Does Anyone Else Have a Newborn Who Sleeps Through the Night?

You are indeed lucky, this is great. Congratulations. My first born never slept and still comes in at night and needs me to lie down with her to fall asleep. She is now almost 7.
When i had my second one I was determined to get her to sleep and followed "the happiest baby on the block book by Dr. Karp, and those ideas worked. She always slept well and is still a great sleeper. She is 4 now.

this is diffinately not the norm, but my oldest daughter did this.She slept through the night the first 2 nights she was home from the hospital then the next 2 nights woke up then the 5 night starting sleeping through the night every night. She was very even tempered baby, very happy, very easy. People kept telling me wait until she is a teen, NOPE. She went through the teen years pretty easy also she is now in her 20s and she has always been a easy, wonderful child. I am glad to hear you have been blessed with such an easy one....T.

My son has also slept through the night since he was about 4-6 weeks old (as soon as we put him in his own room) and he is 10 months now, he does wake up sometimes (2x a month) but eats and goes right back to sleep. I really think we just got lucky!

My baby girl is 15 months old and is just now beginning to sleep through the night. You are blessed with a good sleeper. ENJOY!
My baby girl never took long naps until she got towards 6 months and my pediatrician said that it was normal. 30-45 minute naps were the norm for a very long time. The cat napping is very age appropriate so I would not worry about it. When she gets older her naps will become longer and more routine. My daughter now takes one 3 hour nap during the day and sleeps 10 - 11 hours at night.

My first daughter started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks old. It was funny because up to that point I was so sleep deprived that I was almost non-functioning. My sister came over to stay the night and sleep with the baby so I could rest (don't ask me why my husband didn't just do it!) and that night she slept all night long, about 10 hours straight. Slept through the night from then on. I got paid back with the next two who still don't sleep through the night at ages 7 and 13 so enjoy it! And by the way, that was 20 years ago and at that time they were telling us to put our babies on their stomach and strictly avoid the back to avoid SIDS. Then they changed it to the other way around. Made more sense to sleep on the stomach to me because of the risk of choking if they spit up while sleeping on their backs.

My first son is 11 months old now, and has slept through the night since 8 weeks old - sleeping through the night has meant anywhere from 6-12 hours of sleep. He sleeps in a crib in his room - pack and play in our room for the first 12 weeks. He is a happy and sweet, mellow boy, but not much of a napper. Doc said to enjoy, b/c they probably won't all be that way! =)

Hi L.
I just wanted to respond. I was concerned about people having something to say about SIDS. We really don't know what can happen when our babies are sleeping. There was a time when they were saying to have the babies sleep on their stomach, then they switched it to backs. I feel the babies should sleep however they are comfortable sleeping. When my 1st daughter was a baby, she slept through the night (stomach and back)on her 2nd night home. When I told people that, they would tell me I was supposed to wake her up in the middle of the night to feed her. At first I felt bad because I thought my baby was starving, but I soon realized that she was just fine. This was 11 years ago. My daughter sleeping through the night was the best thing that happened, because my 2nd daughter was a totally different experience. A lot of times people repeat what they have heard, not realizing what they are saying or how much of an impact they are making on an individual. If my life was based on what people were telling me about my babies, I would have had a few nervous break downs. And before I start rambling too much I will end this. You have a wonderful and worry-free New Year.

C.

My daughter started sleeping 10-12 hours a night when she was 6 weeks old. Like your daughter, she only takes short naps during the day.
I love that she is a great sleeper at night, however there is very little down time during the day. My pediatrician says this is normal for some kids, and we should just consider ourselves lucky that we're able to get a good night sleep!

My son is the same way - I have 5 children - he is my baby - not one of the other children have slept like that - not one, so I am very grateful - his dad walked out on me when I got pregnant, so I am thrilled that I am getting to sleep...

Enjoy your little angel - I know it's hard during the day, but nothing is more refreshing than a good night sleep.

My first son was the same way. Slept through the night from day one. He was very alert, and curious about the world around him during the day and took little cat-naps. However, when trying to nurse it made things very difficult. I would set the alarm, then struggle to wake him to eat. Eventually I gave up :( I didn't know enough back then... However this being my first child it really gave me a distorted reality. When my second and third children were born it was a REAL eye-opener! I had been spoiled by the first child!

