How long before babies that STTN go 12 hours?

Our babies have been STTN for a couple of months now. And in the beginning they would sometimes sleep til 7am or 7:30am, though 6am was more like it. Then daylight savings struck and 6am became 5am. We used to put them down for bed around 7:30pm, then we backed it up to 7pm after DST, but they still kept waking usually around 5pm. Then I kept hearing how "sleep begets sleep" so we backed it up to 6:30pm, but they STILL usually wake between 5am and 5:30am. BTW, these times are when we start giving them their nighttime bottle, and they fall asleep within 30 minutes or so.

This morning Brandon started stirring at 4:30am, which made me hover over his crib ready to scoop him up before he woke his brother, but then he settled down. For all of 10 minutes. At 4:45am he was wide awake so I got him up, and as usual he immediately started crying for a bottle. I let him cry for 10 minutes because I was not going to give in and feed him before 5am, which is bad enough!

I see so many moms here post that their babies sleep 11-12 hours every night. Ours only sleep about 10 hours. I was just wondering when your babies starting sleeping 12 hours. I'm hoping that our babies will start sleeping longer when they get a little older, but I'm afraid to have hope and be let down! If things don't change soon we may try pushing their bedtime to 7:30pm, then 8pm to see if that helps at all. Maybe sleep doesn't always beget sleep??? :headbang:

 

I think the whole sleep begets sleep thing applies more to babies who are too young to CIO (less than 6 months). Mine started doing 12 hours a night at 6 months old but ONLY if it was 5:30 pm - 5:30 am. I could put them to bed later than 5:30 pm but they were going to be up at 5:30 am no matter what. That did not change until after they turned 1.

How long are yours napping for during the day? Maybe they sleep 2 hours longer for naps than babies who sleep 12 hours a night.

 

I had early risers until they moved to 2 naps a day at 8 months (or maybe a little later). So, we used to be up at 5-5:30 and now it's 6am or later and I'm VERY happy with that. Are your LOs already on two, predictable naps/day?

Oh, also, they don't sleep 12 hours at night. I'm lucky to get 11 overnight and 2.5 hours total during the day. I don't have good sleepers

 

Our LOs take 3-4 naps a day, but they are usually only 30-45 minutes each. Occasionally they will sleep 1 - 1.5 hours during a nap, but usually its a short cat nap. Would love for them to move to two longer naps, as its really hard to sooth two tired, cranky babies at once, especially 3 to 4 times a day! And our LOs won't go to sleep unless cuddled/rocked and usually with a bottle (something we may address down the road with CIO).

 

Our twosome starting going 12 hours at night at 3 months old but their naps were really all over the place at that time. When we hit 6 months, they starting napping better and they went 12 hours per night consistently. At 6 months, we started getting two consistent naps a day.

 

Well this gives me hope, as our boys' adjusted age is more like 4.5 - 5 months. Hopefully in another couple of months they will start sleeping 12 hours, or at least past 5am. I feel very fortunate that they are at least STTN, for the most part. But man it's hard getting woken up between 4:30am and 5am every morning! Brandon has also been waking up in the middle of the night semi-frequently lately, but I think that is mainly due to teething and getting thrown off our schedule while visiting relatives over the holidays. I can deal with a 30 minute bottle and cuddle session in the middle of the night, but the pre-5am wakings not so much

 

Wow I wish I could have your situation!! Mine go to bed at 7:30 and get up at 12 and 2 and 4 and up at 5:30 for the day. They nap twice for 2 1/2 hours and then for a short 30 min cat nap later in the afternoon. I breastfeed, but everytime I mention CIO on this site people jump all over it. THey say "oh theres a reason theyre getting up so its ok" . Mine take there naps without any soothing and go to sleep at night without any soothing but dont sleep at night.

 

Awww :grouphug: . At almost 8 mos, you can absolutely do CIO. They are waking often enough, I'd start but just trying to get them back to sleep the first time they wake up rather than feed them. Or, feed them at midnight and then work on pushing back the second feeding at 2 until 3 then not feed again til wakeup time. You're Mommy, ultimately you decide what will happen and when. You will not harm your babies by helping them learn to sleep without your help at night, on the contrary you will be giving them a lifelong gift. Don't let other people tell you how to parent your babies. Listen to (or read) other people's opinions then take what works for you and use it. :hug:

 

They are your babies. If you want to do CIO, do CIO. If you think its best for you and your family you have every right to do so. At 7 months old, they are probably ready for some sleep training. If you asked me when they were 5 months I would have said, probably no. But that's my opinion. Their naps sound great. How do they go down for a nap? Are they falling asleep on the breast or are they able to self soothe? If they can self soothe, I would totally work on dropping the 2 am feeding and go from there.

To the OP:

To this day, I dont think mine have ever done 12 hours at night in a row until we dropped all naps. They didnt STTN until they were 9 months old and even then it might have been 11 hours. Every child is different so you might have one do it and one not.

 

Thanks sorry for the vent Im just tired and they just wake up and see me and scream! Yes they can self sooth and go down for their naps after they nurse but they are awake.

 

My boy girl twin are going to be 7 months old on the first. They go to bed at 6 pm (use to be 7 but now 6 since the time change, I tried to change it but they like this so oh well) They still get up for one bottle but it is about 4:30ish when they do. I started to decrease it, we are now at 2 oz, which I will do for a couple more nights then we will move to 1 oz. I am hoping they decide getting up just isn't worth it, I will go to CIO but not happy about it. I have an older son who is going to be 3 next month. He has been really sick and just getting over it so I had been prolonging the babies going without to protect my older son's sleep. But now that he is better, this weekend is the one where we will try going without. I know they will be ok just that they will want to get up before 6, UGH! I believe I am going to push them to stay in bed until 6 am and let them CIO. It is going to suck for a couple of days but it will be worth it in the end. So that is my strategy. Hopefully by next week they will be sleeping 6 to 6. ardon:

My pediatrician said they should be sleeping through the night and do not need food at night. In my opinion yours can handle it fine.

I know CIO is hard but if you can handle it for a few days I believe it pays off. I have done it with my older one who still to this day FIGHTS sleep with all that he has and he is fine and a much better sleeper than before. THANKFULLY!!