Too mucb sleep?

[MrsMattie]

Right, forgive me for being really annoying - and best not read this if you have a non-sleeper (DS was a crappy sleeper, and wouldn't have wanted to hear this post) - but...

...is there such a thing as too much sleep?

DD has always been a sleepy baby. She slept pretty much all of the time foer the first 6 weeks of life and has slept for progressively longer periods at night. She is now 15 wks old and has been settled into sleeping for roughly 8 hour stretches at night since 10 wks-ish. However, the last week or so she started sleeping 9, then 10 hour stretches, and last night slept from 7-7. She still sleeps loads in the day, though. Today, despite her 12 hour kip at night, she has only been awake for 6 hours (in chunks of no more than 90 mins) in a 24 hour period. And this seems fairly typical.

Is this OK? I don't visit the HV very often, but she was checked a month ago and was 'thriving'. She feeds well during the day and seems otherwise healthy. I just worry that she seems to enjoy sleeping more than anything else.

[Ceebee74]

I am trying to work out how much sleep DS2 has during the day (he is exactly the same age).

But he has slept 7-7 consistently since he was 10 weeks old so it can happen/is normal.

I think DS2 tends to have 3 or 4 naps a day - each one lasting 45-60 mins so that is about 4 hours - so in total, 16 hours a day. Some days it can be more though (it tends to depend if DS1 is at nursery - he sleeps more then as he is not disturbed by DS1 shouting at him )

I wouldn't worry - as long as she is sleeping at night, then she obviously needs the sleep during the day aswell.

[smugmumofboys]

We've both just started threads in sleep - mine's a veeery different problem to yours!

DS1 was like this and did 7-7 at 12 weeks (God was I smug) but would sleep loads during the day too. Friends joked that they never saw him with his eyes open.

He's 6 now and a very sound sleeper, although sadly no longer needs 12 hours.

Oh, and I got my comeuppance with DS2 who went through the night at...............

two and half years!

[nickytwotimes]

Enjoy it if she is otherwise well.

Ds was like that - constantly asleep for the first year, great sleeper for the second and then he hit 2...
I think he concentrated all his sleep in the first few years adn prefers to be awake now.

[MrsMattie]

Thanks everyone.

smug - I had it the other way around, so this is like some sort of miracle! DS didn't sleep through until 2.5 yrs old. I am still amazed at this little madam! I used to think people who claimed their 3 mth old's slept 7-7 were lying

[claire002]

FWIW my DD has always loved her sleep (wish I'd realised sooner when she was younger, would have saved a lot of screaming!) - she's 18 months now, just forced her to drop her morning nap as I'm fed up with it, and she usually sleeps 6.45pm-8am then lunchtime 12.30-2.30/3pm. I always wake her up, in the morning and from lunch, so goodness knows how long she'd sleep if I left her to it. She's non stop when she's awake, chatty and perky and developing fine, and I can still have a nap at lunch if I'm tired (am 6 months pregnant now). Only downside is she's not good at sleeping out and about, so going out for the day or overnight is hard - but a price worth paying I think! Fret not. Sleeping is good for brain development as well, I read somewhere...

[scoopmuckanddizzy]

My dd (now 3.5) was exactly the same.

Up until at least 6 months old she would sleep for 7 hours during the day and 12 hours at night. She would literally have a feed then go straight back to sleep and if she didn't she'd only be awake for an hour or so. It was fab

I spoke to my HV and she said that as long as she was feeding well then not too worry.

To be honest I would try to enjoy it, when dd turned 10 months she started waking in the night and hasn't been a brilliant sleeper since.

HTH

[supergluebum]

Not sure if this helps or not, but I have 2 very sound sleepers. But my DH is exactly the same.

DS sleep at least 6 hour stretches through the night, regular naps through the day.

Still (aged nearly 4) does 12-14 hours at night. No naps during the day though

DD - 10 months, brilliant sleeper always has been. Slept long deep sleeps from about 5 weeks. At least 8 hours at night, could pad about in the morning, dry my hair, have a shower, bang the wardrobe doors cos my boobs were about to explode and NOTHING would wake her.

Now they fit brilliantly together. She does about an hour in the morning, and 2 in the afternoon then a solid 12 hours if not 13 at night. Both are in bed by 6 and 6.30 respectively. My friends are jealous, we have evenings to ourselves and get a good nights sleep.

I'm not gloating, but you shouldn't worry unless she has a dramatic weight loss and is not particularly alert when she is awake. 15 weeks is still young, but not too young to develop a healthy sleep pattern and if in your heart of hearts you're not concerned, then don't worry about it!

If you feel that she's sleeping too much to get enough milk, then try to introduce a dream feed.

HTH

[MrsMattie]

She feeds lots in the morning. She is FF, and will guzzle a 125 ml bottle every 2-3 hrs during the day - actually, when she first wakes she is ravenous and will guzzle a 200ml bottle straight off...then doze off again

When she is awake she is alert and smiley and very sweet . She is starting to roll over, too, although if I put her on her tummy she just screams. So hard not to compare. DS was awake pretty mucn constantly as a baby and was one of those babies that did everything super early.

Ah well. She is happy, I am happy, and will not be neurotic about this

(You'd think the PFB-ness would have calmed down by now!)

[lovelymama]

I want to cry when I read what a brilliant sleeper you have. Just enjoy the fact that you have a brilliant baby and when I'm up for 3 hours in the night with DS and fighting with him to nap you are having a great night's kip!

[MrsMattie]

Ah, sorry lovelymama

DS was a crappy sleeper so I do know how you feel (honest). And it could all go tits up yet, so I mustn't be too smug

[lovelymama]

be as smug as you like - i would be!

here's hoping for a calm, sleepy DC2!