Probably a dumb question re: STTN

erinkate23

I keep reading lots of information about how it's normal for babies to wake up several times per night, and I've always expected it.  We have never done any kind of sleep training of any variety.

DS has been STTN for about a month now.  He falls asleep at 8pm and doesn't wake up until 5 or 6.  I do not expect it to continue....I'm almost looking forward to the 4 month wakeful period because I really liked my 2am cuddles (and I have never STTN in my ENTIRE LIFE, I wake up 2x per night).   He sleeps in our bed or in the arm's rest most of the time, but he is totally fine with his crib too.  We co-sleep because we like having him close; he could care less.  He is formula fed. 

So.... if it's normal for babies to wake up, is my LO "abnormal"?  Should I be at all concerned that he's not getting up to eat?  He's very healthy, 90th percentile for height and weight, but I've read that STTN at a young age can cause dehydration and other problems.

 I know, looking a gift horse in the mouth here - I'm not complaining!!  I just want to make sure I shouldn't be waking him up.

 I warned you it was a dumb question.....

atlbride23

It's not "abnormal".  Some babies really do STTN.  I wouldn't wake him up if he's eating enough during the day and growing well.

BTW, I hate you for it

jenifairies

It's all normal. Babies are all different. Some sttn at 2 months, some still don't at 2 years (like mine). Don't worry and consider yourself lucky.

kat.in.the.hat

you just have a baby who enjoys sleeping   enjoy it for however long it lasts!

rs_bride

My DS was EBF and slept 10-14 hours straight from 6 weeks - 3 months with no encouragement from us. (We didn't discourage it, but you know what I mean.) Then he started waking once a night, then twice, then all hell broke loose and we had a good 6 months of 3-5 times a night. Then suddenly right at a year we're down to 1 a night, not until 4:30 or so. So no, your baby isn't abnormal, but don't expect it to last either!

CassieD

Lexie started STTN at 12 weeks. She was growing perfectly, happy as a little clam, and all was well. I wouldn't worry about your LO at all. Be thankful!

Just to tell you what happened next, the STTN lasted until the 4 month wakeful period. Then we had two weeks of sleeping hell, where she woke up constantly and wouldn't sleep anywhere but directly on top of me or DH. We don't co-sleep because of some sleep issues I have (I sleep very deeply, sleep walk, etc., so it's just not safe) so that was a rough 2 weeks, because I didn't sleep much. Thankfully, it only last a couple weeks, and she's back to STTN now.

I'm sure there will be bumps along the road where she goes through wakeful periods, and that's fine. But I'm grateful for whatever sleep she lets me get. And as long as she's growing and happy, then I'm definitely going to let her do it!

EcoBaby

I've heard several women say their babies slept through the night in the newborn stage. I've also heard them say that it didn't last, so you might get your middle-of-the-night cuddles after all

Honestly, after having a baby who wakes up constantly throughout the night for his whole life, I would be pretty paranoid if my next one was sleeping through the night. I would probably keep him close to me.

webMistress0609

Ari started out as a pretty good sleeper as long as he was next to me. He started doing at least one 4-5 hour stretch around 5 weeks, then gradually increased to 6-8 hour stretches by 8 weeks.

Things started to go downhill around 3.5 months for us, but that had to do with GI issues, food intolerance/allergies, & the 4 month wakeful. 

Hopefully you'll be a lucky one & he'll remain a good sleeper and have short lived, if any, disturbances due to milestones & such. 

MrsSM

My niece has STTN since about 1 week old, my sister was the best slept new mom ever! She is now 6 months, and is perfect on all the physical charts and very precocious on the development charts (sitting by herself at 3 months, standing at 6 months, saying hi and Mama and Ing which is what she calls her bottle reliably since one month old, don't know where she got that one!!)

Be happy!!!

WyoGal

I think the STTN abnormal split is something like 25% STTN early and 75% don't.  If it were something like 99-1% then I'd say yes.    For those of us whose LOs have NEVER STTN, the world feels like it's full of those of you lucky ones in the 25% and we like to believe you're more abnormal to make ourselves feel better   Enjoy it while you can!