My daughter (who is now 5) started sleeping 15-16 hours at 8 weeks old. She went from 6 hours to 15 in one night. She was a sleeper. She'd wake up and nurse, and drink a lot. She was also taking 2 three hour naps a day on top of this. I did try waking her up one night after 6 to 8 hours, but she didn't want to wake up, she'd start nursing and fall right back to sleep. The doctor said as long as she was gaining weight normally that it was no reason to worry. I would still check with your pediatrician just in case there are other health issues out there. Just be grateful that your daughter is a sleeper =), I know I was! I was a very well rested mom.

When my son was new and slept long periods (only a few times at that age!) I asked the lactation consultants about it and they said it wasn't a reason to be alarmed unless he suddenly wasn't gaining weight or having enough wet/poopy diapers.

You may hear a lot about not putting the baby down on her belly to sleep but I also hear lots of moms say they always did it with no problems. I'd just read up on the SIDS to know your risk involved but you're already cutting the risk down by breastfeeding so good for you!! And congrats on the new baby. Just feel lucky she sleeps so good now. When she gets older and more interested in the world around her, she may start nursing less at day and want to start nursing more at night. This happened to us around four months. There are some good articles on kellymom.com about this so check out their site if you run into any major snags! Good luck!!

Hi L.,

Our second son started to sleep through the night at 2 weeks of age. He's now 30 years old. He actually sleep 6 hours straight on his first night after he was born. He was the talk of the nurse's station at the hospital! Yep, he was a total blessing after our older son, now 33 years old, didn't start sleeping all the way through the night until he was 3 1/2 years old!

G.

There's areason why she sleeps through the night and that's because she's on her belly, and that's worisome! since the baby sleeps so soundly at night and only 8 weeks old that's a huge risk of sids (sudden infant death syndrome) when there in such a deep sleep at night from not napping much during the day they tend to stop breathing when there on there stomach! I'm not telling you what to do but I unfortunately had a niece die of this at 9 weeks of age and your baby sounds just like her sleeping pattern and I would hate to see that happen to anyone else!

my twin daughters are breastfed & started sleeping through the night at 2 mos. we fed them every 2.5 to 3 hrs during the day & after the 10pm feed let them go on demand through the night. bedtime if officially 7:30pm & sometimes they don't awake for the 10pm feed & make it until 7 am. we still need 3 naps but they range from 45 min catnaps to 2.5 hrs, just depends on what excitement is going on, etc.

My son did this also. He is 9 1/2 months now and only wakes up once (usually) at night to breastfeed. He usually sleeps about 11 - 12 hours a night. Count yourself lucky! My son did go through a stage at about 6 months when he was teething really bad and didn't sleep for more than 40 minutes day or night at a time (he was getting 2 top and 2 bottom teeth at the same time), so rest up now! Congratulations on your baby girl.

L.,

When we adopted our twins I was given the BEST book on the planet!! They were on opposite sleeping schedules and within 6 weeks they were on the same sleep schedule AND sleeping from 7pm to 7am!! The book REALLY works!! It is called "The Contented Little Baby Book". You can find it on Amazon.com for about $10.

My son was totally like that. From day one he was a sleeper and just an overall happy and content baby. He is 15 months now and still sleeping through the night. He has his moments of waking, but I would say 95% of the time he sleeps all night. I put him down at 8pm and he wakes up at 7AM. And takes 30min-1hr morning nap and 2-2 1/2hr afternoon nap. I feel very blessed. God just knew I couldnt handle more. We are very blessed parents

Hi L.,
My son was very similar. I breastfed on demand, slept with him, held him all day and he slept through the night very early on and continues to be a great sleeper (he woke up at 8 am on christmas morning!). He is 12 now and very secure and happy. Guess those attachment parenting and la leche league folks are right after all! We are both lucky to have easy to calm, healthy and matched temperment babies. I know not everyone is so lucky. As long as she is easy to wake when she's asleep I think you just thank whatever spirit/ diety you believe in...

lucky you! my twins never did that, but our friends baby did that. it didn't last though. it ended at about 6 months, but even then it was only once a night.

