For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

did you do anything, to make that happen? or did it just happen?

i also EBF.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Swaddling helped, having a firm bedtime routine also seems to work.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I'm not sure if any of this actually helped...but this is what we started doing right around the time she started sleeping through the night....
Feeding her every three hours during the day. Yes, we woke a sleeping baby to make sure she'd eat on a routine.
Keeping the lights and tv on during her daytime naps.
Keeping her awake for a little while before and after her feedings.
Swaddling her for bedtime.
Using a white noise machine while she was sleeping.

I found a routine to be essential to helping her sleep through the night.

Good luck!

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

We had a routine/schedule and used a white noise machine (still do.)

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Nothing. Although she started sleeping longer when we switched to formula.

But she's been sleeping through the night since the first week home really.

I did have a lot of insomnia during my pregnancy - maybe that helped.

And I don't get uptight about nap or bedtime. I would just put her down when she seemed tired.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

we used the miracle blanket...that's really the only special thing we did. At first it helped him sleep for longer stretches (instead of getting up twice he'd only get up once). And then one week he went like every other day through the night and then it happened. He was on breast milk mostly but supplementing with formula when he started. Probably at about 2 months.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Swaddling helps alot now but honestly giving up nightime diaper changes and minimizing night feeding worked best for us. Also, I fed more during the day to make up for the shorter feedingd at night. I only changed diapers for bowel movements. I only bf, so formula was not a factor.

Message edited 1/13/2008 9:40:57 PM.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Swaddling and a bed time routine that included NO Rocking...didnt want him to get used to this

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

~ bedroom routine
~ having her in her own room
~ giving her an extra few ounces in her last bottle (I pump exclusively)

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

i EBFed as well and i weaned her from the nite time nursing session, after that, it was a breeze...

the weaning took a while though- i didnt just want to cut her off, u know...there was a whole method to madness...FM me if u want any further advice!

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

She's been in her own crib since 3 wks

I feed her right b4 sleep (I exclusively pump)

We use the sleep sak

We have a bedtime routine

We use a white noise machine

I have a light she loves that reflects onto the ceiling (colors)

Make sure she has paci

She may wake up once when the paci falls out but then she goes right back to sleep when you put it in her mouth

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I don't know if I can say she is sleeping through the night (she does 5-7 hours straight). We notice that she sleeps longer when she is swaddled. We use a white noise machine. And she is still sleeping in her bouncy seat. We have to make the transition soon. The bouncy seat is IN the crib. Hey whatever works, right?

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

It just happened. I EBF my first, formula fed my second and they were both 12 hour sleepers by 3 months old. We didn't swaddle, they hated it. No whote noise. Just to bed and lights out.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

It just happened. I shrugged off all the advice about little tricks to get them to sleep through the night. Babies figure it out when they are ready.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I have to say the day I stopped breastfeeding Cadi slept thru the night... I dont know if that is why

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

It just happened. I EBF.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I think it just happens. We have a routine, we used to swaddle, white noise, etc. Sarah was sleeping through the night well before 1 year old. Andy is 18 months and still doesn't. We didn't do anything differently between the 2 kids.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I think a bedtime routine helped. Plus, DD is an extremely light sleeper so the air purifier in her room acts as a white noise machine.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

bath later in the evening and miracle blanket seemed to get him to sleep 6 hours. granted he is usually ready for bed by 8:30 or 9 so I DON't get 6 hours...but he does - that's what matters

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Didn't just happen for us-took til like 4 months and i EBF. found that a few things helped it along, and that includes modifying MY actions too!

-gave an earlier bedtime which surprisingly worked
-starting solids seemed to help b/c she seemed more satisfied
-white noise machine in her room
-pacifier and BT routine
-and others may not agree with this but i actually lowered my monitor! i was jumping up at every peep/cry even when they were just normal night stirrings. i would go in there and fuss with her and this woke her more. this was my big mistake. then i realized i didn't have to be in there for every noise! once i stopped going in there and let her fall asleep on her own the true sleeping through started. the monitor is low, yes but if she realllly cries or even screams i can hear it and know she actually needs me.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I would just put her down, swaddled, same time every night.....really stuck to a routine

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

I do most of the things on the list and so far DD is still up every 3 hours, she's only 8 weeks so I'm not expecting too much just yet although a few nights I got long stretches but it ended quick!

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

Posted by halisa

Posted by CathyB

I think it just happens. We have a routine, we used to swaddle, white noise, etc. Sarah was sleeping through the night well before 1 year old. Andy is 18 months and still doesn't. We didn't do anything differently between the 2 kids.

i agree that it just happens for some babies. we do the exact same things with my twins and they are both ebf and one is a great sleeper and one is not.

Re: For Mommies whose babies sleep through the night

My DD did not sleep through the night until she was 7 months old.

I stopped feeding at night when she was about 3 months but the thing that did it was when she figured how to sleep on her belly.

Since she was not a belly sleeper she sometimes was awake every 20 minutes. But on most nights she awoke about 3 times. I thought, ok, this is how its going to be so just accept it. Then once she slept on her belly, she started sleeping through the night and still continues it at 9 1/2 months.

Good luck....it takes time but she eventually will!