When Did Your Breast Fed Baby Sleep Through the Night?

I love to see questions like this!!! Instead of "why isn't my 4 week old sleeping?" every once-in-a-while a mom thinks that somehow there's something wrong with their older (almost toddler) sleeping through the night! I wish more moms were like you and realized that SOOOOOOOOO many (especially breastfeds) don't sleep through the night on the doctors' schedule.

My son started sleeping through the night without nursing around 6.5 months and only after starting solids. Here's what I think. Unless your baby is waking up to play, they are sleeping through the night. Getting up for a drink because you are thirsty or having a small snack and going right back to sleep doesn't seem so bad to me.

So, good for you for nursing so long and congrats on the long-nights' sleep! Here's hoping it keeps up :)

My breastfed baby slept 11 hours from 11 weeks on.... I think every baby is different. I have another one on the way and I sure hope I get the same treatment!

Every kid is different. I breastfed all my kids... one was sleeping 8-10 hours at night (consistently) at 2-3 days old. Another hit 8-10 hours consistently at 3 months and my 6 month old has only done it a few times. She does 2 six-hour stretches at night currently.

Every baby has their own timing--my 2 definetely have! Both my kids have been exclusively breastfed. My son slept thru the night at a few months old (how strange, right?). But then he started night waking and nursed during the night once every night from the time he was 12-24mo. He stopped all by himself at his second birthday. My daughter (my second) has always nursed during the night. She is now 14 mo and still wakes 2-4 times a night to nurse. Luckily, she sleeps with us and I just go back to sleep while she's nursing, so it doesn't bother me much. So your daugther definetely may be ready to sleep thru the night--what a blessing for you! But don't be surprised if it doesn't last. It may just be a phase. With kiddos, you just never know! (If you are looking for some breastfeeding support--or just a chance to get to know other breastfeeding moms--you should check out the Carmel La Leche League group. Check out their website at http://www.lllusa.org/web/CarmelIN.html We attend and the group is fantastic. If that meeting doesn't work for you, there are lots of other groups in the area. Many moms come looking for help with troubles, but many of us are just there to find other moms with similar parenting philosophies and make some friends, which I know can be needed right after you move!)

My third child is now 12 weeks old and she too has been the easiest. She started sleeping all night at 3-4 weeks and continues to sleep 12 hours every night. At her two month check-up the pediatrician said she was doing fine. As long as she was nursing well and often during the day and continues to gain weight, not to wake her. My first did not sleep all night until 8 months and second child not until 1 year. I'm thanking God every day this one sleeps as well as she does!

Dear E.,
Enjoy it while you can because there is no guarantee that it will last.
I nursed all 6 of my children and they seldom slept through the night.
I seldom had a full night's sleep for 10 years so Enjoy!