# Comparison With Parents of "Good" Sleepers



## Redmom (Jul 26, 2011)

Sorry this is going to be a bit of a vent - I just need a few hugs and some empathy.

My 15 month old wakes about 3-4 times a night and takes 2 x 30-45 minute naps per day. Until he was about 12 months old he woke at least 7 times a night, and I was a crazy sleep deprived mama.

Anyway, my DH and I have tried a bunch of things to improve his sleep patterns with no real improvement, so have come to realize that this is how he sleeps, and for the most part have come to terms with the fact that we will have unterrupted sleep for the forseeable future.

So I belong to a mom's group and recently someone asked everyone else about their little one's sleep and nap patterns. Our kids are roughly the same age.

One by one the moms revealed that their kids slept through the night without waking (unless teething, sick etc) and took good solid 1-2 hour naps each day.

I realized I was the only one whose little one "still" does not sleep through the night and has shorty short little catnaps.

I should comment that most of these moms bottle feed their kids and many have sleep trained them. By contrast I breastfeed, co-sleep and firmly against CIO in any form.

As much as I try not to compare my little guy with any other kids - after all, he is who he is - this really sent me over the edge. It's hard struggling through night after night, and being tired during the day, and hearing before my very eyes how much "easier" other moms have it.

What's worse is when one of the moms complains when their little one has woken once or twice due to teething, illness etc and they proclaim to be "sooooo sleep deprived".

Someone please tell me I'm not the only mom of a 15 month old who is still facing these kind of sleep challenges.

Sorry this is such a negative post. It's hard to be the odd one out!


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## transylvania_mom (Oct 8, 2006)

Just ask yourself: would you trade places with one of the moms whose baby sleeps through the night (and doesn't co-sleep or breastfeed)?

My kids didn't sleep through the night at that age and I wouldn't trade co-sleeping and breastfeeding for anything in the world. When they are older you will forget about those sleepless nights, but you'll still have the memories and bond that comes with co-sleeping and breastfeeding.

It might not seem an advantage to you now when you would do anything for a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep, but try to look at the bigger picture. Can you do something to get a bit of rest now? Can you sleep in another room while your dh co-sleeps, at least for part of the night? Can you nap with your baby?

"Sleeping through the night" is very relative though. My sister has a boy the same age as my dd; sis bottlefed and was (is) against co-sleeping. It's true that at 1 y/o her baby was sleeping through the night and mine still woke up 2-3 times to nurse; but it took her at least one hour every evening of rocking / carrying her baby to put him to bed, while I was nursing dozing off to sleep next to dd. But she can brag that her baby was sleeping through at 2 weeks (and was FTT also). I don't envy her though.

You never know what cost STTN comes at.


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## 34me (Oct 2, 2006)

Sometimes it's a personality thing too. I have 3 teens. #1 and 3 were fabulous sleepers. Always have been, hopefully always will be. #2 is a horrible sleeper, no rhyme or reason. At 15 (years old) there are some days when he plays lacrosse for 2 hours, then goes straight to hockey practice. Still sleeps like doo-doo. the only thing that helps is that he's old enough know where I go to bed if I'm tired and it's ok that he's still up.


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## christinelin (Aug 13, 2003)

I could have written this post when my kiddos were younger. It is so hard to feel like your child isn't doing what they are "supposed to" do. And I constantly beat myself up, thinking that if I did just the right thing, they would sleep. Many, many tearful nights (me, not them!) They were all parented the same way (long-term nursing, mostly cosleeping until between 2 and 3 years). I did follow standard good sleep habit stuff, like regular bedtimes and a bedtime routine, because that worked for me, but it didn't really magically change anything. My kids each are who they are in terms of sleep and everything else.

They are now 11, 8, and 6. The oldest is a night owl, but sleeps through the night (or at least doesn't need adult attention at night). The middle guy has several insomnia, likely related to special needs. He takes melatonin to fall asleep and then typically doesn't need adult attention at night, but I know he wakes frequently and reads or draws in the middle of the night. My youngest, who was always my best sleeper, but still didn't sleep through the night until he was past his second birthday, is a champion sleeper. He falls asleep easily and sleeps 10-11 hours a night without waking.