My son only took catnaps until he was 8 months old! Count your blessings about the nightime sleeping, that's great! Some babaies do really well at night, my 2 sons were very different, one slept GREAT from about 6 weeks on and the other woke up until I night weaned him around 8 months...
I read the greatest book about sleep when I had my boys, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" the best principle I came to understand was that sleep begets more sleep. I highly recommend that book!

My son was born at 32 weeks and we would have to wake him to eat once he came home. By the end of the 2nd month he was sleeping 8 hours at night and now at 5 months sleeps 10 - 12 hours. He has been in his crib since his first night home. We have the same cat nap issues and everyone wonders why he doesn't sleep more during the day. I think if they are even tempered and not cranky without the longer naps, don't fix what isn't broken:-)

My daughter has been sleeping through the nite since 2 1/2 months old.. In her crib since she came home.. She will not sleep anywhere else but her bed.. U learn things from your first children.. like i broke her from the bottle before a yr.. been on sippy since 9 months and she will be 1 next week.. She also doesnt go to sleep with a sippy which i learned from my first.. and she doesnt sleep with me.. Again learned that from my first cuz im still tryin to get my 6 yr outta my bed.. lol... but u can listen to ppls advice but its ur decision if u wanna take it or not.. i know it always upset me when ppl would keep pushing their opinions bout how to raise my kids...

I say enjoy your sleep while you can...I have two little girls (5 and 1.5) who have always been great sleepers. They both slept in bed with me until about 3 months. Each would wake about once each night to nurse and we would both be back to sleep in no time. I think the hardest part was hearing from other mamas how hard their sleep schedules are. As your daughter gets older you will go through many sleep stages/patterns...I say enjoy this stage as long as you can (the only thing I might add is that you said she sleeps on her belly, I know our pediatrian always wanted the girls to sleep on their backs when they were little - but then again when I was a kid my pediatrician told my parents to keep me on my belly...so who really knows what possition is best...) good luck...and here's to having kids that are great sleepers!!

I have also heard that newborns sleeping on the tummy is not recommended due to risk of SIDS (it wasn't always this way), perhaps you can just have her sleep on her back and you will have the same result! Good luck, my husband and I are expecting our first child, a daughter, in a few weeks! :-)

When my son was that age I discovered that a warm bath before the last feeding, at 11 pm, was the best way to get him to sleep. Another thing I did after he was 3 months old was to give him oatmeal just before bedtime. It is easily digested and stayed in his stomach a long time, so he slept comfortably. Remember that between 6 and 8 weeks, they wake up and want to grow. They nurse a lot because they are doing a huge rapid growth spurt. Good luck, this too shall pass.

Hello L.,
I would suggest that you speak to your pediatrician about any concerns you have around your baby sleeping for such a long period of time. At 8 weeks, she may need to eat/nurse more often for optiminal growth--check with the professionals. My concern for your baby is that she is sleeping on her belly--this raises her risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), greatly. I am a nurse, and don't want to alarm you, but this is a serious issue. New moms are supposed to be educated in the hospital about the "Back to Sleep" program---placing your baby on her back, or side, to sleep--which has been proven to decrease the incidence of SIDS substantially. Also, there should not be loose-fitting linens on the sleeping surface/mattress, and no stuffed animals or pillows in the bed either. Please consider making this change for your baby's safety. And if your pedi says 8 1/2 hours is okay for your baby to sleep, then thank your lucky stars!!! Happy New Year to you & your family!

Dear L.,
Happy Holiday & Happy new year !
my 9 years old daughter used to sleep all night since day one .
but i have never ever put her in her tummy because of the Sudden death risk .
put your baby in her either side or her back and you will have the same result .

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sids.html

enjoy the restful nights .

i have 3 kids and only my 2nd child who was like this but my older son kept waking up in the middle of the night 4 or 5 times until he was 5 years old .

so again enjoy every minute of it , and please do not put her in her tummy .

Good luck .
Arij

Sounds like you're having the ideal response to your attachment-parenting! What a lucky baby! It sounds familiar to me from other baby-wearing bf-ing on demand mamas.

I was just as lucky as you are. My oldest, who will be 9 in January, slept all night at 5 weeks, and my youngest, who just turned 1, started at about 7-8 weeks old. I know many moms that are not as fortunate, so my advice is to enjoy every minute of it!!