[KempsMama]

I am currently 30 wks with DS2, so this question is regarding DS1, who turned two in March.<br><br>
DS1 was 9 pounds at birth. He was EBF, and by 6 weeks was 13 pounds. He nursed every two hours from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. then spent the majority of the evening cluster nursing, until 10 p.m. Then he slept. Until 5 a.m. By 12 weeks he was nursing every two hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and then slept from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Like clockwork. He was around 17 pounds by then, and by 6 months he was 24 pounds. He has slept 7 to 7 ever since, unless he was sick or teething.<br><br>
We never used CIO. I never tried to "train" him in anyway. We co slept until he was 5 months, at which point he moved into his own crib in our room, and then into his own room later on. Now at 2 he no longer naps, but still sleeps 12 hours at night. If we are out late and he gets to bed at 9, he sleeps until 9 in the morning. I could set a watch by it.<br><br>
I've always been told to let sleeping babes sleep. And he never had any problems with weight gain, and I never had any supply issues. But I also hear that it's unreasonable to expect an infant under the age of one to sleep through the night. So should I have been waking him?? Did he sleep to much too soon??? If DS2 has a similar pattern, should I do something different, or let it go?

 

[flavorfull1]

um I would count your blessings and as long as supply and wt gain are good let the baby decide. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[nola79]

no way! lucky you!

 

[Louisep]

Oh let it be mama! How I envy you!

 

[Shazer]

I know quite a few moms who have had babies STTN really early. It isn't unusual.

 

[Norasmomma]

My son has STTN since birth too, he's 20lbs and almost 8 months. I just freaked because the last month he's been teething and waking up all night, so it made me crazy. DD was up every 3 hours like clockwork.<br><br>
I think it's just lucky.

 

[briome]

I think it is bad to <span style="color:#FF0000;">expect</span> and force a baby to sleep and thrive with sttn very early.......<b>unless they do it themselves</b> with good weight gain and breastfeeding.<br><br>
A month ago today I birthed my third, first girl at almost 11 pounds. She has slept almost consistantly in 5 hr blocks at night (5 hrs asleep, wake up to nurse then sleep for 5 more hours.) last night she slept 6 1/2 hours in a block.<br><br>
She has already gained another pound...so I am not worried about her getting enought to eat or anything. Some babies just are at peace with the idea of sleep, some babies are not. I think more could be but that is another thread (food sensitivites in mother's milk, withdrawl from labor drugs, etc)

 

[pbjmama]

I think what happened with your ds was fine. My take is that babies need to eat every few hours until they have established a good weight gain pattern which can take 2 weeks or more in certain cases.

 

[MamaPhD]

I think it's totally fine what baby decides to do. I've heard it's about 50/50 babies STTN at age of one. So it's normal both to STTN and not to, lol, and so forcing LO to do one or the other is not necessary. Just let them be!

 

[EmmaJane]

Warning: baby number 2 may very well not be the same... DD1 slept amazingly from the beginning -- I was so paranoid that I got up at 4a.m. to pump for several months -- and DD2 was, well, probably pretty typical, but boy did I feel oppressed. (And boy, did my friends whose babies kept them up all night a few years ago when DD1 was snoozing away enjoy the schadenfreude...)

 

[Nicole730]

I think it's fine if that's what the baby wants to do.<br><br>
My first was up every 2 hours to nurse around the clock for about 9 months or so. DD, sleeps 6-8 hour stretches, she will definitely be STTN long before DS did at 14 months. (Actually I think STTN is a 5 or 6 hours stretch, so techincally, she is already there) Sometimes I do think it's *wrong* but she is gaining, peeing, pooping - so I try not to complain.

 

[1blueheron]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>briome</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15441989"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I think it is bad to <span style="color:#FF0000;">expect</span> and force a baby to sleep and thrive with sttn very early.......<b>unless they do it themselves</b> with good weight gain and breastfeeding.</div>
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yup, what she said. my girl sttn from 6 weeks (and by sttn, I mean at least 8 hours).

 

[Miss Chris]

You could be describing my new baby boy exactly with this. I wondered a little too because he follows precisely the pattern you're describing down to the cluster nursing in the evening and then an extended sleep. He also gradually moved the time he fell asleep in the evening earlier and earlier so now at 12 weeks he falls asleep between 7 and 8 and then sleeps until 4. The downside is also just what you describe, he eats very frequently during the day, every 1 to 2 hours (especially now that I think he might be entering a growth spurt) but I'm willing to be a human milk tap all day if I get to sleep at night, iykwim.<br><br>
I felt concerned about it at first but I've since decided to just be grateful and roll with it, one of the benefits of the second baby is much less anxiety. I just consider myself very lucky and try not to mention in front of my friends with young babies so they won't hate me <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br><br>
Miss Chris

 

[tzs]

the only downside....<br>
my period came back once she started sttn. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked"><br>
but i'll take it for sleep!

 

[KempsMama]

Mine did too, but I didn't mind that so much, since we wanted another sooner rather than later, and was afraid I wouldn't get my cycle back for a long time.<br><br>
The cluster nursing was HARD. I honestly enjoyed the first four weeks more, with him waking two or three times a night to nurse, rather than the six weeks to 6 months stage with him nursing all evening long. But I'm prepared for that with DS2, DH has started doing more of DS1's evening routine in preparation for that possibility.

 

[Plarka]

From about 7 weeks dd2 slept 13 or 14 hours a night without waking! I worried a little too that it was bad but mostly just enjoyed it! DD1 woke every 2-3 hours for 18 months so I really deserved it!<br><br>
Now she's 13 weeks and has been waking once of twice a night lately, maybe teething, maybe growth spurt, but it was great while it lasted!