It's BETTER!!!

[Amber Lion]

I never would have thought I'd be posting this, but my DD is SLEEPING BETTER!!!!

And we didn't do one. darn. thing. to change anything, she just started sleeping better! I just wanted to share in case anyone else out there is hitting a wall and has no idea why their child is sleeping like crap and at the same time is committed to responding to their child's needs at night without nightweaning or stopping the family bed (not that those things are problems if they work for you). My DD went from nightwaking at least a dozen times to... well, I can't actually tell you how often she's waking b/c I'm NOT NOTICING! I was starting to get desperate and my faith and resolve to continue nursing/co-sleeping for as long as she needed it was waivering due to sleep deprivation when.... she just started sleeping longer stretches all on her own.

So, there's hope Mamas! I know this helps no one figure out why their own child isn't sleeping, but I was desperate for hope that my DD might one day just start sleeping better b/c I could find no cause or trick to help her, and stories like this one kept me going. Good luck and lots of love to you Mamas dealing with sleep deprivation, it's so hard and you're all strong Mamas!

[Lucia's mama]

Just curious. How old is she? My dd is 14 mo. and is waking/nursing more than I would like. Its hard to stay resolute about the bed/night nurse situation when I am not functional during the day or able to stay emotionally invested.

[Down2Earth]

Yeah!! That's great! My DD had also been sleeping better. She was only waking up three times a night. But her molars started coming in so we went back to waking up to eight times a night. And now she has a cold and surprisingly sleeps slightly better.

I sometimes can't believe it's already been a year and I still don't sleep longer than 2 1/2 hours at a time. But I know one day DD will be all grown up sleeping in her own room and I'll be getting 8 hours of sleep! Though my dad did say he hasn't had a full night's sleep since I was born!!

[Pandme]

We had the exact same experience with my son. He just wouldn't sleep and then one day he just started STTN every once in a while. That gradually turned into STTN full time. This happened at 19 months old.

We never did anything. I was too tired to even try.

[mckennasmomma]

yay! there is hope!

[Amber Lion]

I should say she isn't STTN, but 3-4 hour stretches are heavenly in comparison to what she was doing! And she still has some bad nights, which I expect will come around with teeth and colds and such, but I can deal with bad nights vs. every night being awful.

[LadyCatherine185]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

I should say she isn't STTN, but 3-4 hour stretches are heavenly in comparison to what she was doing! And she still has some bad nights, which I expect will come around with teeth and colds and such, but I can deal with bad nights vs. every night being awful.

thats great!

just wanted to warn you though, DS did this from about 11-12 months and then once his molars started coming in, it got worse than ever.. and is still pretty bad.. just wanted to warn you to be on the lookout!

[paulamc]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

thats great!

just wanted to warn you though, DS did this from about 11-12 months and then once his molars started coming in, it got worse than ever.. and is still pretty bad.. just wanted to warn you to be on the lookout!

Always looking on the bright side, LadyCatherine! Just kidding. Hope your kiddo gets all his molars in soon so you can get back to the good times.

I posted something similar a month or so ago, and I can say that the sleep still seems to be better, but he still has only the one molar. He's 13 months now. In the mornings I never remember how many times I woke, but I'd say he sleeps at LEAST two hours stretches most of the night. That is, until 5am or so, then he wakes a bit more frequently, but he does go right back to sleep after nursing, AND he's been sleeping much later in the mornings these days! 7:30, 8:30 or even until after 9am on occasion! We had many months where he was waking every hour (or less) to two hours, and he was getting up for the day early, early early

Now, I'm able to function just fine most days. Getting to bed early helps a lot, since he sleeps the longest stretches early in the night, but I've not been doing that as much as before, and I'm still feeling alright.

Anyway, congratulations OP - and hope it lasts for you!!!

[Louisep]

I had such a bad night and day and really had to hear something like this. Thank you and well done!

[Barefoot~Baker]

that's wonderful!!!

[Amber Lion]

My DD is reeeaaalllly late on teeth... she just got her first top tooth on her 1st birthday bringing her grand total to 3! So while I'll be on the look out for those molars.... I don't expect them anytime soon.

Ah well, off to bed. It's such a luxury not going to bed with the feeling of dread at what is to come and instead just looking forward to snuggling my babe.

[LadyCatherine185]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

My DD is reeeaaalllly late on teeth... she just got her first top tooth on her 1st birthday bringing her grand total to 3! So while I'll be on the look out for those molars.... I don't expect them anytime soon.

Ah well, off to bed. It's such a luxury not going to bed with the feeling of dread at what is to come and instead just looking forward to snuggling my babe.

Oh, wow!

Liam has 8 'regular' teeth, 2 whole molars, and 2 more that are about halfway through... And I think he is about to get his "vampire" teeth, as those as starting to look white and swollen on his gums...... I guess the sooner they are all through the sooner he will start sleeping.. right? right?

[sarahtdubb]

Just wanted to say I also experienced a sudden sleep improvement! About a week before his 2nd birthday my son started sleeping through the night... he was nursing every 1-2 hours all night long before that. I did nothing, I don't know what happened--his teeth finished coming in? Something clicked in his head? Now he STTn 4-5 nights a week and nurses once the other nights. There is hope!!

[paulamc]

Originally Posted by sarahtdubb

Just wanted to say I also experienced a sudden sleep improvement! About a week before his 2nd birthday my son started sleeping through the night... he was nursing every 1-2 hours all night long before that. I did nothing, I don't know what happened--his teeth finished coming in? Something clicked in his head? Now he STTn 4-5 nights a week and nurses once the other nights. There is hope!!

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!