# Do co-sleeping, fed on demand babies ever sleep through the night



## Steve's Wife (Jan 19, 2006)

Do your breastfed on demand, co-sleeping babies or toddlers sleep through the night without sleep training? I hope so!!

I am exhausted lately. DD has never slept through the night, 3 hour stretches are the most on average. But for the past week she's been up every hour. I am grumpy and short tempered and am starting to resent breastfeeding. Since we've also been batting an on again/off again diaper rash for two weeks I'm starting to wonder if it's a food sensitivity or allergy.


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## SandraS (Jan 18, 2007)

YES YES YES! They absolutely can. Not all of them, but a lot of them!

I know I got lucky, all three of mine slept a minimum of 5-6 hours straight, from day 1, and I did all of the above...

However, I also want to say - when your child is five or six, and all grown up, these sleepless nights will be missed... trust me!

It does get better, I promise!


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## shayinme (Jan 2, 2005)

: I'd love to know this as well. My dd is 18 mos and wakes frequently compared to ds who didn't co-sleep and wasn't nursed. I am a WOHM and its tiring as heck.

Shay


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## rzberrymom (Feb 10, 2005)

Absolutely! My DD slept through the night as soon as her molars came in--her waking before that had nothing to do with cosleeping and nursing--it had to do with being in pain from all those pesky teeth. Poor little things...


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## celestialdreamer (Nov 18, 2004)

My ds slept through the night from the beginning until he started teething. My dd is the worst sleeper ever, so I was seriously surprised by this little guy! I just can't wait until teething is done so he'll start sleeping without a nipple in his mouth


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## Aliviasmom (Jul 24, 2006)

I don't know! DD only nurses once a day (before bed) and STILL doesn't make it through the night. Maybe a dozen times in 2 years!


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Now that my 2.5 year old is potty trained, she wakes up at night to pee.

My 6 month old has been sleeping at least 6 hour streches since he was a month old. I am still in shock.


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## merrick (Dec 8, 2003)

My dd has been sleeping through the night almost since day 1. DS didn't sleep through until he was almost 2 though. It just depends on the child.


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## Steve's Wife (Jan 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rzberrymom* 
Absolutely! My DD slept through the night as soon as her molars came in--her waking before that had nothing to do with cosleeping and nursing--it had to do with being in pain from all those pesky teeth. Poor little things...

When was that? Did she sleep through before the teething due to molars began?


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## guestmama9915 (Jul 29, 2004)

Some people are just lucky.







My almost 3 year old has been sleeping through the night for over 2 years, and my 14 month old has recently more consistently stopped waking up at night, and before this she would wake up once or twice but I can sleep through it. She does wake up at around 5am to bf, but doesn't wake up until 6:30am.


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## shayinme (Jan 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mom2bja* 
However, I also want to say - when your child is five or six, and all grown up, these sleepless nights will be missed... trust me!

It does get better, I promise!

I have a 15 yo and I miss my sleep with my yougest (18 mos) not sleeping.









Shay


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## SandraS (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shayinme* 
I have a 15 yo and I miss my sleep with my yougest (18 mos) not sleeping.









Shay

LOL!


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## rzberrymom (Feb 10, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Steve's Wife* 
When was that? Did she sleep through before the teething due to molars began?

She slept pretty well as a newborn, but then woke ever 2-3 hours once teething began. The first molars took about 2 months to come in, and they finally came in all the way at around 17 months. She slept through the night (at least 6 hours or so) almost immediately. Now at 2 years, she occassionally wakes to nurse after 8 hours.

I tried EVERYTHING to get her to sleep more than 2-3 hours (other than leave her to cry), and I drove myself crazy from trying to "fix" her sleep. I'm going to have to write a sleep book where my premise is that it's really all about the teeth.


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## XanaduMama (May 19, 2006)

Yup, we're going through molars too (our babes are a day apart, Steve's Wife!). ds has been an awful sleeper since his first teething began at 4.5 months. It was getting better in December, actually, but now we're back to all-night nursing and hourly wakings.







I'm crossing my fingers that the amazing sleep will kick in once they've come through...whenever THAT happens. It's true--it's ALL about the teeth!


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## Steve's Wife (Jan 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XanaduMama* 
Yup, we're going through molars too (our babes are a day apart, Steve's Wife!). ds has been an awful sleeper since his first teething began at 4.5 months. It was getting better in December, actually, but now we're back to all-night nursing and hourly wakings.







I'm crossing my fingers that the amazing sleep will kick in once they've come through...whenever THAT happens. It's true--it's ALL about the teeth!

Julie only has 6 teeth, well 7 as of yesterday. I'm thinking we have a little while until the molars come in, so I guess it's going to be a long, sleepless ride.


