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Sleep

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Original poster

8 months, is this normal?

16 replies

CharlieandBones · 08/03/2015 00:14

My son generally goes down between 7-7:30pm. Our routine is normally up after 30 min-1 hour, then back down with a dummy. Back up between 12-1:30am for a feed (bottle, 180ml) then down until 4:30-6am, another 180ml bottle then sleep until 7-8:30am. Loads of mums I know have little ones that sleep through and are almost embarrassed to admit this to me! We've gone back to co sleeping which makes him less likely to wake in between (he used to wake way more). I'm a big believer in letting them do what they need to but am getting a little worried as he's not slept much more than he was at 3 months! He's doing baby led weaning and eating loads (poo's are now like normal human ones- yuck!) so I'm slightly stumped. Any help or just reassurance would be nice? Feel like I'm not doing so great as a mum!

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Original poster

CharlieandBones · 08/03/2015 01:33

Ok so whenever I post any questions on here no one answers. Should I write something about how my mother in law is a bitch? Apparently that works??

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Cooper11111 · 08/03/2015 01:53

Hi, I know it's frustrating if people don't reply so I will. I'm not sure if u can comment if it's normal as babies are different. But I would say the night wakes are excessive and he should be able to sleep through- I would say much of the waking is habit and is rewarded so therefore will continue. I think if he is getting party of calories in the day then he doesn't need them at night-I will prob get shot down for saying that as there are people on here that still feed their babies in the night that are older than yours.

I would offer him water when he wakes rather than milk, or at least start the process of watering down feeds. 180ml is like a full meal, if you offer less at this feed he should compensate in the day. Just an idea x

Cooper11111 · 08/03/2015 01:56

That should say plenty**

Also you are not a bad mummy! We do what we think is right/need to survive in the first year or so.

I would say start strict bedtime routine, in own room. Do some sleep training and in a week it will be different. You must be consistent though, for longer than a couple of days. I think he prob is capable of sleeping through, kids are resilient. Give him a chance to show you and he will be much happier x

YokoUhOh · 08/03/2015 02:52

Completely normal. My DS is 27 months and doesn't sleep through. Some babies just sleep better than others.

Needsweetstosurvive · 08/03/2015 08:13

Sounds normal to me, in fact, sounds quite good! I would work on cutting out one of the feeds over the next couple of weeks, with the aim of stopping completely by a year, if not sooner. I breastfed both mine and stopped night feeding with the first at 12 months and just stopped with my second at 10 months. It is completely normal for babies not to sleep through for at least the first year, they are developing so much. Some Mums like to train their babies to not call out for someone at night but I prefer to be a more responsive Mum and go every time my children call for me, even if its just a quick tuck in then walk out. A word about co sleeping though, carry on if you are happy but you might end up with him staying in your bed for a few years. If you don't want that then stopping now would be easier than when he is older.

weebairn · 08/03/2015 08:26

I bf mine but that sounds pretty normal to me!

Some babies do sleep well, others less well… some mums lie/exaggerate as well you know! I even did this myself the other week, I'd had a SHOCKING night with both toddler and baby and I was at this playgroup and mum after mum was smugly (or so it seemed) saying how their 5 week old slept through or something and someone asked me about my baby and I was like, "oh yes, she sleeps fine" because I couldn't take the PITY! And this was after a night of her feeding every hour! (Though typically she isn't a terrible sleeper)

I also found (despite people advising you to start solids to help with sleep) my toddler's sleep was quite disrupted just after starting weaning if I remember correctly.

I coslept when baby was young and transitioned to her own room no trouble when we were ready so i would disagree about forming bad habits. Personally i would keep doing whatever is getting you the most sleep!

