[filiadeluna]

The last two nights my 3-week-old baby has slept 7-8 hours at a time overnight.

: The first night it was such a total shock! Prior to this she was taking two 4-5 hour naps in the late afternoon/early evening and a several other 1-2 hour naps at night/early morning.

I stayed up a couple of hours Saturday night b/c I needed to do some household stuff, and I was fully expecting that once I went to bed she would wake up within a couple of hours. She didn't, and DH and I were both completely passed out as well. She is always in the same room - either in our bed, in her Pack N Play, or her car seat, so we would have heard her if she woke up... we even hear when she's just making sleep noises.

Anyway, when I woke up at 4am Sunday and realized how long she'd been asleep (8 hours straight)

, I went ahead and woke her up to change and feed her b/c I knew she'd be starving. I kind of freaked out at first, wondering if she was sick or even still alive (gotta love that new Mommy paranoia). I didn't want to let her go any longer without.

Sunday night, we got home from DH's aunt's house, and she had fallen asleep in the car. We went ahead and left her in the car seat thinking she'd only sleep a couple more hours. I went to bed first, then DH did, and again she slept 7 hours. She woke up on her own at 4am, cried, and I got up to change & feed her again. Both of the last two mornings I woke up engorged, so I went ahead and pumped the other side while she drank. This morning I got almost 7oz out within 20 mins!

Wow.

Anywho... how bad is it for her to sleep that long without eating? Aren't they supposed to eat every 4 hours max when they are that young? Should I be setting the alarm to wake her up half way through the night for a feeding, or should I relish in the fact that she is STTN so young? For what it is worth, I did notice that she had been "tanking up" by eating every 20-30 mins or so for a few hours before she went to sleep for the evening, so it doesn't seem like she's starving. What should I do?

:

 

[misswerewolf]

How is her weight gain and overall health?

Edited to add: I notice that my baby sleeps longer during her growth phases, so consider that as a possible reason for your baby's longer sleep.

 

[accountclosed2]

As long as your baby is gaining weight, pooing and weeing, I would just be grateful! Enjoy it while it lasts. DD slept like that between 2 months and 4 months, then the 4 months sleep regression set in!

I think you can trust your baby, when not brand new anymore, to wake up when she needs to feed. UNLESS you have a very lethargic, sleepy baby, or your baby, for any reason, doesn't take in all the nutrition she needs (which is why you watch weight and output).

 

[harmonyhobbit]

Mine have both been langthy sleepers. My first had trouble bfing his first week, in part because he was sleeping too long, getting very hungry, and (because he also had a bad latch and I had flat nipples) getting very frustrated at the breast. I woke him up every hour for a day, then every 2, then he woke on his own every 3 for a day. Once we got all the kinks worked out, he nursed fine and went back to sleeping all night.
As long as everything seems ok, gaining weight, nursing well, good production, enjoy the sleep.

 

[Limabean1975]

If she is otherwise fine, as described by PP's, it's fine. But not in a carseat. The posture in a carseat for a long period like that can cause restriction of airways.

 

[snowgirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limabean1975 If she is otherwise fine, as described by PP's, it's fine. But not in a carseat. The posture in a carseat for a long period like that can cause restriction of airways.

ITA

Wasn't there a baby that died recently when left in his/her infant carseat? Her/his head went forward and died. Don't mean to freak you out, but they have no neck strength to pull their head back.

 

[Super~Single~Mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowgirl ITA Wasn't there a baby that died recently when left in his/her infant carseat? Her/his head went forward and died. Don't mean to freak you out, but they have no neck strength to pull their head back.

I think this is right - but I thought the reason they weren't supposed to be in carseats for too long was that they are designed to sit in the car at a certain angle and then when they aren't in the car they aren't at the same angle? I don't remember - but I do know that they aren't supposed to be in a carseat for long.

That said, I do let Lincoln stay asleep in his carseat for a few minutes - like if I need a quick pee break when we get home, or if I need him to stay asleep for just a few minutes while I put on dinner or something. I just make sure he's always within sight and that I can hear him. (this is only in the past few weeks)

 

[leosmommy]

.

 

[missjessicajames]

My LO has been a pretty good sleep since her second night home. Some night she'd sleep eight hour some nights she'd sleep only two, eat and then sleep for four more. I agree with the pp about as long as they're gaining fine you're good. I will warn you that even though I'm EBF I got my af about when my LO was about 2 months old I can't help but wonder if it's cause she's such a great sleeper

 

[_betsy_]

As long as she's gaining weight and you're not painfully engorged/getting mastitis, it's fine to let her sleep - though the car seat isn't a great place for that, as you've heard already.

