How long of a stretch to sleep?

usernewname · July 2014

Ds is almost three months and starting to give me 5 hour stretches. I got a 7 last night.

I hear him stir before then bUT when u go check he's just still sucking his thumb. When I do get him he's moving around so that tells me he's awake and hungry.

This doesn't seem right for a bf baby to go so long. It's nice don't get me wrong. But I always had in my head before baby was every 2 hours. Didn't really think they could go longer.

So my question is that if it's normal for a 3 month old to go 5 to 7 hour stretches at night? Thank you !

LunaBug924 · July 2014

DD has been giving us at least one 6 hour stretch since she was 4 weeks old, and is EBF with an occasional bottle of pumped milk during the day. More often it's closer to 8 hours. I don't know if this is considered "normal", but she makes up for it during the day as she only goes max 2 hours between feedings, then clusters something fierce at night before she goes down. Her output is normal and she's growing on track, so I let her sleep as long as she will. If this is the case for you, I say enjoy some sleep mama!

ETA: she is now 12 weeks old.

usernewname · July 2014

I'll enjoy it while it lasts

he eats well.during the day and lots of wet diapers.

I just never thought for a bf baby. I was prepared to be up every 2 hours until 6 months lol

usernewname · July 2014

casey78 said:

florassecret said:

I'll enjoy it while it lasts he eats well.during the day and lots of wet diapers. I just never thought for a bf baby. I was prepared to be up every 2 hours until 6 months lol

Yes, enjoy it! It's very much in the very large range of normal.

Our ebf baby started giving 5 hour stretches around 6w and then maxed out at 10 hour initial stretch from 3-4 months. It fell apart a bit at 4m with the wakeful period and then again starting at 6m with series of illnesses, ear infections, and teeth. If we are up every 2 hours, it's because she's in pain.

Aww. Poor babe.

How long does the 4 m wakeful last roughly? I guess I have a month to catch up on some sleep!

usernewname · July 2014

@casey78 we don't swaddle so hopefully that removes a factor for us. I did take away his sleep sack as he kept like trying to kick out and he'd get annoyed the sack stopped him (he's starting to move in his bed with his feet) so he's back into jammies.

I hope it goes well

thanks for the advice ladies!

Unknown · July 2014

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giggler25 · July 2014

DD is 9 wks old, EBF, doesn't get swaddled, and we've regularly been having 4-4.5 hour stretches. Last week we had a 6 hour stretch!

radiohd18 · July 2014

LO ate every two hours for probably the first 3-4 weeks and then it became every three hours just based on her cues. Up until her second month I would set my alarm at night for every three hours (start to start) to feed her. After her 2 month appointment I stopped setting my alarm and just let her wake me up and tell me when she was hungry. About a week or so before her 3rd month I took her out of the RNP and began swaddling (she hated it before) and she started sleeping in her bassinet and began STTN most nights. Then I moved the bassinet into her own room. And, this past weekend I started to put her in the crib. She still wakes me up at 3:30AM every couple of nights. This morning she woke me at 4:30AM. During the day she eats every three hours and I do my best to keep her on schedule; but, at night, I try to let her tell me what she needs.

earichar23 · July 2014

I have a piggie back question: my DD who is 3 wo slept 4 hours last night and I woke up before she did because I was engorged. Do you mamas pump for relief when your LO sleeps longer?

radiohd18 · July 2014

I didn't start pumping until my baby was at least 4 weeks. I'm pretty sure I woke LO up by 4 hours when she was only 3 weeks old.

usernewname · July 2014

Yeah I was a little full last night as my supply is regulating but I resisted the urge to pump. I do want to make a stash but not schedule to do it at 11 at night.

Peanutz21 · July 2014

yes i think it varies baby to baby. i was very worried when LO started having consecutive nights without nighttime wakings. she'll sometimes even have a 10-11 hour stretch at night between her last night and early morning feeds. she eats during the day now every 2-3 hours depending on her naps. she otherwise is gaining weight so i've decided to stop worrying that she needed to eat in the MOTN. i figure if she's hungry she'll wake up at that time and let me know. she'll sometimes wake up briefly suck her thumb and fall back asleep within minutes - same as your LO.

flcl · July 2014

As PPs have mentioned, enjoy the sleep! I miss those nights... LO was just starting to give us 7-8 hour that first stretch before he hit the 4MW. He just had a 5-hour stretch last night and I swear a heard a choir sing for us in the background somewhere. Also, good job resisting to pump when feeling a little engorged when LO is sleeping longer at night. Like casey78, my body would take 2-3 days to adjust to LO's plans... just in time for him to change his mind on me

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