| Author | |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: Jan 09 2008 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
My Michael is a beautiful, chubby and contented almost 6 month old bundle of smiles and hugs. My question - he is still nursing every couple of hours through the night. All my other kids were sleeping for 5+ hour stretches by 6 months - even the preemies. Generally it is not tough for me as he is either in the cosleeper or our bed - he just nurses and falls right back to sleep. But last night I did look at the clock -1am,3am, 5am and I am wondering why he eats so often at night. He is just starting on solids so maybe this will make a difference. This is our first baby in a cosleeper - but we still had the others in our room in a crib.
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmyown
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5128
|
| Posted: Jan 09 2008 at 7:09pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
If he is close to you all night then he will nurse all night. But if the baby isn't close enough to smell you, he may sleep longer. That has been my experience. The couple of babies I had that actually slept in a crib did sleep for longer stretches. I didn't have one sleep through the night before a year until #7. The rest sleep in my arms, or in the co-sleeper until that first feeding, and they nurse all night until at least a year.
Hope that helps!
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Jan 09 2008 at 7:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mine sleep right next to me but usually as long as I get a 4 hr stretch in.. it just doesn't bother me and I usually get at least that... so it may just be how that particular child is.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Heliodora
Forum Rookie
Joined: Jan 07 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 79
|
| Posted: Jan 09 2008 at 11:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My child number six was like that. He also took the longest of all of mine to sleep through the night, but I also was a lot more lax about getting him back into his crib (which is always in our room) after he ate, preferring to just keep him in bed with me. I've never used a co-sleeper, but I think that what teachingmyown said makes sense. I think that the babies will naturally wake when your sleep rhythms change as well. It has probably become a habit for him to wake when you stir or change your position, maybe, so he wants to eat more often.
As a contrast, I have done the same thing with number seven (who is now 9 months and starting solids )and he will sleep for at least five hours in a stretch, unless he's cutting a tooth or hitting a spurt.
Isn't it funny that just when you think you've got the mothering thing down, one comes along that throws you for a loop?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ann@home
Forum Pro
Joined: April 26 2007
Location: Iowa
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 169
|
| Posted: Jan 10 2008 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
No magical method here, just shows that each child is different 
My 3rd was the same as you described....except he nursed like that until he was 1 yr!
At that point I had him sleep away from me next to dad (even though dad hated being in the middle) and this helped a little since dad would just pat him when he started to stir and he'd go back to sleep. He still nursed at least 1x per night until he was almost 2 but he slept late so it evened out for me.
He's only 6 mos, really such a tiny thing in the big picture. I'd just go with the flow for awhile longer until I forced the issue much.
Hang in there!
__________________
Ann, Full-time Mama of a 10yr old Lego master, 7yr old DIVA, 4yr old King of the Mountain and one more in June '09!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
graciefaith
Forum Pro
Joined: June 08 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 361
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2008 at 6:54am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I think every child is different. My first two did not sleep through the night til they were almost 4yo! Now my 3mo is the best sleeper so far but i know that all can change at anytime. She sleeps every night by 7pm and can wake up anywhere between 1am-5am to eat. Normally she'll only wake up 1x to feed but the most is 2x and very rarely 3x a night. She is completely different than my first two. I dont do anything special for this. She doesnt cluster feed before bedtime either. This is just her sleeping pattern and i'm trying to enjoy it for however long it lasts.
__________________
Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2008 at 6:51pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
It could be, too, that he is not really hungry but he wants the comfort. My first wanted to nurse all night long like that, and it got to the point where she wouldn't eat during the day at all and would keep waking me up all night to eat. It was a total nightmare. (I NEED my sleep.)
I can't remember where I read it (maybe in No Cry Sleep Solution), but it was a recommendation starting between 6 and 9 months. Basically, if the baby is wanting to nurse every two hours all night, then you let them start sucking but after about a minute or so gently break the suction with your finger and see if they go back to sleep. If they're really hungry, they'll let you know. If they just wanted a little comfort, they'll often go back to sleep. You do this with about every other wake-up time. Plus, it really helps to make sure they are nursing regularly and heartily during the day. This helps keep them from getting their days and nights mixed up feeding-wise.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 10:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks everyone. I am so enjoying this little guy - and really enjoy the night cuddles (just waking up in the morning is tough!) - at least I know that it is probably the cosleeping that makes him nurse so often - my other kids were in their own cribs by 4 or 5 months. He is such a contented little guy I do not want to change anything right now
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LisaR
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2226
|
| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 11:10am | IP Logged
|
|
|
none of my kids slept through the night until the were done nursing, and out of our bed. After my first, I never looked at the clock. ever. it would drive me nuts to know "they just nursed 1 hour ago!!" If I don't know, then I could psyche myself out into thinking Iwas better rested than I most likely was!
Maria still every night wakes up and ends up in bed with us or a sibling, almost like clockwork at 3am. I know this is "habit" and could be broken, but it doesn't really disturb any of us and I think she will outgrow this like the others did.
Praying that you will get the rest you need!
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hopalenik
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 17 2006
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 230
|
| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 1:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My number is still like that and she is 18 months. I kicked her out of our room 2 months ago and that helps a little. Now sometimes she sleeps through the night but sometimes she is still up several times. I have decided to start the weaning process because I am pregnant and tired and need to sleep and I can no longer sleep with her attached to me. It is a really hard decision to make because for some children-you can do anything and they will just sleep through the night....but some children get used to that co sleeper and you being near and will easily nurse all night long until you painfully wean them. 
Holly
__________________
Holly
Mom to dd 10, twins dd and ds (transplant as baby that failed 05/09, permanent dialysis patient) 8 , dd 5 and dd 3 1/2 and dd in Feb 2009. 2 I hope to meet in heaven.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lara Sauer
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 15 2007
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 679
|
| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 2:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My babies (I have had 7!)are not the worlds best sleepers. I am lucky if they sleep for three hour stretches. They spend the first year or so with me in bed and then in a crib in our room until they are about 2 or so. I have made peace with the night time nursings...sometimes I still complain a bit, but for the most part, I know that this too shall pass.
However, I would like to pass on the words a very wise mother gave me many years ago, long after her children had stopped nursing, but when mine were just beginning. She said that she would offer each night time feeding for that particular childs growth in the virtues of chastity and purity. Many a time when I would otherwise have been annoyed or angry at being woken up yet again, this thought has encouraged me to pick up my child with tenderness. Knowing that our Lord works all things to the good for those who love him brings me peace.
You will be in my prayers!
__________________
You can take the girl out of Wisconsin, but you can't take the Wisconsin out of the girl!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Babies and sleeping through the night?