My DD2 is 3 months old and around 3-4 weeks old gave us a couple of good 6-8 stretches for a couple nights. It was a welcome surprise, but she didn't keep it up. Overall, she's a much better and easier sleeper than DD1, but she's now gotten into a pattern where she goes a 5-5.5 hour stretch first, then up every 3 hours or so after that.

So, don't be too surprised if it doesn't continue!

 

[Surfer Rosa]

My LO was the same way for the first three months-it was lovely while it lasted!

My MWs weren't concerned as he was gaining and eating really and had lots of wet diapers, etc. etc.) They said that if I had supply problems or if he wan't gaining well that i should be waking him every 4 hours...but as it was, there was no need.

 

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

To OP, saver it while you can. it probably wont last.........

 

[sapphire_chan]

You may find a sttn phase happening again around 3 months, but fortunately that one generally stops by 4 months. I did have to encourage Lina to nurse at least once during the night after the first couple days of that though.

ETA:
The every 4 hours thing for night time is if you're wanting to use breastfeeding as birth control.

 

[Altair]

My 3 week old sleeps for long stretches at night also. 5 hours minimum, 8 hours maximum. But I wouldn't let him do that in a car seat, he could stop breathing. The car seat stays in the car, always.

 

[eewieew]

lucky

e sleeps well - we're not deprived by any stretch. i've always gotten up a few times at night anyway, but she's sttn once. i kinda didn't like it, i enjoy our dreamy time snuggling together in bed.

we combo feed - she's mostly ff, but i nurse her as often as she'll allow it. if we went that long without nursing, i'd dry up in no time!!

 

[the_lissa]

My son started sleeping 7 or 8 hour stretches at the same age for a couple months. As long as the baby is gaining weight, I would just enjoy it.

 

[filiadeluna]

Thanks for the reassurance re: the actual length of sleep. DD hasn't had her one month appointment yet - that is next week, but I can tell just by how she looks and feels (and how her clothes that were huge are fitting better) that she has gained significant weight. She also has tons of dirty and wet diapers, and her poo looks normal (yellow & seedy). The third night she woke up every two hours, but last night she slept 7 hours again. So, who knows if it will continue, but it's nice for now.

I appreciate the warnings about the car seat. It's not that I wanted her to sleep in it, but she wouldn't sleep in her Pack N Play until we bought a sleep positioner to make it more comfy for her. I guess the car seat cradled her like I would when she's on my chest, so that's why she likes it. If I had known it was dangerous, there's no way I would have done it. Please don't think that. I feel rather hurt that anyone would assume that I would put my child's safety at risk knowingly.

I do sleep with her next to me in bed for the majority of her naps, especially the long ones, but we would prefer her to be in the Pack N Play when DH is home simply b/c he can't sleep in the same room otherwise. We just have a Queen sized bed, and neither of us are small people, so it wouldn't be comfortable or very safe for all three of us. I would love it if we had a King and could all sleep together, but we can't afford one right now, so it just isn't going to work for us. I think a King would just barely fit in our room, anyway.

 

[Sunshine4004]

First, congrats! I remember you from the TTC board. I don't think it is unsafe for Isobel. I just want to warn that it may affect your milk supply. DS began sleeping through the night for 6-8 hours at 6 weeks and my milk supply decreased significantly. At 8 weeks when he decided he wanted to nurse more often again, my milk supply was low and he was not gaining enough weight so I had to supplement with formula and use a breast pump to rebuild my supply.

 

[filiadeluna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunshine4004 First, congrats! I remember you from the TTC board. I don't think it is unsafe for Isobel. I just want to warn that it may affect your milk supply. DS began sleeping through the night for 6-8 hours at 6 weeks and my milk supply decreased significantly. At 8 weeks when he decided he wanted to nurse more often again, my milk supply was low and he was not gaining enough weight so I had to supplement with formula and use a breast pump to rebuild my supply.

Thanks! Nice to see you again (adorable little boy, BTW!). Yeah I am pumping at least once a day now, and my supply is still plentiful (for now). I am hoping it won't dwindle, but when I go back to work in a couple of weeks I will have to make sure to pump enough while I'm at work.