Do some cosleeping babies sleep long stretches?

[handsandfeet]

Just wondering...the longest DS will go is 3 hrs, and that's rare. Most nights he wakes every 1.5 to 2 hours all night long to nurse.

[aksign]

mine probably goes about the same amt of time btw nursings(maybe a little longer), but then when he does nurse, he doesnt seem to wake up, just gives a little whimper, insert nip and he's fine.... so it isnt like i have to get him back to sleep, just have to get me back to sleep.

[~ Wonderful Life ~]

My son has STTN, with the exception of 2 or 3 times, since he was 4 months old. We have coslept since birth.

[July09Mama]

My DD (3 months) usually does one longer stretch, like 4-5 hours.

[sdbeachy]

My 7 month old usually averages 2-3 hour stretches at night. Sometimes the first one is 4 hours. Occasionally we have the "nursing every hour" nights. Generally he nurses and goes right back to sleep, so it's not too disruptive.

[Maluhia]

Mine changed a lot - sometimes she'd go 3 hours sometimes 1.5 - depended on her daytime eating, her growth, my DH's snoring.

The great thing was - a bit of milk and she *almost* always drifted right back off to sleep.

[Llyra]

All three of mine coslept in the first year.

My DD1 did sleep all night in our bed with us. She would sleep about 8 hours, wake to eat, then go back to sleep another two or three hours or so. She started this very early. I won't say just exactly how early, because I don't want to get a tomato in the face, but she did.

She's not exactly typical, though.

FWIW, my DD2 was able to give me a longer stretch, about 5 hours, starting at about five months old, but I had to be out of physical contact with her for it to happen. If we were snuggled up, she woke every two hours at least. And it wasn't consistent, from night to night.

DS didn't sleep more than two hours at a stretch until he was nightweaned. And two hours was a big deal for him-- mostly it was every 45 minutes all night.

I'm thinking, just looking at the example of my own kids, that there's a really wide range on this one.

[handsandfeet]

Thanks for all the replys. It does seem to vary a lot. That actually makes me feel better, b/c DH keeps telling me I did this to him! He slept 4 hour stretches at around 3 months, and it's been getting worse ever since (though it's plateau'd the last month or 6 weeks). He's now 7 months and I don't think he's planning to change anytime soon . I don't find it disruptive every night, b/c when he goes 2 hrs at a time I can usually fall back asleep easily, but when he does shorter it is harder for me. Lately we've been sleeping in a different room from DH b/c DH finds it disruptive, so it's not ideal, but I wouldn't get _any_ sleep if DS wasn't in bed with me! I've tried that, too, and it just wakes me up too much to fall back asleep between each night waking. Anyway, good to know there are babies out there who sleep even in bed with parents!

[alaskaberry]

DS1 did that. DS2, however, will sleep 4-5 hrs for the first leg of the night, then wake up every 2-3 hrs thereafter. The only reason ds2 will wake up earlier (besides being sick, etc) is if ds1 kicks him while sleeping (he sleeps in an adjoined mattress next to ours). So--don't worry if your baby isn't sleeping for long periods. Some are just like that--even co-sleeping breastfeeders!

[amelhu]

I had to be physically holding DD1 to get her to sleep for longer periods of time when cosleeping and I would not be able to sleep very soundly and be very stiff when we woke up...DD2 is content to just be next to me and I love it! As for how long she sleeps....it really varies and she is nearly 4 months old.

[lovesea]

DD used to go through til 4am for the first 3 months. Now she wakes, briefly quite frequently but goes back to sleep very easily, just a few pats and shushes. She has 1 night feed around 3am

[mamadelbosque]

DS1 never slept for more than 2-3 hours at a stretch till he as nearly 2. Ds2 sleeps for at least 1 5-6 hour stretch every single night - I take him up and lay him down ~8:30-9pmish in the crib which is side-carred and he'll sleep there till 2-4am when he wakes up to nurse for the first time. He has slept from 9-6am a handful of times ~2 months or so.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by handsandfeet

Thanks for all the replys. It does seem to vary a lot. That actually makes me feel better, b/c DH keeps telling me I did this to him! He slept 4 hour stretches at around 3 months...

Yes, they'll do that. Lina even got a couple of 7 hour stretches during that phase. For your next baby, and friends with younger babies, just remember "4 month sleep regression". Sleep isn't linear and anyone who says otherwise is lying.

[sapphire_chan]

Oh, and just to double check, you've worked out nursing laying on your side, and you sleep either with no top or with an open top? So you don't have to do any fussing about when he needs a feed?

[GoGoGirl]

DD is a few days older than your baby, and she still wakes up to nurse a lot at night. We do get one longer stretch, from when I go to bed (1 or 2ish) to when she wakes up, at 6 or 7. At least I think we do, but I'm not sure I would notice if she latches on when I'm already asleep. So I guess I'll say *I* get one longer stretch of sleep but I'm not really sure about her.