I came to believe that we have a screwed up idea of what normal sleep looks like in this culture. I think what your son is doing is normal and what the other babies are doing is NOT, but they are also not being fed normally (nursed) or sleeping in what is evolutionarily a normal setting (beside mom). Your guy will grow into sleeping longer stretches (in my experience, this happens as they gradually wean) and eventually he will likely sleep through the night without needing your attention. And if he doesn't, it will be because of who he is and how he is wired and not because of anything you did or didn't do.

I recommend doing what you are doing, trying to practice acceptance of who your son is and his normal behavior, and limiting conversation of sleep with anyone whose stories are not helpful.

And you will miss having a warm little body curled up against you. It's hard to believe, but it's true.


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## Adaline'sMama (Apr 16, 2010)

You are NOT the only mom of a 15 month old with these kinds of problems. That sounds almost just like DD when she was 15 months old. Now, at two (next week) she sleeps through the night 3-4 days a week. The other 3-4 days she wakes once or twice in the night and needs me to get back to sleep, and Im not even nursing her anymore. Sometimes she takes ONE 45-80 minute nap. Never, ever two hours. ever.

I have friends whose kids will lay down and go to bed all on their own, and still nap 3 hours a day. Jealous.

I think bottle feeding and sleep training have a lot to do with, but I also think that in groups like that its easy for a mom to embellish. I feel like sometimes "always" and "never" mean "sometimes" and "occasionally".


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## OSUvet (Jun 19, 2009)

Nope unfortunately it's totally normal and I have told myself exactly what the PP said: That I would not give up breastfeeding and cosleeping for anything... not even 3 or 4 hours of sleep in a row.

My DS is 13mo and has just started napping better most days but still wakes anywhere from 5-8 times during his 11 hours in (my) bed. It's getting better... between 6-10 months he was up almost hourly. I try to appreciate the frequent 2 hour stretches now. Some day they will sleep. Hang in there!!


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

So at 15 months ds was waking every 2-3 hours to nurse. I was exhausted. At that point we did nightwean (between 12-5) & substituted a waterbottle if he woke in those hours - within a couple weeks he started to sleep slightly longer stints until he was only waking twice a night on average. He slept with that frequency of wake-ups until well after his 2nd birthday. He turned 3 in the fall & it is only recent that he consistently "sleeps through the night" but in fact I know he wakes up throughout the night he just no longer needs me every time - he now only actually needs me in the night once or twice a week. He has always seemed to need less sleep than most others his age (dropped to one nap sooner, took shorter naps, slept less hours at night & dropped naps altogether sooner) so I know some of this is just him.

The nightweaning was absolutely key for us - by being able to get one 5 hour chunk in the night I suddenly felt a lot more normal, but it did mean several rough nights 'cause he wasn't very pleased (there wasn't much actual crying, just a lot of restlessness). As well, I napped with him as often as possible (when he was still napping), partly because I was overtired & partly because I did find he slept longer if I was right there.

Dd at 5 months already sleeps 5-6 hours straight at the beginning of the night. I am doing nothing different really - she just is a different personality.


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## luckiest (Apr 29, 2009)

You're so not alone. DS is 15 months, wakes at night...I don't know, a lot. I'd guess upwards of 5 times, but we don't have a clock in the bedroom, and since we cosleep and breastfeed, I barely wake up myself. Friends LOVE to give us advice on how to "fix" him. I'm tempted to lie to people and say that he STTN, but then I feel like that's just perpetuating the myth that it's abnormal for babies/toddlers to wake up at night and need help going back to sleep. Now though, he's old enough that most people just assume that he STTN and don't even ask.

It does seem like, as long as he isn't actively teething, he's starting to go longer stretches. I had a morning where I woke up and didn't remember being up with him AT ALL! But he was on the opposite side of me as how we fell asleep, so I must've nursed him at some point.

The ironic thing is, the nights where he slept the "best" have me feeling more tired the next day!


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## tanyato (Aug 27, 2011)

oooh my goodness. FTM here, with a 4 month old - but I can already relate. I'm around a lot of moms with babies and sleep is everyone's favorite topic. Why is everyone obssesed with how much your baby is sleeping? even random strangers that i talk to in the grocery store will say "oh what a cutie! how does he sleep?". ummmm, why do you care?