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## lisac77 (May 27, 2005)

My (formerly) breastfed, still cosleeping DS started sleeping through the night after his 2 year molars came in. Before that he woke up every 1-2 hours on a good night, and on bad nights he was up most of the night crying. It was all due to teething. After those teeth came in it was like someone flipped a switch.


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## love2all (Dec 13, 2003)

I am glad to hear the success stories bUT my 3 NEVER slept thru a night until after they weaned.......which was recently for my last babe..I love the sleep but truely miss nursing knowing i never will again..


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## jaidymama (Jun 18, 2005)

Yes, mine has... err except I should say there were times when he was sick, cutting teeth, having stomach upset etc. when NO he didn't sleep through the night.


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## BIRDSONG (Oct 6, 2006)

I don't have any suggestions--just wanted to add that my little guy is also VERY close in age to your (Jude 12/30/05). He's been co-sleeping since day 1 and has slept through the night ONCE!







Honestly, sometimes I doubt myself whether or not co-sleeping is the right thing to do but I can't imagine NOT doing it.


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## 4Marmalade (May 4, 2004)

My ds is now 4 and he sleeps through the night as long as he is sleeping with someone. Dd is 20 months and sleeping through the night is just not an option for her







. I must admit that some of the pp's talking about the drastic change after teething has got my hopes up a little. Dd is bothered by teething so much more than ds was. She is now working on her 4 canine teeth and still has her 2nd year molars to go. Maybe after that?????


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## ani'smommy (Nov 29, 2005)

DD is 25 months and has never slept throught the night. That said, she only wakes up once, nurses for ten minutes and goes back to sleep. No big deal.


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

My dd is 15 months old and does not sleep through the night. She sleeps one 3 hours stretch on a good night. Then she has hourly wakings after that.


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## Ex Libris (Jan 31, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lisac77* 
My (formerly) breastfed, still cosleeping DS started sleeping through the night after his 2 year molars came in. Before that he woke up every 1-2 hours on a good night, and on bad nights he was up most of the night crying. It was all due to teething. After those teeth came in it was like someone flipped a switch.

Oh man, I hope this is true for my little guy! He'll be 3 in a month and he's never slept through the night. He nurses and comfort sucks every couple of hours. The longest he's ever gone is maybe a 3-4 hour stretch, but that's it.

He's been working on his last two molars for almost 2 months now (and they're not even showing yet







). I'm trying to nightwean him right now using Dr. Gordon's method--as a matter of fact, tonight is the first night with no nursing. We'll see how it goes . . .


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## mmfoote (Mar 6, 2006)

Yes, there is hope! My DS1 is 3 and he was always a horrible sleeper. He woke up every 30 minutes for the first year of his life. (He is what led us to cosleeping because I couldn't drag myself out of bed 8 times a night anymore to nurse him!)
It's not always about nursing though. DS1 weaned himself at 20 months, but still woke up 3-5 times a night for comfort. I agree with PP's because as soon as all his teeth were in (around 28 months), he started sleeping so much better. He still sleeps with us, but rarely wakes up at night (unless DS2 is having a bad night!) Hang in there!


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## Anglyn (Oct 25, 2004)

Here is a GREAT article about sleeping through the night and what is and isnt normal.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html


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## homemademomma (Apr 1, 2004)

my ds didnt start "sleeping through the night" until i nightweaned him at 21 months ( i got pg). he is 3 now. i use quotation marks b/c nobody really sleeps through the night- everyone wakes up to get comfy, get water, pee etc. but now that ds doesnt nurse, he can get back to sleep on his own, or else he usually just needs a sip of water or to hold someone's hand for a minute. we still cosleep.

ds was a horrible sleeper- he woke up to nurse 6 or more times every night until i night weaned him, but suprisingly nightweaning didnt seem to be a big deal. a couple episodes of easily consoled crying, and that was it. however i did try to nightwean him a few times when he was younger, and it did not work at all. 7mo dd is a much better sleeper.


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## lisac77 (May 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ex Libris* 
Oh man, I hope this is true for my little guy! He'll be 3 in a month and he's never slept through the night. He nurses and comfort sucks every couple of hours. The longest he's ever gone is maybe a 3-4 hour stretch, but that's it.

He's been working on his last two molars for almost 2 months now (and they're not even showing yet







). I'm trying to nightwean him right now using Dr. Gordon's method--as a matter of fact, tonight is the first night with no nursing. We'll see how it goes . . .


