We have noticed a pattern with DS that I haven't read about anywhere else and am wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience.
DS is almost 5 months old and has slept with us since week 1. Usually he sleeps for 3-4 hour stretches, with the occasional 5 or 6 hour sttn (although I think he's done that 3 times total).
Anyway, he has also been letting us know he is ready for sleep earlier in the night--around 7:15-7:30 so we've been starting the bedtime routine around 7 and by 8 he is usually sound asleep in our bed. Between 8 and 10 he will stir and cry out maybe twice--I go to him immediately and nurse him back down. We go to bed around 10 (sometimes I will get in bed and read at 9--just lying next to him) and then he moves and roots around every 1-2 hours wanting to nurse for the rest of the night.
Now if we don't do the going to sleep in our bed before us thing, and instead I nurse him down and just hold him from 8-10 (while watching tv usually), then he will generally sleep for much longer stretches at night.
I'm assuming this must have something to do with how he wakes up during that first "brief awakening" after he goes to bed. Maybe it sets a precident for the rest of the night?
So right now it looks like I am having to choose between more solid sleep hours OR having a couple of hours in the evening to get things done, hang with DH, etc. I guess I'm ok with that, but I'm wondering if anyone else had this experience and if so, what did you do? When did you get to a point where you could put your lo to bed ahead of you and still get some solid sleep??
DS is almost 5 months old and has slept with us since week 1. Usually he sleeps for 3-4 hour stretches, with the occasional 5 or 6 hour sttn (although I think he's done that 3 times total).
Anyway, he has also been letting us know he is ready for sleep earlier in the night--around 7:15-7:30 so we've been starting the bedtime routine around 7 and by 8 he is usually sound asleep in our bed. Between 8 and 10 he will stir and cry out maybe twice--I go to him immediately and nurse him back down. We go to bed around 10 (sometimes I will get in bed and read at 9--just lying next to him) and then he moves and roots around every 1-2 hours wanting to nurse for the rest of the night.
Now if we don't do the going to sleep in our bed before us thing, and instead I nurse him down and just hold him from 8-10 (while watching tv usually), then he will generally sleep for much longer stretches at night.
I'm assuming this must have something to do with how he wakes up during that first "brief awakening" after he goes to bed. Maybe it sets a precident for the rest of the night?
So right now it looks like I am having to choose between more solid sleep hours OR having a couple of hours in the evening to get things done, hang with DH, etc. I guess I'm ok with that, but I'm wondering if anyone else had this experience and if so, what did you do? When did you get to a point where you could put your lo to bed ahead of you and still get some solid sleep??