Sleeping through the night..... ?

is it completely common and normal for nolan to keep waking up and nursing at least twice if not 3 times every night (he's 8 months old now)?  he goes to sleep w/ absolutely no problem (he's been the easiest one out of all of them to do this!).  i'm not complaining about it at all...  in fact its quite easy to just put him in bed w/ me and let him nurse and fall back asleep.  i was just wondering if other breastfed babies do this and until how old?

[houseofgirls]

My dd did that until she was close to a year old.  She would want to nurse a couple of times a night, and since we were co-sleeping also, it didn't bother me.  After a year she only would wake up maybe once a night.  She doesn't wake up at all now that she is weaned.  I know some people say that they should be sleeping through the night without needing to nurse, but it didn't really bother me.  My dd didn't eat very many solids until she was about a year old, so I think that is also why she nursed during the night.  I offered solids, she just didn't like them until she was older.

[kennedydp5]

i remember my dds waking up in the middle of the night, but i don't remember how often w/in the first year and all 3 of them were bottle fed.  and them waking up each time wasn't for just being hungry...  but i feel that since he's breastfed its just a given that i offer it when he wakes up i guess!  :)

[houseofgirls]

Oh, I am sure part of it was for comfort.  I always just fed on demand...so if that was in the middle of the night, then so be it.  I know they digest breastmilk really fast so that is part of it too.  You could try just seeing if he will go back to sleep without nursing.  

[Diane1003]

At our 6 month appt our dr said if the baby wakes up after less than 6 or 7hrs not to nurse. That there's no nutritional reason the baby is getting up  - that they should be sleeping longer. I've always been able to get up and go back to sleep no problems and my son would always go back to sleep really well but he was super inconsistent with how long he'd go - some nights 6/7 hrs, some nights 4 hrs...  So - my husband would get up and get the baby back to sleep if it was less than 6 hrs and that worked great.  If it was 6/7hrs I'd get up and feed the baby and he'd go right back to sleep for several more hrs. One night he just went 10 hrs and hasn't gone back since.  That was only like 2.5 weeks ago.  I really felt like I was going to lose my mind b/c of such disrupted sleep.  Several times my son would wake up and make noise for a minute or two and put himself back to sleep...  Now he's really consistent - quiet for 10 hrs.  If you're comfortable with how things are going - than stick with it.  Talk with your dr and see what they have to say...  I really feel you've got to do what is right for you and your family.  This is just my opinion and my experience...  Best of luck to you.

[kennedydp5]

even though i do get a lot of interuptions in my sleep between ds (don't mind it from him)and his sisters (kind of mind it from them b/c they've made a habbit out of it now!), i'll wait until his next appt to bring it up (march 23).  if i'm not planning on weaning him any time soon, i may not want to change his routine i guess.  but i will bring it up w/ our ped.  thank you ladies!!!  :)  

[Fourpaws]

Ava is doing the same exact thing! She is 9 months now and she'll wake up between 1-3 times a night. I don't mind it though, she still sleeps in her co-sleeper and sometimes will sleep with me. We'll fall asleep while she is breastfeeding. Her doctor will beg to differ! He told me to stop the nightly feedings but I obviously don't listen! He told me to let her cry! I can't do that!! He also said that the milk is bad for her teeth.... I just do what I feel is right, which is wake up with her!

[meiram]

I just wanted to add that my dd woke up frequently until about 8 months of age, then she started only waking once a night. When that happened, I saw a drastic reduction in my supply.  We lasted only another couple of months before I was completely dried up.  So sometimes, although it is a pain to wake up all the time, it is better for your supply if you intend on nursing for awhile.  Or maybe it was just me.  

[azqtpies]

nope my dd starting sleep thru the night at 91/2 mo.. and my supply dropped drastically quick... i made it for 3 more weeks then  decided to wean him at 10mo 1 week. the sleep has been great he nows sleeps from 830p-7am !!!!!!!!!!!! yay finally