at all. I totally get where you're coming from! It's hard! Hopefully, something will work!

Jennifer - posted on 11/09/2010

Thanks for all of the replies - I really appreciate the variety of advice - it's not even so much that I expect him to sleep 12 hours, I guess I'm just selfish in wanting to sleep for 4 hours before having to wake up again - I know that this too shall pass and I probably will miss it when it does, I think I am going to try a few of the suggestions and see how they work. Thanks again

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/09/2010

Normal normal normal, that's my experience too.
My son is the same, he is now 1 1/2 he nurses once or twice a night, 5 times a day, eats meals with me and naps one nap about two hours long.
Fact is babies need mom, they need comfort, they need touch. Ideally for every baby they would sleep with mom from day one and be touching her al night. But since we use cribs they really need that bonding in the night.
Have you ever woken for a drink or to use the bathroom? Babies are even more vulnerable so it's really reasonable to think they would need attention night and day.
Babies are thought these days to 'fit' into our lives so we aretaught to ignore their night time needs.
Mom has to be mom at night too, and yes it's hard and sometimes I hate it but my son needs me at night and day so I will be here for him until he grows out of the need for my comfort at night.
I want him to love me through his teen years and I believe showing him this night time love will help that.

Katie - posted on 11/09/2010

My daughter's 7 months, and she's been sleeping through the night since she was 3 weeks old. (By sleeping through the night at 3 weeks, I mean she was sleeping 6-7 hours) Now, at 7 months, she sleeps from 7 pm- 7ish am. She's breastfed, and gets 2 solid meals during the day. I've heard that it's common for BF babies to take longer to sleep through the night. You could try to wake him early from his 2nd nap. Maybe he's not tired enough?

Noreen - posted on 11/08/2010

My almost 14month old sleeps by me and has an open buffet all night if she wanted. She gets up atleast once to nurse still.

Carolyn - posted on 11/08/2010

try dream feeding him at around 11 . I give my son expressed milk in a bottle while he sleeps, and it holds him through the night. since your son isnt taking a full feed, it sounds more like habitual waking since its like clockwork.

youcan dream feed, litterally feeding him while he sleeps, and if he is waking out of hunger , you should see him sleep til later before waking. if its out of habit, you can try setting your alarm an hour before he usually wakes, and go in and stir him a bit to atleast semi consciousness to break the habit. after a few nights of messing with his habit it should break.

- both things ive read in The baby whisperer solves all your problems. most amazing book ever.

you could also try lulling him back to sleep with a pacifier if you are using one, or sitting with him and not feeding to break that comfort feed routine you have established.

Celeste - posted on 11/08/2010

It's pretty common for babies that age not to sleep through the night, and doesn't have anything to do with how they're fed.

My daughter slept through at 3 months and was BF'ed and then my twin boys came along. They didn't sleep through the night til almost 2. Cosleeping, even it was part time really helped get SOME sleep.