When my daughter was just a few months old, it seemed that every person I spoke to would ask that same pressing question: "Is she sleeping through the night?" The constant question led me to believe that it was some critical, universal milestone that most children reached early in infancy. Several moms claimed that their children slept all night as soon as they came home from the hospital -- and I, left with my 10-time-per-night waker-upper, continuously wondered what I was doing wrong.
It wasn't until I talked to my daughter's pediatrician that I learned how normal late-night awakenings are for babies. When I pleaded, "She's seven months old and still wakes up at night," the doctor actually laughed and said, "My daughter is 6 and still wakes up at night!" La Leche League confirmed what my doctor claimed: it's entirely normal for babies to wake up at night throughout infancy and toddlerhood.
Here are some facts for parents wondering when their babies should sleep through the night.
Most babies wake up at night. According to parenting guru William Sears, author of the "Attachment Parenting Book," almost all babies wake up through the night. The only difference between babies who appear to be frequent risers and babies who "sleep through the night" is that some babies learn to self-sooth rather than cry for their parents. It is extremely rare for newborns to sleep through the night -- in fact, early in infancy, all-night sleeping is often a sign of a serious problem.
Breastfed babies wake up more. Formula is difficult for babies to digest, and it tends to sit in the digestive tract longer. For this reason, babies who drink formula may sleep in longer intervals. If your baby is breastfed, she's likely to wake up to eat more often than babies who drink formula. Remember, however, that this is completely developmentally appropriate. While your baby may awaken slightly more often than her bottle-fed peers, this mild drawback does not take away from the dozens of benefits associated with nursing.
Co-sleeping babies rouse more frequently. A baby who sleeps next to mom is likely to wake up more frequently to nurse. This can be both a benefit and a drawback -- it increases the amount of nourishment and bonding that the baby gets, but it can also be distressing to an overtired mom. Fortunately, I found that I got more sleep while co-sleeping and nursing, since it didn't necessitate running to the other end of the house to retrieve the baby or make a bottle. If you do choose to co-sleep, understand that the "normal" age for sleeping through the night is a bit later than babies who sleep in their own beds.
Sleeping all night is a developmental milestone.
Like all other developmental milestones, sleeping through the night is a physical, emotional, and physical milestone that can be reached at almost any point within a wide spectrum. My daughter's pediatrician said that a baby can sleep through the night any time between three months of age and kindergarten, while still being essentially normal. Sleeping all night depends on a baby's metabolism, emotional security, habit, diet, and mental development. All these factors combine to determine when your baby sleeps all night. Whether that comes sooner or later, your baby is still most likely "normal."
Talk to your pediatrician.
If you're concerned that your baby wakes up far more frequently than most babies his age, check with his pediatrician. The doctor can help to give you feeding tips and other guidelines to help ensure that your baby is maximizing his sleep. Lifestyle changes, like independent sleeping and sleep training, are options for some families. Although your baby's inability to sleep all night may be normal, there are plenty of helpful options if it's too disruptive.
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