Anyone have a non-sleeping first baby followed by a brilliant sleeper second time round?

[wem]

Really not sure I can do this again, especially not with added toddler/small child.

Please tell me lovely stories about how it was so much easier with your second. Will broodiness convince me it will be different next time?

Yes. My DD was the best sleeper. She spent the first three months asleep and feeding. DS (first child) hardly slept. DD was a joy.

They're all different. I don't think you can make a decision on whether to have another child just because your first was a nightmare. It's not always the same. I really understand your trepidation though because lack of sleep is just hideous.

Thanks WinkyWinkola, that's exactly the kind of thing I wanted to hear.

I know it shouldn't stop us, and it almost certainly won't, but I just can't imagine dealing with the lack of sleep while running around after a toddler all day too.

I've just got one!

DS(3) still wakes 1-4 times a night, and was awful beyond belief (in sleep terms) as a baby.

DD (7 weeks) can self settle, has slept a 5 hour stretch already, and generally only wakes for 1 feed a night.

I am in shock.

I also understand where you are coming from - we have a 3 year age gap despite being older parents becase we couldn't face going through the sleep deprivation again - it was a hard decision to have a second.

I've had it the other way round.

DS1 was an angel - slept through at 3 months, hardly ever woke more than once in the night before then. Still a good sleeper at 2.6.

Ds2 still normally wakes twice a night at 6 months - no sign of sleeping through next.

So it's certainly not guaranteed that your second will be like your first (damn!)

Me, me, me!

Ds, my first, wasn't a good sleeper at all! Wouldn't nap for more than 30 mins during the day, and spent most of the night (and early morning etc) crying, bless him.

Dd was brilliant, one of those babies you leave lying awake on their mat, go to make a cup of tea and come back to find her fast asleep!

Me. DD2 is 11 days old and a great sleeper. I can't quite believe it as DD1 was very difficult to settle. Of course this could all change so i'm not feeling too smug just yet.

Also, DD1 (2yrs) who hardly ever slept through has slept through every night since her sister was born.

Ooh, lots of lovely stories, thanks. I particularly like Puzzlerocks' dd1 sleeping through once dd2 arrived

My first (DD) didn't sleep properly until she was 3+ which is probably why we didn't have our second (DS) until she was 4.5.

He, by comparison, was a dream sleep-wise so there is some hope there for you!

DS1 hated sleeping. From about 6 weeks he slept 30 minutes a day. The only way he would go to sleep was if he was put in the pram and I walked very quickly. (I lost a lot of weight so not all bad). He woke, a lot, and would scream for at least an hour. Never did find out what was bothering him. Woke every day at 5am. He didn't actually sleep through the night until he was 3.5 yrs.

It took me a long time to decide to have another baby and TBH fully expected the same sleeping problems.

Well, what a lovely surprise, DS2 was a dream sleeper. Slept through from 6 weeks.
We used to call him our "adorable handbag" as he was so adaptable and would sleep no matter how noisy or quiet.

mine wre the other way round
ds slept through at about 4 months, while dd didn't till about 3 years
I remember saying at the time that if we had had dd first we wouldn't have had any more!

Only too happy to help. DS (first) was a nightmare, didn't sleep through once until over one and even then would often be raring to go at 3 am (unlike his mum). It therefore wasn't until DS was 4 1/2 that DD arrived.

DD (14 months now) was/is a dream. Slept through from 8 weeks and still only wakes up very rarely, not even teething keeps her up. Has long lovely 2 1/2 hour naps at lunch and is a delight.

I thoroughly believe that although some of this may be luck a lot of it is down to experience. I know I made mistakes with DS (letting him fall asleep in my arms for example) and i have been careful to avoid the same mistakes this time round.

Hope that helps and am sure you will make the right decision for you and your family.

I had it the other way round! DS was a dream, he slept through from 5 1/2 weeks from 9pm-6am and by the time he was 6 months he was regularly not waking until 10am. I was lulled into a false sense of security and was in for a shock when I had DD. She didn't sleep through until 18 months!