Sleep ?'s

We have the boys in their cribs, yay! 2 questions: 1). Around what age did yours slept the whole night without fussing and needing comfort? And 2). Around what age where you able to put them down somewhat awake and they would fall asleep? Right now, we rock them, which I'm fine with. I'm just trying to know somewhat what to expect/look for. Our DD was a horrible sleepers, so the boys sleeping in their cribs is a huge success. They like their tummy and they can lift their head well, do we're rolling with it. Thanks!!!!

 

I don't remember with my twins but they were easy when it came to sleeping. Third baby has been a challenge and still doesn't sleep through the night, he usually gets up around 5am and eats. He started going to sleep on his own around 6 months.

 

We did modified CIO with the girls when they were 3.5 months old to get them to sleep in their cribs although we still did feedings over night. I would not make this choice again if I had a re-do. They started sleeping 8 hour stretches between 6-7 months old and 12 hour stretches at about 9 months. At 18 months they started waking again. A lot. I was no longer comfortable with CIO so we started co-sleeping with them and still do now (4.5) as needed.

My little guy (13.5 months) does 3-4 hour stretches on a good night and 2-3 hours (or less) on a bad night. We co-sleep with him as well though so I am currently getting enough sleep even though he still wakes frequently. I rock him until he's dozy (10-15 min) then hold him another 5 min or so which is when I can usually move him to his crib. DH just sits next to him on the bed until he falls asleep (about 20-30 min) then moves him to the crib. I'm not worried about this current arrangement. It's working well for us, we're all getting adequate sleep and it fits well with our parenting style.

 

We put them down drowsy from day one. It was definitely one thing we did right for us. Even now they don't need a lot of parental involvement to fall asleep. And they know how to fall back asleep when they wake in the middle of the night.

 

We also did drowsy from day one but it was probably 9 months until any of my children were able to sleep through the night without waking. We just let them follow their own path and eventually they made it all night.

 

From about 2 or 3 months old, I would put the twins down drowsy. They started STTN occassionally around 5 or 6 months. They still don't do it every night but a lot of times that's because I've screwed up their sleeping or eating schedule.

 

My girls slept in their cribs since day one. We never rocked them to sleep just put them down and they slept. Since they were 5 months they have been sleeping all night. They are now 2 and still sleep all night,still in their cribs. They are used to going to sleep alone, we put them in the crib tell them goodnight and leave. Personally think this is the best thing to do. I don't imagine myself rocking them to bad. If there was only one of them, maybe. Yea they so cry sometimes when we leave the room but it doesn't last long. They learned their routine.

 

Our LOs have always slept in their crib or a pack-n-play. For the first 4 months it was right up against the bed.
We started putting them down drowsy but awake around 3 months. at 3 months it was an easy transition. (Thanks Weissbluth) I started with the easier of the two first. Just gradually decreasing how sleepy they were before putting them down. For a long time it was really variable how quickly i would put them down, based on how tired/wired they were.
Now, we put them in the crib and say 9t-9t. I am really happy with how this worked and they mostly sleep great. (this is saying something b/c DS is NOT naturally a good sleeper (i still work hard to keep him well rested.. guard his naps, early bedtimes))

The sooner you start the better. As they get older they are more likely to fuss. It is hard not to go back and pick them up but if you do they will only fuss longer the next time and it will get harder and harder. Trust yourself! You will know the cry that means.. come now i am hurting / scared. It is the one that brings you to your feet without thought.

IMO, your two questions are directly related. they need to learn how to self-sooth and fall asleep on their own because EVERYONE occasionally wakes in the middle of the night. If they don't know how to self sooth than you have to do it.

My LOs started sleeping through the night around the same time i could put them down drowsy but awake. When they wake at night, really think about whether they are hungry or just happened to wake up. We did put them to bed really early so at that age they still needed a feeding before morning.. like 4 or 5am.

I would concentrate first on the going to sleep and work on the night wakings after they are able to self-sooth.

GL - it really is worth the effort!

ETA - DS slept on his tummy from really early! With his acid reflux it was the only way he was comfortable enough to sleep well. I knew it was against advice but sometimes moms have to make the call. I figure almost everyone you see walking the earth over the age of 20 slept on their stomachs and we all survived.

 

Thanks the input everyone!

 

At the boys 6 month check up we asked the doctor if it was okay for them to go with out eating through the night and he said yes so from then on they were in their cribs from 8pm-8am. At 3 months they were waking twice to eat(midnight and 4-5am), at 4 months they were waking to eat once between 3-5am. They will wake and make noise but they self sooth and go back to sleep. It is all apart of their natural sleep cycle. I consider then sleeping through the night when they stay in their cribs all night without someone going in. We never went in to just sooth it was purely to feed them.

 

We did the put down drowsy from day one (a tip I learned here when roaming the expecting and 1st year forums) and by 3 months they were doing 7pm-7am 85% of the time… one night a week one would need a shhhhh/back rub (i tried hard not to pick up... not that i didn't in a sleepy blur... but i tried not to) ... and now at 4 ½ we only wake up for sickness, bad dreams or growing pains…