My little guy has a (wonderful) long stretch from about 7 or 8pm until 12 or 1am. Sometimes he wakes up earlier though. but that few hours in the early evening are a lifesaver for me. Usually DH and just enjoy being able to spend time together before we go to bed, but I've had to be really strict about not staying up too late so i can get as much uninterrupted sleep in as possible before the every 1-2 hr night feeds start.

It's taken me until just now to come to terms with the fact that this will be the "normal" for US and I'll just have to make it work. If it's been a really rough night then I commit to napping with DS once the next day (sometimes twice). I often wonder how it'll be with two kiddos as I know I won't have the "luxury" of daytime napping once I have a toddler AND a baby, but then I just let it go, accept how life is NOW and take advantage of the fact that i just have one and i can sleep with him during the day if need be.

as for naps, my little guy is a cat napper too. drives me a bit nuts but it is what it is. he's 40min. on the dot 3-4x day. NEVER longer. my SIL has two under 2 and she's all about sleep training. she's told me about her 7 month old's 1 1/2 hr naps and i've always been a bit jealous. until i was at her house the other day during nap time - her 7 month old cried in her crib for a good 30 minutes before sleeping for about 30 minutes, then 10 more minutes of crying then another 30 minutes of sleeping. so...basically she doesn't nap for 1 1/2 hours, she just gets left in her crib for 1 1/2 hours. um. right. no thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Mami_Feliz (Mar 27, 2010)

DS1 was a terrible sleeper and I spent the first two years completely sleep-deprived. He's now 6 and sleeps like a rock (probably has since he was about 3). At the time I was frazzled, but it truly does get better eventually. When I was really desperate I would get the babysitter in for two hours so that I could catch up on sleep - best money I ever spent! Can you find someone to help you get some extra sleep?


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## mambera (Sep 29, 2009)

I think a lot of it is just the particular baby.

DD1 has always seemed to have a low sleep need. From the time she was a month old she'd take a little 20-minute catnap and wake up refreshed. I felt like I never got to pee or take a shower.

DD2 is an awesome sleeper (knock wood). She takes two solid 2-2.5 hour naps plus a couple of shorter ones during the day.

Both have coslept and bf through the night because that is easier *for me.* I nurse sidelying and don't have to wake up for it very much. I do need to stay in bed longer than I would if I were getting a 7-hour block like I used to before I had kids, but I don't feel tired during the day at all.

OP I think your LO is old enough to nightwean if you are interested in that. I didn't do it until I was pregnant and night nursing became uncomfortable, but I was amazed at how after just a couple of crappy nights it cut down the frequency of waking from several times a night to once every 3-4 nights.


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## Lisanna (May 17, 2011)

You're definitely not alone. My DD is only just over 12 months, but she wakes a lot during the night. Sometimes it feels like she nurses, lets go, rolls over, then wakes up and wants to nurse again, over and over. I'm sure I sleep short periods during that, but I'm so tired it usually feels like I'm awake the entire time. And when she's teething, she wants to nurse for most of the night - in fact, that's just about the only way I can sleep! Some days are better than others - 3-4 wakings instead of, well, way more than that - but I guess I've just accepted this is the norm.

She's also never been great about naps. From one month on, it was cat naps. Usually 4-5 25-35 minute naps every day. Now she's down to two, and while she will many times sleep for an hour and a half, there are then days like today where both naps were about 45 minutes, and the second one really took some convincing (30 minutes of nursing off and on, with her trying to crawl away... finally I fell asleep and then so did she).

I'm not part of a moms group, but every single time I talk to my mother and the topic of sleep comes up, she asks "Is she sleeping through the night yet?" And so I often find myself going through answers to her question in my head (something other than "shove it"), which just aggravates me more! Ugh. I wish other people weren't so nosy about how our children sleep.

But as other posts have said, I wouldn't trade my co-sleeping and nursing experiences with her for the world. Yes, I find myself getting really frustrated during the night when I'm so tired and just want to sleep, but I love it just the same. I love her little sleepy body next to mine, and will cherish those moments forever! (Conveniently forgetting the lack of sleep, I'm sure.







)


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## SundayCrepes (Feb 15, 2008)

My son started sleeping through the night at 4 YEARS.