I really do have hope that you'll see a huge difference when he's nightweaned and the teeth are through. This was almost our exact experience. Up until the last molars came through (when he was almost 3) we were having a lot of "bad nights" where we would be up all night with him crying inconsolably. I honestly thought I'd never sleep again. Then his teeth came through, and he started sleeping so much better. Now that we've weaned him from the bottle he sleeps all night without a peep. If you'd asked me a year ago if he would ever sleep I would have said no. So there is light at the end of the tunnel, especially for kids who are sensitive to teething pain.


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## momuveight2B (Mar 17, 2006)

We never used sleep training. Night weaning happened somewhere around four years of age and sleeping in their own beds through the night alone around age 5-6. Even after this age there are still some occassions of night waking due to illness or bedwetting.


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## jennybean0722 (Jun 19, 2006)

So all of the 'mainstream' people have GOT to be lying through their teeth (no pun intended), right????

I tell my family and friends about my DS, "No, he doesn't sleep through the night due to 'x', and almost anyone who tells you that their DC sleeps through the night is probably not telling you the whole truth, or their kids are awake and alone in another room, ignored!"


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## mirlee (Jul 30, 2002)

I am the one who doesn't sleep through the night . He has slept fine since he was about 3. Until then, he woke every two hours or so to nurse.


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## rumismom (Jan 12, 2007)

My DS is 6 mos. and has always woken every 2-3 hours to nurse. Thank god we co-sleep and I've gotten onto a similar sleep pattern. It took about 5 months for me to feel rested in the day. Now I couldn't tell you how many times he nursed last night, I just roll him over and he latches on to the other side. I DO now feel rested in the day and I wouldn't trade the sleeplessness to get here becuase the nigth snuggles are so great!


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## Ex Libris (Jan 31, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lisac77* 
I really do have hope that you'll see a huge difference when he's nightweaned and the teeth are through. This was almost our exact experience. Up until the last molars came through (when he was almost 3) we were having a lot of "bad nights" where we would be up all night with him crying inconsolably. I honestly thought I'd never sleep again. Then his teeth came through, and he started sleeping so much better. Now that we've weaned him from the bottle he sleeps all night without a peep. If you'd asked me a year ago if he would ever sleep I would have said no. So there is light at the end of the tunnel, especially for kids who are sensitive to teething pain.

I saw the light at the end of the tunnel last night. Ds went all night long (from 7 until 6) without nursing, and we did it without him crying! Woo hoo! He did wake up at 11, 1, 3, 4, and 5, but at least he was able to lay back down with just some talking, reassuring, cuddling, and hand-holding. Still no sleep, but if he can get used to sleeping without sucking (and if he can finally get these darned teeth in), we both just might start getting some much-needed rest. thanks for the encouragement, lisac77.


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## Steve's Wife (Jan 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Anglyn* 
Here is a GREAT article about sleeping through the night and what is and isnt normal.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html

That is an interesting article, but I find it hard to believe that babies/toddlers need to be fed 3-4 times per hour. I realize not every baby is designed and able to sleep through the night, meaning several hour stretches, but not all parents, me included, can function on 1 hour stretches of sleep. You can't even complete a sleep cycle in that time.


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## maryeb (Aug 8, 2005)

Ds is a couple months older than yours and still does 3 hr. stretches, I think. I rarely look at the clock.







He has his 1yr molars and is now working on canines and yikes has he been up every hour!! When the molars came in it was rough too...I've been drinking lots of green tea and the occasional latte to keep me going! It will totally get better with time......lots of time.....??







Mary


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## cahwilson (Jan 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Steve's Wife* 
. But for the past week she's been up every hour. I am grumpy and short tempered and am starting to resent breastfeeding. Since we've also been batting an on again/off again diaper rash for two weeks I'm starting to wonder if it's a food sensitivity or allergy.

I have been going through the same thing with dd. We just now finally (hopefully) figured out her food intolerance. She was waking many times (20 on a bad night, 5 on a good night) and had many other symptoms like spitting up 5 or more times between feedings, very watery poops and then very firm poops, a red ring rash around her ugh... bottom hole







(can't think of a better word in my sleep deprived state!), and she would get very fussy, kind of bear down, get red, and shake. It was (still is) awful. She just looks me in the eye and groans like she is just telling me her belly hurts.

Anyway, her intolerance is anything that comes from a cow...milk, cheese, beef. The nightwakings do seem to be related to me eating these foods and it was an endless cycle of her getting woken up by discomfort and then nursing for comfort, and then more discomfort...and it goes on!!

If you think it is a food sensitvity try to track down the food. Good luck it has not been very easy for me (took 6 months). I hope you get some sleep!! Being crabby mommy is no fun.


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## falcon (Jul 8, 2004)

Yes! We never used any sort of sleep training w/ds, and he fed on demand as long as he nursed. Now, at 3.5, he goes to sleep in our bed by himself and we join him an hour or two later. No problems


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