Sleep at night with BF baby

Erin0303 · October 2014

Anyone have successful tips on getting baby to sleep longer stretches at night? Im going back to work in a couple weeks and working on transitioning from my bed to her crib. She's 10 weeks old and goes to bed around 8:30, up around 12:00, then every couple of hours after that! Exhausting. When I travel for work my husband is not going to know what hit him because I have been taking care of her 24/7 since birth. She was a few weeks early so I know her system is still growing, but sshe should be sleeping more by this point.

I have a routine of bath, dress, feed in bed at night for now which signals to her fairly well it's "bedtime". Thanks!

Luciana428 · October 2014

I agree with coffe&wine that your schedule looks pretty good! The only thing I can add is that you could change LO's diaper inbetween boobs to try and get her fuller. Mine likes to fall asleep after the first boob and she will tend to wake up sooner for a snack if she doesn't eat from both.

happylady07 · October 2014

I'm convinced it's luck of the draw. My first was a horrible sleeper, very high needs baby, our second has been a much better sleeper from day one, he's just a very mellow baby. Both boys are/were exclusively breastfed. Thy will sleep longer stretches when they are ready.

jamjoyful · October 2014

I have to say that doesn't sound too bad. Usually I can't get LO down until after 11 and she wakes up every 1-2 hrs the rest of the night.

Ktorrisi · October 2014

I'm not breast feeding this time around but maybe try feeding more often before bed (like cluster feeds?) so she's fuller? Is she snuggly and warm enough? (But not too warm). Paci maybe? White noise? Comfy jammies? I'm sure you've tried all of this probably. But she will hopefully sleep longer stretches soon. Good news is pretty soon she can start cereal (4 months I think). So she will be fuller and maybe sleep more. And if you're comfortable with it, you can start a little sleep training at that point too. Good luck hun

Erin0303 · October 2014

I have been reading many other posts about sleeping and so many babies younger than her are sleeping for longer stretches. Just not sure what the norm is, although pediatrician said BF babies by about 3 months old 50% or more are sleeping 6 hours or more. I am so far from that

Reflux and colic don't help either, so just trying to get a feel for what's really going on sleep-wise out there.

tamarar5 · October 2014

@Erin0303‌ DD1 didn't sleep for more than 60 consecutive minutes a day in her life until she was 4.5 YEARS old. I completely feel the sleep deprived pain! I have been there. But honestly, for 10 weeks old, your sleep schedule sounds great. It's normal for babies to wake up every 2-4 hours at this age.

FrodaBaggins · October 2014

I'm going back to work soon as well and my baby is 8 weeks old. I recently totally gave up trying to schedule him or get him into a routine - his sleep patterns change so much from day to day. Sometimes he's in bed early, sleeps four to five hours, feeds and goes back to sleep for another long stretch. Other times he restlessly sleeps for 45 minutes at a time and wakes to feed every hour. He also isn't in his crib yet except for naps but I'm working to get him in there more often. Right now he sleeps in his vibrating snugabunny rocking chair on the floor and I'm on the air mattress next to him. Whatever works is my mantra!

mikescutie7 · October 2014

My LO is 6 weeks and has been getting up every 2-3 hours at night. Last 2 nights though I wrapped her in a halo swaddle sack. The first night she slept 6 hours straight, last night 5 1/2 hours. I'm hoping this continues to be a thing

FrodaBaggins · October 2014

zoegirlTX said:

FrodaBaggins said:

Sometimes he's in bed early, sleeps four to five hours, feeds and goes back to sleep for another long stretch. Other times he restlessly sleeps for 45 minutes at a time and wakes to feed every hour.

This is us....I jsut want to cry reading about everybody else's baby getting 6 or 8 hours of sleep. She was doing 5 hr stretches from 1 to 5 weeks, but that's vanished lately & I'm dying!

@zoegirlTX‌ I feel you!!! Last night I think he would have probably slept longer but I woke up from a dream in a panic, reached over and grabbed him. I would also need to be waking anyway if he was doing 6-8 hours, so I can pump. Otherwise my boobs get so sore and engorged!

