This is often the first question that anyone asks me, and my most hated.Question: "Does Imogen sleep through the night yet?" or "How does she sleep for you?"
Answer: People seem to ask this question as if a baby 'sleeping through the night' makes one a better parent. It doesn’t. And when thinking about how to answer this question when someone asks, sometimes I feel guilty when I say ‘yes’, because I know very well that she usually sleeps well, but last night we were up every 2-3 hours – but I would never say ‘no,’ because then what would they think of me? They would think I’m a bad parent because my 2-month old is not yet ‘sleeping through the night.’
I would say that 9 times out of 10 a baby wakes up at night to eat. Breastfed babies tend to wake up more to eat at night because breastmilk is quickly and easily digested, which leaves their tummy empty quicker. Formula takes longer to digest, so it sits in baby’s tummy longer and makes them feel fuller longer; same with cereals. So, as a 6-month-dedicated-to-exclusively-breastfeeding-mother (shocking, huh?), Imogen is probably up at night more often – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
But let’s look at what the experts say. Sleep experts say that a baby 6 months or younger is said to ‘sleep through the night’ if they sleep for at least 5 hours in a row. So, by that definition, I would answer that Imogen ‘sleeps through the night’ on most nights now. For the past week, she has been sleeping about 5 hours in a row for her first stretch at night. That is not every night, just the majority of the nights.
As a first-time parent of a 2-month old baby, I would have to say that Imogen does extremely well at night. Yes, she may wake up more, but she almost never cries! She starts to stir and tries to suck on her thumb and it wakes me up. Then I know she’s hungry, so I feed her and its back to sleep. Who knows exactly when I will get a straight 8 hours of sleep again? Who cares?! I didn’t on most nights before she was born! This first 6 months of her life is such a short time, and breastfeeding her is such a special bond for both of us. She has the rest of her life to ‘sleep though the night.’
1 comment:
If someone asking you that question actually thinks your 2-month old should be sleeping through the night, they must be crazy. Don't expect 8 hours until at least 6 mos, and thats rare for a lot of people, esp when your'e nursing. when i ask someone that question its not to be judgemental - I'm asking for the mothers sanity, to see how she is doing and hoping that she's getting some sleep. So don't worry. You aren't a bad parent - you have a ways to go still before sleeping through the night is "expected"
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