If there is one topic that can put a tired mom in tears as she stresses out about her babe vs others in the first 18 months it's sleep. Mom's don't get sleep, Dad's don't get sleep, but often get more then Mom, and baby's sleep is the topic of debate (and this will tie into night time diapering - briefly).
There is the CIO mom, the co-sleeping breastfeeding in her sleep Mom, the get up nurse and rock baby to sleep Mom and the my baby just falls asleep on her own like an angel Mom and everyone is up in arms about "am I doing this right".
Well I'm gonna let you in in a secret. For the first 18months sleeping through the night is technically 5 hours. Yep, 5. Monkey goes to bed at 8, wakes at midnight, 5 am then up at 7 (that is all "ish", its not clockwork and some nights are "better" then others.. Other nights are "worse"). So Monkey (10.5 months as I write this) "sleeps through the night". I am not sleeping through the night cuz I'm changing a diaper, nursing and rocking and laying Monkey back down and trying to fall back to sleep. Yes I change the diaper when he wakes its part of how I get that 5 hour stretch. I could just sit and brag that Monkey sleeps all night (despite the circles under my eyes telling you that isn't quite true), but I'd rather explain that statement to you.
So is your monkey getting a stretch close to 5 hours? Congrats. Your Monkey has achieved that magic goal and you don't feel any less tired lol. At least you can stop stressing. If your Monkey isn't change the diaper, that might do it depending on age, bladder and digestive system. If not, change it anyways because very soon that diaper change will help you achieve those precious 5 hours (of which you likely sleep 3.5)
Oh but your SIL or friend or that snot in your baby and me class has a baby who sleeps 8-10 hours and yours only sleeps 4 hours 45 min to 5hours? Its ok. Actually its Awesome! I know you don't believe me as you drink coffee #6 and worry about your new caffeine addiction, but it is.
Let's jump forward in time a bit. Before you know it you'll be potty training your Monkey and so will all the other Moms you know. And very soon after that will be night time potty training. Guess what? No ones Monkey is going to go 8-10 hours with out peeing! So your Monkey had a baby system that max's out at the average 5 hours and was accustomed to a dry bum? Your Monkey is going to be waking up to pee in the potty and not in bed. You might want to help this at first by encouraging your Monkey up about 15 min before the usual wake time, but they will do this naturally pretty quick (relatively speaking). That 8-10 hour sleeper? Yeah either they are peeing the bed every night or Mom looks like she needs an IV of Timmie's dark roast cuz she isn't used to this up twice a night crap.
You? Your rocking it, you wonder why you ever needed 8 hours sleep in a row....which you'll be getting just another very small jump into the future.
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