Our daughter started sleeping through the night at 2.5 YEARS. I was expecting 4 years for her as well, so I was doing cartwheels in the street.

And the weird thing is I suddenly needed a lot more sleep. It was weird.

Then she started waking at night again. I was really bummed about that. I thought it was because my husband's hours were cut so I started working part time. I figured it was a stress thing. After a few months I realized what it was...She's adopted and at 3.5 still nurses to sleep. Except I'm not lactating any more so I use a supplementer. Since she has a dairy allergy I had been using watered down coconut milk. Then switched to rice milk because I didn't want to keep giving her coconut milk out of cans because of the BPA. Since rice milk is much sweeter than coconut milk and much thinner, instead of drinking an ounce or so, she was drinking 5 or 6 ounces of milk. Then was waking to pee. I switched her to almond milk which isn't sweet and is a bit thicker. Now she only takes an ounce or so and sleeps through the night.

Bedtime and nighttime are so pleasant at our house. Both kids snuggle up next to me. I nurse her while reaching behind me to scratch his back. Once she's asleep, I roll over and trace his ear, if he's awake. So much nicer than putting them to bed in their own rooms and own beds. And waking up to my 6 year old boy saying, "Can I snuggle with you?" is pure joy.


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## cyanotype (Mar 21, 2012)

I have been reading this forum for months, but I swear, I joined just today to post the EXACT same post that you did. I have a 14 month old daughter who has never slept well. She happily goes to sleep in our bed with her dad every night (only requiring him to lay by her to drift off), and is then moved to her crib. She wakes up at around 10 or 11 every night, at which time she comes into our bed. Generally, its an all-night squirm-fest, interrupted by her pawing at my shirt to nurse every hour or two. Trust me, I never thought two people could function on so little sleep as my husband and I do. This has been our nightly pattern for about 8 months now. Occasionally, we'll have a 'good' few weeks of her having a longer first stretch, or only waking 2 or 3 times for a quick feed, but lately its been pretty restless.

She takes two naps every day, 20-45 minutes usually. If she's in the car or her stroller she'll sleep longer. When she was younger she had more frequent naps, but they were rarely much longer than this.

I have tried to find a reason for her sleeping patterns for ages, but I too have finally pretty much given up and accepted that this is just how she naps. I've asked her doctor (who is a great AP grandma!) about possible health issues, but she's assured me that our LO is the picture of health and there is no medical reason for her sleep patterns.

Hearing girlfriends tell me how their kids sleep from 7pm to 9am and then have two two-hour naps drives me bananas too : S Especially when they complain that their kid 'only' had a 1 hour nap.

I do try to just get over it and accept that it is how it is, but sometimes, especially after a bad night (like last night was) and I'm exhausted it is hard. I cherish all of our wonderful cuddle moments as well, but I would be lying if I said that I adore the process every single night and day, and don't wish my kid would sleep already!


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## angelarose1 (Jun 19, 2009)

I, myself, rarely sleep through the night and even before having my son would often wake for an hour or so in the wee hours of the morning, so I don't find it odd that my son would wake around 3 times a night for around 15-20 minutes up until maybe 20 months old. Sleeping through the night isn't even normalfor many adults and they are convinced its a problem, so they resort to sleeping aids and stress about it because not getting all the sleep they need in one stretch doesn't fit their lifestyle...


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## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

It's so hard to feel good about crappy sleep in situations like that. Part of maybe personality: those kids are just good sleepers. Part of it is that sleeping through the night was likely forced on them with sleep training. I have a 3.5 y/o and he was a crummy sleeper. Around 15 months he was still waking frequently and I believe it was around that time I chose to night wean. He started sleeping a bit better. Then around 21 months he was still waking 1-3 times a night when I completely weaned him. Then he started STTN. Unfortunately I was pregnant and still woke regardless due to pregnancy discomforts. Now he STTN most nights. Of course I'm now cosleeping and nursing on demand my 14 month old. I don't currently have plans to night wean him but it has crossed my mind. Right now I like being able to settle him in by nursing rather than walking or rocking him. DS2 has been a slightly better sleeper than ds1 so maybe I'll get some decent sleep at some point.

