I made peace a long time with the fact that DS doesn't sttn yet. Someone her posted a few weeks ago a blog entry about how babies are not supposed to sttn and although I had resigned myself the post was comforting. I recently made a search on the physiology of babies' sleep and came across Dr. James McKenna. He is my new hero. You may have heard of him but I had not and so I wanted to share a excerpt from this website where you can find the entire document. If your LO isn't sttn don't despair, your LO is only a very healthy and normal baby!
In my writings and based on my scientific research and that of others I contradict popular notions including what many well intentioned pediatricians believe i.e. the notion that continuous, uninterrupted infant sleep is good or normal or healthy for human infants. I reject this proposition entirely. Indeed, I believe our obsession with infants ?sleeping through the night? at young ages?and the whole icon associated with the ?sleep like a baby? ideal, i.e. without stirring or arousing, is a product of wishful thinking but more importantly a negative image with faulty and dangerous assumptions.
Re: If your LO DOES NOT STTN, this is for you...
I'm glad this gives you peace of mind.
However, do not discount the importance of sleep as it pertains to the development of your child. Even as a small infant.
Yes, sleep in infants does not necessarily means a 12 hour uninterrupted stretch. As it pertains to their development it means that continuous waking during the night for babies is not only normal but exactly what occurs (and should occur). Mind you, this is for breastfed babies.
This explains it better: "The lighter sleep, that all of these maternal-induced arousals promote, gives rise to what we consider to be ?safer sleep? for infants especially for the level of neurological immaturity through which all human infants must pass".
My Blog: Naturally Mindful
Okay, but what age are we talking about? A 3 month old? Or a 6 month old?
According to Dr. McKenna babies are not designed to sttn for their first 6 moths of life. This for those that are EBF until 6 mo of age as it is recommended to start solids at that point.
My Blog: Naturally Mindful
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Agreed, although with mine the witching hours are 4-6 am. If I can even put him down without him immediately waking up and crying he will wake up every half hour. Sometimes he just wants to smile at me, or squirm around on my chest. It's not even light outside kid, go back to sleep!