Why do so many parents want...?

Question

Why is that every time I come on here, there is always a question about how do I get my child to sleep all night? I know we as humans need sleep, and once baby comes we can't wait for the day to come when they do sleep all night but doesn't anyone know that all babies are different, and they wake for a reason, whether they are hungry, startled, upset, or whatever. I have a 5 month old, and I loved the quiet time with her at night feeding her, it was a form of bonding, and even now that shes sleeping most of the night, I still enjoy her waking me up at 3am, and of course she doesn't want anything, just her soother. But I mean we all knew before getting pregnant that we would be up at night with your bundle of joy, so why do so many people want to rush their babies and get them to sleep all night. Now don't get me wrong, I love my sleep as well but we as parents are responsible for our child, so why is it people want their kid sleeping all night, just because we are deprived of sleep

Answer 1

Too many ppl in our culture believe that it's developmentally normal and/or necessary that a baby sleep through the night. They have no idea that it's actually hardwired and a survival instinct for babies to wake during the night. Our culture has some pretty weirdo ideas about sleep in comparison to other cultures.

For me, a complete change of attitude dramatically improved my stress level with regards to nightwaking. We also colsept which hugely improved the amount of sleep everyone got.

I can imagine that working outside the home or other obligatons early in morning would make nightwakings much more difficult. I do think that a gentle solution is still possible and attitude goes a long way towards helping.

Answer 2

I know that when I say this that most of you out there are not going to like what you are reading or me for that matter. I was very fortunate because my daughter has been sleeping through the night since I have brought her home the hospital. The first week the public health nurse came to my house and had said that I had to wake my daughter to feed her. I did take her advice and tried everything to wake her up to feed. However, nothing worked and after trying on the third night I said forget it! If she is hunger then she will wake herself up. In the hospital was a whole different experience. She would not sleep very long she would sleep at little here and a little there and then at night she would wake up every 1-1.5 hours in the hospital. Now when I compare both bonding experiences I would have to say that our bonding quality was much better during the day. First, because I was well rested and so was she. We also had a opportunity to start establishing a routine. Overall, she was much happier and so was I.

Answer 3

Perhaps you don't work outside the house. Maybe you do. Either is OK. Speaking for me- yes for a certain period of time sleeping through the night is one of those distant memories, like a hassle free trip to the grocery store. By 5 or 6 months though, when I returned to work, staying up at night was very hard on me and I needed my daughter to sleep so that I could be a productive person at work and (more important) a good mother who could think rationally and remember everything that she would need due to adequate rest.

I admit- nighttime feedings weren't always that bad. Usually she just fell asleep within 15 minutes and I would be back in bed in no-time. Other nights were absolutely horrible- and I would basically call it morning at 4.30 am, as there was no chance of getting back to sleep and for what-an hour and a half?

Answer 4

i really don't think it's a matter of just trying to make the baby sleep so we can sleep. at least it's not for me. my daughter wakes up about 3-4 times a night and she's 10 months old. and it drives me crazy. i am so sleepy in the mornings. i get about 4 hours of sleep a night if that. and it's kinda hard the next day. i have a 4 year old to keep an eye on and then a son that i homeschool. so it gets hard.

plus babies need sleep. just like us. if they are waking up constantly it means something is wrong. and once you go through everything it drives you insane.

Answer 5

You answered your own question. When we are deprived of sleep it's not healthy for us. I know that when my kid was a newborn I fell asleep holding her and almost dropped her. I would have preferred her to sleep all night and me to wake rested and refreshed than to do this mothering thing half-assed because I was so drowsy. Not getting enough sleep is very dangerous. Especially for prolonged periods of time. That's not doing your baby any good either. It's better if the baby gets more sleep as well. They need it just as much as you do, if not more. So why not encourage them to sleep longer? No one is trying to cop out of their motherly duties. Humans are programmed to sleep through the night so why not go with the flow?

Answer 6

Maybe it's because we don't like hearing our babies cry out at night, knowing that they are unhappy. I just try to find out what my daughter needs and satisfy that need but I do wish that she could sleep happily all night without waking up upset. I (and many other parents might agree) get frustrated with myself when I give her everything I think she needs and she still cries (perhaps just because she wants to be with us instead of her bed) but anyway because of that, I look forward to her going all night, asleep and happy. However I do agree with you about that peaceful bonding time that's just between me and her when I feed her - I like knowing that (as a breastfeeding mother) I'm giving her what she needs emotionally and physically.
Anyway to make a long story short - for me, it's about her being content and happy.

Answer 7

I just got lucky and my son started sleeping through at 2 months. On his own mind you. It wouldn't have mattered to me either way because it never bothered me much, I just did what I had to do and expected it. And it is hard to adjust but I was prepared and plus my fiance helped too. But I do agree with you, it annoys me to see questions like that, babies will be babies and that's what they do!!! It doesn't matter what you do they eventually do it on their own!!!

Answer 8

we have a 4 month old and just gave up on trying to get him to sleep all night. he is a baby and needs us to confort him. so we do, wether that means a pacifier falling out of the mouth or a hungry stomach or even just a cuddle. we are used to it now. we jsut take turns getting up to help hom out, somtimes i do it all night or somtimes its just whatever but either way we never let out baby scream becuase we want a little extra sleep. we just all go to bed earlier or we sleep during the day. i dont like when a person tells me the let their 6 week old baby sleep thourgh the night. i just bit my toung.