Why do some sleep and some don't

[peachandpear]

I would like to know why some babies sleep through the night really early without much effort on the parents behalf and some do not go through the night for ages and ages even with a lot of efforts on the parents behalf! Is it a neurological development thing? Is it a luck of the draw thing!!? Why can two babies at the same age, who weigh the same, have the same routine and eat the same amounts sleep so differently at night? Does anyone know?!

My first (a boy) was a brilliant sleeper. Still is. DD on the other hand was a nightmare despite following the same routines as we had with ds.
When I whinged about it to my Mum one day she said "Oh that's girls for you. You didn't sleep through until you were 3!".

DD is much better now (10 months) but she is still a very light sleeper. E.g. with ds, we always check on him when we go to bed, but with dd, we don't dare even open her bedroom door if she's asleep.

IMO, they're just wired differently. I don't really think it's a boy/girl thing. I just think kids are the same as adults - some sleep well, some don't.

I agree re luck/ genetics, but also heard that it's related to the birth too. Difficult birth apparently equates with their being a lousy sleeper. Not sure if true or not as only have one DS and yep, daftly long labour ended with forceps, and guess what, he's always slept badly. He had colic too poor thing for the first 3 months. Midwife told me in hospital that we were going to have our hands full - she reckoned she could tell just by his cry and said it follows 9/10. He's 18mths now, and getting lots better. Might all be nonsense of course. Anyone else? Am curious.

F knows

Punishment for sins in a former life perhaphs?

Smee - Worked the other way around for my two.
DS was emergency section because his heart rate was dipping. Not sure how much distress he was in but I guess the actual birth for him was ok. He's always slept well.

DD was elective section and so presumably birth was ok for her. Always been 'hyper' and a bad sleeper.

Straightforward births with both of mine, similar weights, both girls, both sleeping in my room until 12 months (2nd will be), both put down to sleep awake at same time each night, both slept through from about 11 or 12 weeks. Except now the 2nd one doesn't any more!

Smee, with my C1 I had an awful labour and birth, ended up with emergency episitomy and forceps delivery. C1 has been my best sleeper. C2 and C3 were straight forward easy labours (as far as labour goes!) and both of those have been awful sleepers.

So much for the wisdom of Midwives! Hey suzywong - is it me who's being punished for former sins or DS? I feel so dull right now, the thought of excess in a previous life has quite cheered me up. I so wish I could remember them. (obviously not if I was a mass murderer or something..)

Well, I'm going to back up Smee! DS had a ventouse delivery (more traumatic for me, I have to say, on just gas and air!!) and is a rubbish sleeper. DD was a very easy birth - and she's a fab sleeper.