When ds1 was a baby/toddler, I thought it would last forever and some days it felt like forever. But looking back, I'm happy with choices that I made. I'm not sure I would be content if I had gone to CIO (as I also against it). Some times when I'm frustrated at rocking my son to sleep I try to think "would I rather be here comforting him or downstairs letting him cry alone?" That and remembering that someday he won't be a baby and may not be as interested in cuddling.


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## luckiest (Apr 29, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SundayCrepes*
> 
> Since she has a dairy allergy I had been using watered down coconut milk. Then switched to rice milk because I didn't want to keep giving her coconut milk out of cans because of the BPA.


Just FYI - the Native Forest brand is BPA free, if you want to go back to coconut milk. It's fattier and more filling than almond milk, plus the cartoned almond milk has random bizarre ingredients. Coconut milk is also crazy easy (and cheap!) to make yourself and freeze.


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## tillymonster (May 12, 2011)

I just have to chime in and say... My DD is just shy of 2.5yo and still wakes at night. Sometimes-- she doesn't even take a nap. This is normal and I actually believe her 4 hour stretch is considered good sleeping. Ha! But I'm a WAHM. Do you work out of the house? That might make all the difference although some can't change that situation. I'm lucky in that respect.

I also wanted to say that some people just... Lie. They say their kiddos NEVER sleep in their beds when they do. I've caught SIL in the act saying her 12mo son just lays down to sleep in his crib and I've never witnessed that or believe her when I've heard the dad say otherwise. Like how he loves waking to his sons' smiling face in the AM.

Don't let it get you down mama. Enjoy your baby because one day, they will sleep on their own and you'll miss it. Or I know I will. This is just my 2 cents! I understand!


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## tribord (Mar 18, 2009)

Ugh... hearing about how much other babies sleep can be such a downer. Almost everyone I know IRL has great sleepers (at least compared to mine). My DS sleeps like yours and my DD did,too back then (she's fine now). I will probably nightwean DS in the next 6 months or so. It helped a lot w/DD. ((hugs)) and hang in there.


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## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

My 3yo woke up twice last night to throw tantrums.Yay. A few night wakings at 15mo in comparison? Easy peasy, I'll take that back any day!!

(please don't feel like I'm diminishing your experience - I'm at work right now trying to keep my eyes open and its not fun! And, I really do know how it is, my ds hates to sleep and clearly takes after my dad who still, in his 50's, doesn't need more than 5-6hours of sleep a night).


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## Everrgreen (Feb 27, 2007)

My son was still nursing through the night at that age (I nightweaned around 22 months). I honestly always felt rested, he was in the bed with me so I'd wake for a second help him latch on and we'd both go back to sleep. The only time I started to feel 'exhausted' is if I would start to compare my situation with other parents and start to feel resentful of the situation. When it was just the two of us with no thought as to how it 'should' be, the night wakings didn't bother me at all.

As for naps, I think it was around that time that we switched to just one nap. He went from having a morning and late afternoon nap to having a bigger nap in between (around 12). I kept him busy through the morning (play groups, getting outdoors) and then he'd crash after lunch.


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## tanyato (Aug 27, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Everrgreen*
> 
> The only time I started to feel 'exhausted' is if I would start to compare my situation with other parents and start to feel resentful of the situation. When it was just the two of us with no thought as to how it 'should' be, the night wakings didn't bother me at all.


so true for me too! i've had a major attitude make-over in the last month about night wakings and wow...i'm actually less tired! i no longer look at the clock, moan, groan and get frustrated every time ds wakes my up. i just latch him on, and go back to dozing. some nights i don't even know how many times i actually wake up to nurse him. i stopped caring. and since then, i'm much happier! i look at it like this: no, we're not sleeping through the night, but we certainly are getting plenty of rest. i don't get out of bed all night thanks to co-sleeping i really do feel rested in the morning...usually...


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

OP: I haven't read the thread, and hopefully you got some good replies. But, I want to throw out there:

DS1: Slept well at night from birth - 1-2 wakings for a nurse or diaper change, and back to sleep. He's now 19, and has always slept well.

DD1: Nightmare for about her first year (including crying/screaming jags lasting from 11:00 pm to 3:00 am every single night for about 3-4 months). Waking once or twice a night by a year and a half. Sleeping through the night since about age two. She's almost nine.