RachelB104 · October 2014

We used to leave a lamp on so I could see LO and tried turning the lamp off one night and LO started sleeping longer. Went from 3 hour intervals to 4 or 5 hour intervals. We also cluster feed at night before bed about 3 feedings 2 hours apart leading up to bed time; LO initiated this on his own and it definitely helps. One night he went 6 hours! After the average 4-5 hour stretch of sleep the next interval is never longer than 2-3 hours. I wish that the hours they went between feedings were actual sleep hours for us.

JadaBlue · October 2014

We've also gone from 5-6 hour nights to no longer than three hours. I had thought it was because we moved last week and shifted 13 time zones this week, but it sounds like we're not alone. It's KILLING me.

becominggold · October 2014

It seems like every time I think we are in a pattern LO changes it up! We had been getting a 5-6 hr stretch but he developed a hemotoma on his head around 6 weeks ans had to stop sleeping in his RNP and go to his crib. I feel like we are doing pretty good with the crib after a week, but are now only getting a four hour stretch and the second stretch is averaging 2 hrs instead of three

but....I honestly cant say for sure if this was caused by the change to crib because the six week growth spurt occurred at the same time. I am trying to be flexible and not get too attached to any particular routine !

dogperson11 · October 2014

coffee&wine said:
Honestly your schedule doesn't sound that bad. We are lucky to get 2 hour stretches here, but are only at 7 weeks so not sure if that matters.

Where is LO sleeping? I know some people have success with long stretches in the RNP.

Edit to add that

All of this, but especially the bolded. He AND LO need to get used to each other.

rockyrollgirl · October 2014

It is based on luck and your routine seems fine. Keep in mind also that they go through those phases. I try to get in a long nursing session for the last feeding and she just now started 4-5 hour stretches at 8 weeks.

Try not to rush in everytime you hear a whimper. DD does that from time to time, but if I give her a minute..she goes back to sleep.

Ajburke · October 2014

My LO is 7wreks and goes to bed between 730-8 and sleeps tll 215 then goes back go sleep til 5. This didn't happen till we put him in his crib. I think because he can't hear us he sleeps longer. Give the crib a try. We also swaddle and use white noise all night

wandsandwine · October 2014

LO is finally starting to sleep longer stretches (6-8 hours) and he is 11 weeks but was 3 weeks early. At one point a few weeks ago he would only sleep on my chest and the Dex Mommy Bear was a savior!

exhibitv · October 2014

We get maybe a 4 hour stretch (9-1) and then up every 2 hours. My DD was the same way almost to 9 months so I am not really surprised. My DD didn't STTN really until we weaned at 14 months but she had been down to a once a night feeding for a few months prior. It's sad to read about all those long stretches but I really do think it's luck of the draw.

LastAcorn99 · October 2014

It’s tough and exhausting, I know! I think it’s just the way babies are at this stage…my DS got settled to a longer sleep time, at night, only after he was 2 months. Better get DH pitching in from now, both will take time adjusting to each other

. Good luck! --LastAcorn99

Stellafriend · October 2014

Agree on luck being a lot of it but maybe this can help: Our guy is going on 3 months this week and has been sleeping through the night (9 to 10 hours) since 10 weeks. By 6 weeks he was only waking up once for a 4 am feed. He is EBF. We are huge hippies and did not want to subscribe to the babywise method but after 1 month of feeling overwhelmed, I picked up On Becoming Babywise and devoured it. We got our guy on a consistent sleep-feed-wake time schedule, nursing every 2-3 hours beginning everyday at the same time (7am) and not veering from the sleep-feed-wake time routine. We successfully merged night time feedings until they were eradicated completely at 10 weeks. I can't tell you how much it has helped our life: jobs, relationship, exercise (hub surfs and rides bike everyday, I go to yoga and run or spin) and most of all our ability to relish and enjoy this time with our little guy. Don't hate me because as I said, it could be luck and I don't want to gloat but if I can pass on what worked for us and it works for someone else-- sweet!

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BFP#1 10/11/11 - DD born 6/6/12;
BFP#2 7/6/13 - Due 3/8/13, MMC at 12w D&C on 8/31/13;