What makes babies sleep thru the night?

[deenz]

Dd slept through the night last night (aged 11wks) from about 7.15pm through to 6.15am (no DF).  Well, actually I did have to put the dummy back in a couple of times around 8pm (she was sooo tired at bedtime that she was virtually asleep when I put her down).  Now, I'm not complaining, but is this ok??  She has had a couple of days of really terrible feeds (ebf) and I'm pretty sure she hasn't been having enough to drink (this morning her nappy was wet but not soaking).  So why sleep through??  Was her need for sleep greater than her need for food?  She is not a big baby - weighed 4.68kg last Wed (10lb5oz I think).

I have tried waking her at my bedtime for feeds but these are never very successful - she doesn't take much, and it doesn't stretch her sleeping either.

I am worried that something is wrong!!  Mind you, she did have the best feed she's had in a while this morning.

Day sleeps:  seems to have developed a good morning nap, then maybe one other good nap, then just a couple of catnaps.  She usually wakes at the 40min mark, and for the morning nap usually puts herself back to sleep, and maybe the second nap she'll go back to sleep if I get the dummy back in quick enough.  If we go out she sleeps terribly/not at all (like yesterday afternoon). 

Yesterday she only had 5 bf in 24hrs since no night time feed.

Any thoughts??

[KellyC]

Hi

My DS Zander is now 14 weeks old and sounds very similar.  He has 5 BFs a day and sleeps through the night.  Some days it feels like he's hardly feeding at all - only 10 or 15 minutes and he's done.  I think it's possible that our LOs just become more efficient at feeding at this age as I'm sure he'd let you know if he was hungry in the night!

Kelly x

[Aarismom]

Consider yourself lucky and enjoy your evening

Most babies that age can sleep 6-7 hours straight through. But some start sleeping through (10-12 hours) immediately. It's a matter of biorhythm and need for food. It sounds like your lo doesn't need the nourishment in order to make it through. You can keep trying for a df, but if she's sleeping through without nourishment then count your lucky stars. If she regresses (and she still may, she'll start waking at different times of the night looking for food, not the same time though), you can start df'ing. But don't start anything you don't want to have to wean later, imo.

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[Luke-n-Me]

Denise,

My dd has taken 5 feeds for over a month now (she's 15 weeks tomorrow).  Now she's going to a 4 hours schedule and she's getting only four bf's and a last one to top her off before bed (she really doesn't take much) and she's doing great.  SHe also doesn't feed long 10-15 minutes total and she's fine.  I remember when she was 12 weeks I was asking friends what to do when she went to a 4 hour schedule as I was so worried she wouldn't get enough......well, we're basically doing that now and she sleeps from 8p-5/6/7/8-it really varies, but if she gets up at 5 or 6, she easily goes back to sleep.  So, don't worry about it.  Oh, btw, we never did a df!