To ask you to cast your vote! Disrupted evening but solid sleep or good bedtime and night waking!

[Napqueen1234]

My friend and I were having a friendly debate today and were at complete odds to which is the best/worst of our situations with our babies sleep (both are 6.5 months old!) I won’t give away which I am. This is neither a stealth boast nor intended to pit parents against each other we are writing this together and want to see who is right.

So...

YABU: child A. Goes to sleep like a dream at 6:30pm. Bath, pjs on then laid down and just closes eyes and goes to sleep. Not a peep UNTIL 10/10:30 when wakes up for a feed then another night feed around 2:30am then awake for the day at 6. Supportive DH who does either night feed or gets up early. Mum struggles to catch up on sleep because can’t go to bed earlier (only one bedroom and baby in cot in there so would wake her anyway) and always wakes even if dad does the night feed so every night is disrupted.

OR

YANBU: child B. Bedtime is 7pm (hahaha...) up and down up and down needing settling, bits of feeding, cuddles, lying down next to them etc etc. BUT when they do go to sleep normally 8/8:30 that’s it. Conked until 7am no night wakings. DH isn’t home until 8 in the week so mum does every long settling sesh although he takes over it still going on when he gets home and also helps at weekends.

Neither are bad for 6.5 months IMO so don’t shoot us but which would you prefer??

DS didn’t sleep through until well over a year old. At 6.5 months, I’d have taken B in a millisecond!

@Hercwasonaroll looks like they’re fostered. You’re a hero @bloodywhitecat 🙌🏼

B! Hate getting up once I'm in bed.

I need to work in the evenings (teacher) so B is my worst nightmare!

DD19mo is almost at the point of having her nap stopped because she’s faffing about too much at bedtime.

Ah amazing! Well done @bloodywhitecat how did I miss that from your post?! You diamond.

I'd want child B but I'd put them to bed later. Their body clock obviously doesn't want to go to sleep at 7pm.

In defence of B- a later bedtime has been tired MANY times and the overtiredness means they aren’t settled until 10pm!!

Option B

B, sounds bloody fantastic.

At 6 months my ds went down at 7pm, had a dream feed at 10/11pm then slept til 7am.
I win

(Pregnant with my second, expect I'll regret being smug )

A. The ability to self settle is a superpower that can’t be underestimated as they get older.

You missed off Child C who self settles and sleeps through but is up for the day at 5!

[quote Hercwasonaroll]@bloodywhitecat Are you a biological miracle?[/quote]
No, although I can see people do a double take when I walk past with one in a sling and one in a buggy, especially as I am 56, Until recently I was fostering the older baby and a 3 year old toddler but the toddler has moved to her new family, Shortly after she left us my social worker called and asked if we would have room in our lives for a baby with complex needs so we said 'yes' and now have two babies.

@wouldthatbeworse thats the child I want! Solid sleep and you can just go to bed early!

God id go for B a million times over! A little bit of trouble settling is nothing to pay for a nice unbroken night.

Child B, but A seems fine also. Both ridiculously good for that age and I would have dreamed of that!! Enjoy!

I’d be happy with either to be honest but that long stretch of sleep would give me the energy to deal with the long settling time. My baby doesn’t really settle until 8/8.30 then wakes like baby A which now feels like the worst of both sides!

B sounds great. DD2 was like this (DD1 was definitely not) albeit with a later bedtime. She slept from around 9pm to 9am. Bloody great.

In case any one is the slightest bit bothered I have child A so won the argument with my friend that her set up is better but lose at life with my worse sleeping baby. Swings and roundabouts I suppose! Sending good sleep to everyone out there 😴😴

I feel for you Napqueen1234 It’s quite literal torture but you’ll get there in the end!

Either sound amazing to me. DS took an hour to settle to sleep and woke every 90mins until he was 2 years old. I think you should both count your blessings.

My DD was child B except we out her to bed at 8pm as she wouldn’t go to bed any earlier. I would choose child B as sleep is more important!

Thanks @UserFriendly14 I know my older DD was a much worse sleeper and is a dream at 2 so I’m hopeful! Feels endless at the time doesn’t it 😂 but she could be a LOT worse so won’t moan!

Not really sure what the point of asking is. They’re different babies with different needs. Why try and decide which one is best?

FWIW I’m not sure why parent B bothers with trying the 7pm bedtime when baby goes down like a dream at 8:30pm. Just move bedtime to 8pm.

My child is A (although she is younger, 3.5 months) and I like having my evenings to do stuff knowing she will sleep. Also when lockdown eases I'll be able to go out in the evening and leave her with a babysitter.

However there is another factor which is how long the night wake is. Mine only wakes for about 10 minutes and goes straight back to sleep so it's totally manageable. If she was awake for an hour, I would prefer B!