Talk to me about your breastfed under 1s

[DappledThings]

DD is 9 months. She is not bad at night in that a good night is two wake-up around 1 and 4 and then through to 6.30. A bad night is last night waking at 11.30, 1 something, 4 something and then done for the night at 5.30. Best ever night was about a month ago with her asleep from 11.45-6.10. But it's not been repeated.

Each wake-up is a feed then she happily goes back down. But with DS we'd sleep trained and night weaned by now. Hoping to avoid the sleep training this time but not sure how it will ever change.

Did you have babies who were similar at 9 months and just started going longer by themselves eventually?

It just seems so unlikely to happen by itself! DS broke me into training because his wake ups always took a good hour.

Hi. 9 month old bf baby here.

We've just hit (albeit only the last week or so), a bit of progress.

Up until then, 3 wake ups was a standard night, once it was 6, and best was 2. She also did one night of 11-9 but that was ages ago. Usually she wakes up 30-45 mins after bed.

Literally the last week she has started sleeping all the way til between 12-1.30, fed then down until 6.30-7. Well aware this will all change again, but this never happened before and like you I was feeling the same and had assumed she woukd be slept longer stint way before now.

We even tried CC for a while at 6 months for the 45 minutewakeup but she genuinely just cried for nearly 2 hours and it never got shorter. I firmly believe for our daughter it's just been time and giving myself up to responding to her need, and that's always been boob! Just before she started sleeping longer though we did try sending daddy in and she started settling much better for him as the boobsuddenly stopped working as well. She wouldn't settle for me and she did for Daddy!!!??? Anyway, point is we just followed her lead, and after 9 months of numerous wake ups, crying and exhaustion for all, we've finally seem to be making progress. Again, it'll prob all change tomo but I couldn't do sleep training, I desperately just want to wait and let her find her way. You sound similar to me OP. Stay strong and trust you'll all get there. I don't for a second think we've 'got there' but where we are is a far cry from where we were just over a week ago. You sound like a great mummy and your bond will be so strong for it.

And yes my DD goes back down happily after a feed.

My daughter is nearly 1 now and is breastfed. Although we are currently having molar teething related sleep interruptions, she actually did suddenly start sleeping better around 6 weeks ago. It's not consistent but it is slowly improving. For example, at 9 months she was generally up every 45-60 minutes all night then up for the day at 4.30-5am. Now on a good night she goes to sleep at 8, is up around 11 and 4 for about 10 minutes each and up for the day at 6.45am. This is still obviously not perfect but dramatically better than it was. Hang in there!

And I haven't sleep trained and still feed at every wake up

My 10mo DS is generally up and wanting the boob at 10.30-11pm then around 1am then after 2am or around 3ish then just before 5am after which he goes down till about 7/7.30am. He wont take formula and wont go down without feeding...

Last night was horrific and I'm scared tonight will be the same. He had a feed at 10pm, 12.30am, 1.20am, and then another at 2.20am after which he would not go back down and alternated between babbling, crying and screeching (-when i tried to pop him down) until 4.30am.

I have no idea what to do.

DS2 is 10 months - almost 11 and up at least three times a night! Sometimes I lose count and he often ends up in with us as it is easier! I also BF back to sleep everytime. I am hoping it will change in time, DS1 weaned himself at 14M, but had always been a better sleeper, so we shall see. DS2 can't self settle at all, I think he may have done twice ever. Does anyone else feed to sleep for every nap and bedtime as well as night wakings?!

DC 2 was up every hour or two until he was weaned at 18 months.

Well I shouldn't have written my earlier post... she's woken up!

Solidarity to Catheroooo and everyone else.

Seems pretty likely we'll be sleep training this one too at some point.

At least when it's night feeds DD doesn't insist on continuously pinching my arm like she does in the day.

Hmmm. She just woke up. A bit earlier than usual first wake but went back just with a hand on chest and a bit of shushing. Probably means nothing and she'll be awake again in an hour but it feels positive!

At 9 months my DS was still waking once or twice between 9pm and 5am but stopped needing a feed to go down again - a cuddle became acceptable. We still had to sleep train at 11 months as he kept waking with no improvements. Pleased to report he reacted brilliantly to the sleep training (took 40 minutes the first night and he slept through that first night and every night since, apart from a couple of nights due to illness). He's now 2 and a brilliant sleeper. However we went on to have twins and are never going to sleep again.

Oh willisurvive3under2! I have always thought how hard bedtime/nighttime must be with twins! How did you sleep train your eldest if you don't mind me asking? I feel I could survive 40 mins one night, though I am ridiculously soft and lazy and keep going for the easy option!

We did CC. Kept going in every few minutes and pat/reassure but not pick up. I had to take the dog for a walk while DH did it as I couldn't stand the crying. It wasn't pleasant but it was 40 minutes - not very long in the grand scheme of things.

With the twins we have one each at night! One's FF so she's in with DH. The breastfed one is in with me. Bedtime with 3 very small children is insane and requires two people, have done it by myself once and nearly cried. It can only get better!

Thank you! Think we may soon need to try this! DH is definitely a bit tougher than me which will be handy :)

Sounds very hard but you are right it can only get easier, you sound amazing!

Sounds normal. My 13 month old now usually has a feed about 8ish in bed, then wakes about 5:30 for milk (suits us both as on work days I’m up and running around getting ready by 6). Sometimes he’ll feed once or twice overnight but I think it’s maybe because we cosleep so he has milk on tap and can just help himself. I’ve not imposed anything, he just kind of adapted.