Expecting DS2 in a few weeks ... how much will DS1 night-time sleep be affected?

[sheeplikessleep]

I know every child is different, but I am having visions of waking every 2 hours to feed DS2 and the crying waking DS1 up every time. Is this likely, or will DS1 learn to sleep through the cries? If so, how long will this take?

They will be in separate bedrooms.

DS1 will be 2.5 years old and has always been a good night-time sleeper, but he is easily disturbed 5am ish onwards.

Would be interested in others experiences - thanks!

DS has never been disturbed by DD

he is 3.5 years and DD is now 13 weeks

first night was a bit hair raising with everyone ending up in our bed but the next night was fine

i have told DS if he does hear DD it is all ok - she can't talk yet, so she has to cry to tell mummy she needs more food (just to reassure him that everything is ok)

I think the first week could be interesting... When DS2 was born, DS1's sleep was slightly disturbed. A couple of times in the first week, DS1 would wake up and cry if DS2 started crying loudly (and they are on two different floors as we live in a split-level townhouse!). I think he was just alarmed at the foreign noise because from the second week onwards, he seemed to sleep through even the really loud cries. DS1 is a really good sleeper too though quite easily stirred as well. DS2 now has a bottle at about 5-ish and I try to keep it really, really quiet (creaking floorboards don't help much!).

Thanks for posting - I am feeling a bit reassured now! Hopefully DS1 will be the same and will be only temporarily disturbed.

DS1 had reflux and also used to poo before, during and after a feed (cue crying each nappy change), so I just remember noisy crying at night-time.

Thanks for posting.

DS2 arriving actually improved DS1's sleeping habits for us.

DS1 was 21 months and had been coming in to bed with us each night. When DS2 came along we told DS1 he had to stay in his bed and he did

He was never woken by DS2. Now they share a room and if one of them is ill in the night the chances of the other waking are very slim.

Same here.

Dd is 7 and Ds's bedroom is joined to hers. If he wakes in the night and cries (he's 11 months) she never wakes up.

It amazes me.

DS1 was 2 when DS2 arrived. DS1 had never been good at staying in bed but got worse. Not because he could hear the baby as he couldn't from his room.
We ended up with DH and DS1 in the spare room, leaving me with the baby in his cot next to my bed.
This lasted six months until I put the cot into DS2's room.
My DS's both had reflux as well but the main effect was many changes of clothing and bedding.