confused about 3 month old sleep habits!!!

[Abylite]

Hello!

I just need some reassurance, as a first time mom...that my DD who is 12 weeks (officially 3 months on the 28th...) is sleeping "normal"

She goes to "bed" for the night around 10:30-12:00. (used to be later...) but only if I lie down with her. She almosts "waits" until I go to bed...we usually stay up until about 11:00 or so, but lately have been taping the 10:00 shows we like to watch....I usually nurse her to sleep (used to have to sling and bounce her for an hour!!!)

She'll wake to nurse once or twice (which is fine...) and goes right back to sleep.Will fuss when I leave the bed to use the bathroom...but settles when I come back.

Wakes up about 7:30-8:30, pretty much because I get out of bed to say bye to my DH who leaves for work at this time....

She'll nap for about 2 hours in the morning....catnap the rest of the day (no set pattern at all!!!!) Will sleep in her bassinet during the day, but will not at night....sometimes will take an evening nap around 7:00 or so.

Again...she won't go to sleep for the night without me!! Does this come with time? Should I try everynight?

I don't mind sleep sharing...but I'm feeling pressured to go to bed and lie there when I'm not tired. I'm also worried that she's not getting the sleep she needs. I'm wondering about "all the other babies" who seem to go to sleep at 8:00 for the night? Am I creating a bad habit? I'd ideally like to have her sleep on her own in the crib for the first part of the night and if she wakes to feed, then let her sleep with us the rest of the night. I'm so confused on how to go about this and don't want to use the CIO method!!!

Thanks for any advice/reassurance!!!

[starlein26]

do what works for you! do you want her in bed earlier? if not, why bother! at this age you're not setting any kind of bad habits. will she nurse to sleep while you watch tv? we did this with ds and then he slept on me until we were all ready to retire for the evening.

[alegna]

sounds okay to me. My dd never goes to bed without me.

-Angela

[phaeon]

Our DD wouldn't go to bed without us for the longest time, either, and she'll be 18 mos on Tues. Over the past month or so, she's started falling asleep around 9-10 PM and I can put her in her own bed and stay up by myself for a couple hours. She wakes once or twice before I go to bed, but I just go in and stroke her hair or sing to her for a few minutes. Before this, she just would NOT sleep on her own. Naps included. We figured she'd sleep on her own when she was ready to, and I can see that starting to happen with more consistency as she matures. I think your babe's sleep habits are totally normal. Good luck, mama!

[merpk]

Not sure why you feel there should be a set schedule. Does a baby have a clock-implant that they would know what time it is?

:)

Seriously, not meaning to be a wise-acre ... but have you considered wearing your baby? That way she'll get plenty of sleep, you won't have to lie down if you don't want to, and you'll get done whatever you want to get done ... as they can sleep soundly in a sling or the right kind of carrier no matter what you're doing.

:)

[IncaMama]

yeah, that's how DS was. still is sometimes. LOL we chose to have him fall asleep nursing in my lap while we watched movies/tv so we still felt like we had some fun time. that worked great until about 6mos ago (he's 2.5) and now he goes to bed before us and joins us in bed when we go to bed. :)

anyway, sounds pretty normal to me...do what you feel comfy with...and be creative! LOL