Heatherbell1978 · 08/03/2015 15:58

Understand your frustration. DS1 is 6.5 months and up until a week ago was waking every hour or 2 (starting at 4 mths as he wasn't too bad until then). Every time I spoke to other mums about it at baby groups all I got was 'oh really, my wee one sleeps through...' I was getting quite depressed and thinking of stopping going to baby groups as they were getting me down. But then I quizzed one of the mums who said her baby slept 12 hrs from 7 to 7 and it transpires he was down from 7 to 7 but still woke twice in the night! So some peoples interpretation is different. We were about to start Controlled crying last week then he just settled himself back to sleep the first night. That's us had a week now of him settling himself when he wakes. Coincided with me ramping up his meals to 3 day. We don't do baby led though so he does eat quite a lot.

ChazzerChaser · 08/03/2015 16:04

Whatever you and your baby do is normal for you and your baby. My toddler doesn't sleep through, but then neither do I. We cosleep, feed in night. Never done any 'training'. I respond to him whenever he cries. He feeds for comfort not for calories, feeds to sleep frequently. That's because that's how I like it and I've prioritised what matters to me. So do what suits you, there will be others doing it, so it's all normal.

PuppyMummy · 08/03/2015 20:20

It's normal for me! mine is 9 months and BF but still wakes twice and feeds. Once he only woke up once!!

He is in his own room and also on 3 meals. He also goes to nursery which tires him out.

He used to wake up loads so I feel quite happy with the two wake ups.

The last few days he has been waking a lot again, 3 or 4 times but I think he is teething a bit or having a growth spurt.

Im hoping he will naturally improve. (He has improved from what he was like). I don't really want to leave him to cry and being at nursery he doesn't hav as much milk as he would as I can only express a certain amount so I don't really want to not feed him either!

sorry I dont have any advice but at least you know its not just you. I do think some babies just dont sleep as well as others. My ds doesn't like to nap either. he would just rather be busy!

PuppyMummy · 08/03/2015 20:22

sorry forgot to add. We also do BLW and im with you on the poo!!

Lilipot15 · 08/03/2015 20:27

From my experience, definitely best not to compare your baby's sleep to others, folk often omit the whole truth / exaggerate how good things are (no idea why, presumably as they are struggling somewhere along the line). I glossed over discussing sleep with friends today who asked how it was as I am almost boring myself about it now, I iust said "up and down, all par for the course". Do what works for you all.

Lilipot15 · 08/03/2015 20:30

And sleep "training" means all sorts of different things to different people. As his daytime intake builds up he'll cut down on night milk. He's only little and is also reaching separation anxiety time and it sounds like you are being a great and responsive mum.

Trapper · 08/03/2015 20:37

People lie. It sounds normal to me. In fact our two were worse. I have two toddlers and still rarely get a solid night of sleep (if it's not one, it's the other with night terrors and what-not).

No idea about your mother in law. Mine is lovely

Original poster

CharlieandBones · 17/04/2015 23:09

Thanks so much for all the advice! I'm just telling myself he's not going to be doing this at 15!!!

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Monkeybrain10 · 17/04/2015 23:28

Yep sounds pretty good to me! My 9 mo is breastfed plus 3 meals and snacks - eats almost as much as I do! Then he gets a bottle (sometimes as dream feed but usually cause he's woken) about 9.30pm. He has slept through from then (with stirring and occasional crying but self settles) on a handful of occasions but usually we are in a number of times through the night comforting him. Sometimes he's wide awake - usually between 3-4.30 am :-S . The other night he made his "hungry" noise at me (lip smacking ) so I gave in and got him a snack which he gobbled down so I think he was genuinely hungry.....water just wasn't cutting it.
Personally I couldn't go that long without getting hungry and I'd seriously struggle to get more food down him in the day. So sound to me like you're doing a grand job! (We were also Co sleeping but circumstances meant we had to get him into cot - it was tough and we just comforted him and stayed with him rather than doing Any of the "methods" - it took a couple of weeks I think but we still have to put him in the cot asleep - he won't go to sleep in there on his own). All babies are different. Do what's good for you .

squareheadcut · 17/04/2015 23:36

I'm not lying or exaggerating when I tell you all that my 8 month old sleeps at 830pm and wakes up at 7am. Last night she went to sleep at 630pm and slept thru until morning. She gets her milk at night and then that's it. she has porridge when she wakes up in morning. If she stirs in the night we put her back to sleep.

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