Young babies not sleeping through the night

[Anonymous]

My 11 week old is 14lbs and still nurses 2 -3x/nt. The longest he's slept at night is 5hrs in a row but I would never expect him to sleep longer than that without nursing. My pedi said the baby is thriving, 95% on growth chart and to definitely keep doing what I'm doing. I also have the confidence that following my infant's hunger cues is the right way to go as my 3.5yo naturally sletp through the night and stopped nursing when he was good an ready (18 mos and 2yo respectively!) I wouldnt change a thing. Not all of us dislike or complain about night nursings, to me, they are a blessing! Consider altering your focus on whether your baby sleeps through the night to whether your baby seems healthy, satisfied, happy, and is getting good mama snuggles. I would never put a 10 week old in a crib in it's own room,. That will definitely "teach" them that you arent available to nurse them and your supply will drop, along with the nightime bonding that is so satisfying to many mommy and babies!

[Anonymous]

To the 14:24 poster - I've read there are lots of benefits to co-sleeping. So - co-sleep away!!! (also - a lot more people do it than they admit.)

[Anonymous]

OP, have you tried offering a pacifier first when your baby wakes up? My dd is 11 weeks and I've found that sometimes she'll take it and sleep for 2-3 more hours. Other times she won't and then I know she is truly hungry, rather than having trouble falling back asleep. She is EBF and is gaining weight just fine. She typically eats around 10pm, wakes around 4am, takes a pacifier, and then wakes again around 6:30-7. Doesn't sound that different from you.

I agree that moms whose babies are "sleeping through the night" are lying, or at least have a different definition than I do. I even have friends that do it! They'll say, "When I was feeding her at 3am..." and I'll say, "I thought she slept through the night!" and they'll say, "Oh, well she does sleep through the night except to eat!" and I say, "That's not sleeping through the night!!"

[Anonymous]

I disagree with the poster who said not to put your baby in a crib in another room because your milk supply will drop and your baby won't think you are there for them. What a bunch of crap. Our baby has slept in her crib in another room since birth and she is doing very well. She is eight weeks and for the past two weeks will sleep one 5-7 hour stretch at night and get up to feed and then will go back down to bed. This situation was tough at first, but we didn't want to have to transition from our room to different room or from a craddle to her crib. She is a very happy baby and is gaining weight.

[Anonymous]

The "what a bunch of crap" comment is rather insulting but I'll just chalk it up to the poster needing to feel that it's an impossibility that her 8week old might actually need her during the night and might benefit from on demand nursing and proximity to her mama. It's well known in the BF community (LLL) that the majority of women who have difficulty with "supply" or "early BF weaners" have either had their babies sleep in another room, done sleep training, or both.

[Anonymous]

Not 14:56, just wanted to added that it's really not that difficult to transition from cradle to crib or from your room to another room when the time comes. (or I could 10:59's language and say "what a bunch of crap.")

[Anonymous]

My baby is almost 11 wks & only sleeps in about 2 hour stretches (will sleep longer if being held or in carseat). He also has reflux so that contributes to it, but I've talked to LOTS of people & most kids of people we know started sleeping through the night at 3-4 mo. Hang in there! I too would love for my baby to sleep through the night (even the 5 hr definition).

[Anonymous]

I second what the "load of crap" person said. The location of your baby does not affect your supply when you follow your baby's hunger cues and feed your baby when he/she is hungry. And anyway, during the middle of the night, my baby and I and not "bonding." We are sleeping. We get HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS of bonding during the day.

[Anonymous]

OP - I appreciate everyone's input. I may try the paci idea if I feel like I want DD to sleep longer. That is not a bad idea since she is already 12 lbs. However - based on everyones postings, it seems that we are in good shape.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second what the "load of crap" person said. The location of your baby does not affect your supply when you follow your baby's hunger cues and feed your baby when he/she is hungry. And anyway, during the middle of the night, my baby and I and not "bonding." We are sleeping. We get HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS of bonding during the day.

I'm not trying to pick a fight, but I do feel like I bond with my baby when we co-sleep. I can cuddle with him, and I think that the sound of my breathing next to him is comforting to him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I second what the "load of crap" person said. The location of your baby does not affect your supply when you follow your baby's hunger cues and feed your baby when he/she is hungry. And anyway, during the middle of the night, my baby and I and not "bonding." We are sleeping. We get HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS of bonding during the day.

I'm not trying to pick a fight, but I do feel like I bond with my baby when we co-sleep. I can cuddle with him, and I think that the sound of my breathing next to him is comforting to him.

Ditto. Not to mention that co-sleeping makes it really easy to breastfeed in the middle of the night.