How long does your LO sleep for & differences between kids

[Shannie77]

How many hours will your LO sleep for at night consecutively?

With DD 1 she started occasionally sleeping 4 hours straight at about 4 months, and around 6 months she would sometimes go 6 hours. Even now at 3 she doesn't sleep through the night.

With DD2 she is 4 weeks and is sleeping more at night then my 3 year old. Last night she slept for 6.5 hours straight!! When my 3 year old woke up to nurse I tried to nurse DD2 but she wasn't interested and just wanted to keep sleeping.

If you have more then 1 are they very different?

With DD1 I could NEVER put her down to sleep unless I was snuggling her... that lasted until she was about 6months when I started being able to sneak away. With DD2 I just put her down awake and she will more often then not fall asleep on her own. She actually seems unhappy if you try to hold her while she is sleeping (unless you stay totally still).

DD1 spat up SOO much and DD2 doesn't. DD2 is way more laid back and doesn't cry much compared to DD2. DD1 HATED the car from about 2 weeks old, and DD2 passes out almost immediately even if I put her into her carseat cranky.

I though DD1 was a really easy baby, because as long as I tended to her every need she was happy. It really comes as a shock (pleasant) how easy number 2 is. Lucky she is since DD1 has been having many tantrums every day lately.

[KSDoulaMama]

I only have one, so I can't compare. But I think we got really lucky with her sleeping habits. She is a great napper and a great night time sleeper, and I think it makes a difference in how she feels during the day. She is always well-rested, so she is pretty easy-going.

At night she goes down around 9:30 or 10 and sleeps for a 5 hour stretch. After that, she *might* get in another 3 hour stretch before starting waking up every 1-1.5 hours. She is usually up for the day around 6 or 6:30, but she dozes while being nursed/held/worn for the next couple of hours. That is a really good night, and she does that about half of the time. Usually during night wakings, she gulps down a feed in about 5 minutes and falls back asleep on the Boppy. Then I lay her back down in her bed (a pack and play right next to our bed) and she stays asleep until the next feeding. If she is not asleep after the feed, I can still lay her down awake and she kicks and coos for a while and then goes to sleep on her own. It is really amazing. She does not go to sleep on her own during the day, but she will sleep in the Moby, while being held on the Boppy, in the swing, in the stroller, or while being rocked in my lap.

Like I said... really easy going baby.

[emnic77]

Maybe sleeps really well at night. She goes 3-4 hours at a stretch. I am not used to having one that sleeps in stretches that long, and frankly I'm concerned that it'll bring back my fertility! I try to wake her up to eat but she either won't, or I don't wake up because I need the sleep so much.
She makes up for it during the day in that she nurses nearly constantly. It's a trade off I'll take though, I suppose.

My three were all pretty similar. They're content when they're held, hate pacifiers, and will tolerate little time not in arms or in a sling. This baby is not as content in the slings are my other two are. Once DS got wrapped up and strapped on, he was happy in there for whatever I had to do. DD2 tolerates it when she's tired, but that's it.
None of my kids have ever fallen asleep by themselves as infants, either.

[naturalnesting]

Originally Posted by KSDoulaMama

I only have one, so I can't compare. But I think we got really lucky with her sleeping habits. She is a great napper and a great night time sleeper, and I think it makes a difference in how she feels during the day. She is always well-rested, so she is pretty easy-going.

At night she goes down around 9:30 or 10 and sleeps for a 5 hour stretch. After that, she *might* get in another 3 hour stretch before starting waking up every 1-1.5 hours. She is usually up for the day around 6 or 6:30, but she dozes while being nursed/held/worn for the next couple of hours. That is a really good night, and she does that about half of the time. Usually during night wakings, she gulps down a feed in about 5 minutes and falls back asleep on the Boppy. Then I lay her back down in her bed (a pack and play right next to our bed) and she stays asleep until the next feeding. If she is not asleep after the feed, I can still lay her down awake and she kicks and coos for a while and then goes to sleep on her own. It is really amazing. She does not go to sleep on her own during the day, but she will sleep in the Moby, while being held on the Boppy, in the swing, in the stroller, or while being rocked in my lap.

Like I said... really easy going baby.

Wow, this is exactly what my baby does. We are some lucky mommas!!

[attached2ethan]

You mommas are very fortunate to have such laid back LO's...but then again, we're all fortunate to have such beautiful healthy babies in general

I have 3 kids, all very different.

DS1 was very easygoing, fell asleep with a pacifier on his own (long story, would not nurse or be soothed to sleep)- slept through the night at 8 weeks old and never looked back (10 hour stretches). Nursed only when hungry and was very content during the day to be held or play on his own. Still a mellow kid. Rare!

DS2 was very high need and had to be held/rocked/nursed constantly. Hard to soothe, sometimes hard to like (lol). I struggled terribly with his babyhood and don't remember most of it because I was so exhausted. He cried all day and was awake all night- nursed every hour at least and we co-slept for survival. At asge 5, just started sleeping through the night but turned out to be an independent, peaceful, bright and awesome little boy. Worth every minute of hardship!

DD (our 3rd baby) is also pretty intense. She sleeps great most nights and that's what is helping us get through! When awake, she takes 100% of my attention and energy though and nurses constantly. At night, she is sleeping from about 11-3. After that, she's up every 2 hours to nurse and has terrible gas so we don't sleep well after about 5am, and she gets up for the day about 9am (although she also dozes in the sling or takes a short nap shortly thereafter). She sleeps another long stretch in the afternoon, from about 12-6 she is basically asleep although she nurses 2-3x. Whether we are in the car, napping, or at home she wants to sleep. Then she is up most of the evening with an occasional edoze in the sling, but she won't sleep by herself at this time. Then at 11 she goes into her deep nighttime sleep.

They've all been very differnet for sure, but thats what makes them each special and unique

[henny penny]

Last night dd slept for SEVEN straight hours! Hope it continues! My ds didn't sleep that long until he was 10 months, and even then only rarely. My children are very different so far. Dd is a super easy baby; let's just say ds was NOT.

[tempestjewel]

The biggest difference between my 3 is that DS is *not* a cuddler! He gets overstimulated easier then my girls did, and sometimes when he is fussy he calms right down if I put him down I've tried all my baby carriers, and he'll only ride in one if he is really tired, and even then it's just the Moby Wrap.

At night DS doesn't have any regular pattern, really. I'm not even aware of how often he wakes up because I never look at the clock. I'll just rouse to him fussing a bit, turn on my touch light, latch him on, and go back to sleep. The longest he's slept so far was a 6 hour stretch when he had his first cold, but usually the longest stretches are maybe 3-4 hours (I'd guess).

My DD's I could wear and they would sleep, but DS won't nap like that unless we aren't home. He does like the swing, though I hate to put him in it for long. Sometimes I put him in it but don't turn it on.

DS also isn't a comfort nurser/sucker at all. He'll occassionally take a pacifier from my oldest DD for a longer car ride, but he only nurses to eat, and then is done. I was quite expecting marathon nursing/cuddling sessions, and DS just isn't into that! I do miss the cuddling, especially since he is my last!

[Wolfcat]

DS (almost 4) nursed all night, but slept well as long as he had access to the boob. He stopped napping by 2 and hasn't looked back. He has a hard time getting to sleep (like me) but sleeps well once he gets there.

DD (almost 2 months) cluster feeds in the early evening and pretty much sleeps (no nursing or anything) from about 10 til around 6. She does nurse earlier once in a while. Since she's gained almost 4 lbs already, so I don't worry about it too much.