DS2: Great sleeper from day one. He slept six hours straight in the hospital the very first night, woke up, had a good nurse, and went back to sleep for another 2-3 hours. He's now 6.5, and we've never had sleep issues with him - not ever.

DD2: Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. She was waking up at least 3-4 times a night at 15 months - maybe more. Sometimes, she'd take a long nap early in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes not at all, sometimes a couple of cat naps - no pattern, ever. At about age two, she finally started sleeping through the night most nights, but that means about 8-9 hours. She still (2.5 - she'll be three in June) has no regular pattern of naps - today was about 20 minutes, while latched at the breast, starting at about 4:00. Yesterday was about two hours, starting at 3:00. A couple of days ago, she didn't take a nap at all. One night last week, she passed out at about 6:30, and slept for two full hours, then woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and didn't go to sleep until after 2:00 am! She has the wonkiest sleep I've ever seen.

They're all different. You're not doing anything wrong. (And, fwiw, after 19+ years at this parenting game, I'm almost willing to bet money that at least some of the moms at the park are full of it.)


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## CatsCradle (May 7, 2007)

OP, you are not alone! This is coming from a mom whose DD will be six this year and she still wakes up multiple times a night! I honestly can't remember what "a good night's sleep" is anymore.

Sometimes I think there may be a genetic component because my parents tell me I was just like this, and they are about as far removed from AP as anyone. I even sleep-walked until I was in my teens. My siblings, however, slept like baby lambs. DD is starting to sleep walk now and she was having night terrors for a while. It just seems like good sleep has alluded us for years. In my case, it is more of a disordered sleeping problem than something that could have been solved by "training" etc.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

I had one who slept horribly until she was 2, and one who slept through the night and napped beautifully since birth. I did the same stuff with both, but they had different needs. Some of this is just luck. It's hard not to compare yourself and your kids to others, as it will just drive you crazy.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

After having 4 children of my own and also Working with new moms for years, the majority of children will sleep just like what the OP described if they are left alone. Sadly though due to our culture and the push for indepence and other such ideas, sleep training occurs far too often. Out of my kids, only one really sleeps through the night most of the time, I didn't screw up 4 times, it is just the way they are. I still never fail to be pulled into these traps of happily sleeping babies. I was chatting with a mom the other day and of course it had to be one of THOSE weeks where no one in the house is sleeping so I had been woken up the night before and the night before and the night before WAY too times to count. She starts talking about when her baby wakes up for the one time, it really makes her tired. Continue the conversation because i am of course jealous and it turns out that the 3 month is STTN and has been since 2 weeks old when the mom trained him to do 8 hour stretches and then has been doing 12 hour stretches since 6 weeks " since babies really don't need to eat at night". Baby wakes up at 7am after sleeping since 7pm, mom will nurse baby back to sleep with her and then they sleep in until 10am. And she is just exhausted. And apparently very proud since nannying gave her the abilty to see what she really did not what to have, a child that bothered her. So yep. I will just gladly lay here tonight and have my children wake me up all night long. You just never know what really happens in other people's homes and that some people don't have the faint idea of what exhausted really means.

Excuse iPad typos.


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## pickle18 (Jan 27, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Everrgreen*
> 
> My son was still nursing through the night at that age (I nightweaned around 22 months). I honestly always felt rested, he was in the bed with me so I'd wake for a second help him latch on and we'd both go back to sleep. The only time I started to feel 'exhausted' is if I would start to compare my situation with other parents and start to feel resentful of the situation. When it was just the two of us with no thought as to how it 'should' be, the night wakings didn't bother me at all.
> 
> As for naps, I think it was around that time that we switched to just one nap. He went from having a morning and late afternoon nap to having a bigger nap in between (around 12). I kept him busy through the morning (play groups, getting outdoors) and then he'd crash after lunch.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanyato*
> 
> so true for me too! i've had a major attitude make-over in the last month about night wakings and wow...i'm actually less tired! i no longer look at the clock, moan, groan and get frustrated every time ds wakes my up. i just latch him on, and go back to dozing. some nights i don't even know how many times i actually wake up to nurse him. i stopped caring. and since then, i'm much happier! i look at it like this: no, we're not sleeping through the night, but we certainly are getting plenty of rest. i don't get out of bed all night thanks to co-sleeping i really do feel rested in the morning...usually...


