Do prem babies sleep more than their full term counterparts?

[pingulingo]

My DD was born at 32 weeks, and is now 6 months old actual (4 months adjusted) and I am amazed at how much she sleeps even now. Is it normal for prem babies to need a lot of sleep compared to full term babies? She wakes every 3-4 hours for a feed and a poo and thats it. She's probably awake for 60-90mins before she goes back to sleep. And then sleeps 10-12 hours at night.

Do prem babies generally need more sleep? Or is this just normal 6 month old behaviour? I should know as she is my second child, but my first just didnt sleep for the first 9months so I have no concept of normal!

[Gurke]

Hi pingu - not sure whether it's normal or not, but mine also sleeps a ton. He is 6 1/2 months actual now (3 1/2 adjusted), and has only in the last week or so started to stay awake sometimes for up to 90 minutes - until recently he could barely manage an hour. And he sleeps even more when he seems to be gowing through a growth spurt.

From what I've read there seems to be quite a lot of variation in how much babies sleep, even if they are term. So I wouldn't worry. When she is awake does she make eye contact and seem alert (even if only for short periods at a time)?

[clabsyqueen]

I think this must be her temperament rather than prematurity. I recall that My 28 weeker never slept for longer than 40mins at a time and didnt seem to need much sleep. Now at 18 months only really likes a 40 minute nap. Exhausting.

[KindleMum]

DS was prem and slept tons. As a newborn he had to be woken for feeds. He was on 2 naps a day for way longer than everyone else and kept the afternoon nap until 4yrs. He's 5 now and sleeps 12-13 hours a night with the very occasional weekend nap as a top-up. And growth spurts definitely manifest themselves as tiredness for him, whereas for DD it's hunger.

As a comparison to yours, at 6mo, DS would have slept 7-7 at night, gone back for a nap 9-11am, back down sometime between 1 and 2 until 4 or 4.30pm and sometimes more. He was late to learn to walk and crawl and I used to joke that he wasn't awake long enough to learn!

[gardenpixie32]

My girls still sleep a lot. They are 27 weeks old and still have three naps a day (4 hours in total) and sleep around 12 hours a night. The longest they can stay awake is 2 hours but we often have grumpy, overtired babies who cry a lot when that happens! 1h30 is their optimal stay awake time. I also put it down to prematurity.

[pingulingo]

Thanks for your experiences, I'm obviously worrying about nothing! She is perfectly alert when she is awake and full of smiles. I should just enjoy the peace whilst it lasts I guess. Thanks again

[rhondajean]

My 32 weeker slept loads too. She's 8 now and unfortunately I can't get her to sleep now!

[pingulingo]

rhondajean - Oh dear, I had better get the sleep in while I can! To be fair, I'm an awful sleeper, so will be my faulty genes to blame for DCs lack of sleep!

[Idreamofsunshine]

My 28 weeker got a blood transfusion as he slept so much in Scbu. It made no difference so they stated he was just lazy haha.

[countrymummy13]

They have so much growing to do I think it's only natural that try sleep a lot. Just look at her line on the growth chart!

My DS was born 27+5 and at 4 months corrected was only awake for a couple of hours before needing another 2 hr nap.

In fact he is now 14 months corrected and still sleeps 11hrs at night and 3hrs in the day.

[minipie]

My DD was a 32 weeker and apart from the first 7 weeks or so, she has refused to sleep not seemed to need much sleep at all. I think prem babies may need more sleep than a full term baby of the same actual age (especially at the beginning, which makes sense as they should still be in the womb) but as they get older it's more about temperament.

[minipie]

uh, sorry, she was a 34 weeker...

[minime87]

My Ds was a 34weeker and was exactly the same. Tbh it's never really changed, even now at 2.8 he sleeps 2-3hours in the day if given the chance and 12-13hours at night. He'll often say he's tired and ask for a nap when he's only been up for an hour or so!!

[plentyofshoes]

Ds did and still sleeps really well.
Dd has not which surprised me but she is getting better. Hopefully!

[johull]

Please help me...

My DD is not sleeping at night she was born at 34 weeks and is now 7.5 weeks old (1.5 corrected) and she if just not sleeping. She wakes every 2 hours after a MASSIVE dream feed if breast milk via a bottle. She drink 180ml at 9pm and 150ml at 10pm so she is literally bursting before bed! Yet last night 12:40 she wakes up then 3, then 5 then 8, yet she sleeps 3-4 hour stretches at night. Please can I have done advice. Willing to try anything.