Thank you, thank you, thank you ladies!!!







DS gets restless quite often at night and typically needs to nurse to go back to sleep - I'm sure this can easily be hourly if he's teething or at a developmental milestone (like now). I don't stare at the clock or keep track of the number of times this occurs - I just flip my kid over like a 30 lb. pancake right onto the boob and we settle back down.

This thread was really depressing me. Yes, I get really tired sometimes, but isn't that part of being a mom? Part of this awesome adventure in traveling through life in spit-up stained clothes, with strained peas and maybe even a lil poop in your hair? I have other health concerns, too, but I can't waste time dwelling on it - I just grab my giant cup of coffee and smile and roll on!









Before I read this thread, I felt absolutely honest answering a cheerful, "Yes!" when others asked if DS slept through the night. After all, he is pretty groggy if I catch him early enough (benefit of co-sleeping) and we can nurse and settle back down, without him waking up alone and getting scared and crying, etc. He isn't up running laps around the house! (that WOULD be rough...)

I certainly don't mean to disparage moms who need their rest - and everyone has to draw the baby care/mama care line that works best for their family. But I would no more compare my kids' sleep patterns to other babes (and become envious or frustrated) anymore than I would compare my friends' houses/cars/clothes etc. to mine.

As long as I assume everything is gravy, and just par for the course (which it is - for my individual kid), things run alot smoother around here. A little positivity, grace and humor can go a REALLY long way!

In addition to an attitude shift, as a SAHM to one, once in a blue moon I will rest when the baby does - but typically, I don't. If you work, you can also take naps in your car on lunch breaks! (I did this alllll the time when preggo - just moved my car to the farthest away spot and snoozed!)


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## contactmaya (Feb 21, 2006)

We co sleep and in fact i am still co sleeping with my older children. I breastfeed on demand, i ec. The baby , who is now 10 weeks, actually has started sleeping 5-6 hour stretches recently. I wake up, but she is sound asleep. She also doesnt pee at night ( she wears no diaper at night) Both my other kids were the same, and started sleeping longer stretches around the 2mth mark. So maybe im just lucky, but it does seem to correspond with some kind of brain development.

I think part of it is genetic, im a good sleeper.

In any case, just because a baby is sleeping longer stretches, doesnt mean the baby is formula fed or in a crib, or cio'd.

The pee thing is interesting too. She has gone nights without peeing, even though i was still nursing her just as often-3-4 times a night at that point.


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## Altair (May 1, 2005)

Well, I think it is part of BFing at night and co-sleeping that we will tend to have babies who sleep in shorter stretches. I was willing to make that sacrifice the first 12 months, but it really, really wore me down (I teach K full time during the day and not having any energy was tough). After 12 months I gently night weaned, and put the side up on the sidecarred crib next to us, and then he FINALLY started STTN with some help from NCSS.

It is a decision we make, and it has it's positives and negatives. I'm not one to say that Mom being tired all day is just nothing to worry about. I really wanted to sleep with my baby and I loved the cuddle time all night. But by 12 months I was ready to sleep again. He still stayed right next to our bed for the next year and half.

I'm planning on doing the same thing with this baby coming, but a secret part of me hopes I luck out and just get a deep sleeper after a few months! A girl can dream.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

A 15m who doesn't sleep through the night does not have problems. I think the people who would CIO an infant have problems.

Those conversations are really annoying. Even more annoying was talking to my sister who nursed and used a co-sleep and all FOUR of her kids slept through the night right around a year. WTH?

But.... it really does get better. IT DOES. With our first I was obsessed with sleep. And the second, it just meant less. I took the easiest road I could find (co-sleeping with baby but not DH) and she is far easier at night. I get more sleep. I finally night weaned at 2.5 and it was a breeze. She is sleeping really well at night. We bounced her to sleep until well after 2 as well and then one day I said...enough. And so she doesn't nap any more and it wasn't a big deal. With SO MUCH LESS WORK.

I work full time and I really, really feel like if I didn't nurse and cosleep I wouldn't end up feeling like a mother. It became pretty vital to my emotional health.


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