[mnguyen0731]

I have a beautiful 2 month old daughter and was wondering when do baby's start sleeping through the night? I am breastfeeeding her and she is currently still waking about every 3 hours to eat. Any tips to get her to stay down longer?

[Eileen G]

The short answer is: when they feel like it. There is no time when you can be sure they will start sleeping through. Some will do it early, some later. All I can suggest is that you go to bed a little earlier, knowing that you will have a couple of night feeds, and if you can enjoy the peace and closeness of the night feeds rather than resenting them, it feels easier.

However, I can definitely tell you that feeding every three hours is absolutely normal.

Oh, and if she does start sleeping through the night, she will make up for the missed feeds in the day. You will be spending a lot of time in the nursing chair.

[artlady]

Breast milk is much lighter than formula and moves through your baby's digestive system faster so your baby gets hungry sooner.

I breastfed both of mine and I had during the night feeding with one up until 9 months and the other 8 months.
Generally speaking she should be nursing between 8 and 12 times per day.

Make sure she knows the night feedings are not social hour time.Keep the lights low,avoid talking and socializing too much(I know its hard) but this way she will be more willing to understand it is not party time.She also will not just wake to visit with Mama.

Since breast feeding is *on demand*,she will get on her own schedule eventually.

There are some people who suggest feeding from one breast only as the end of the breast milk (hind milk)is more fatty and hence more filling.That may be effective for the night feedings.

Of course you switch to the other breast for the next feeding.

I am sorry to say I don't know any tricks to get her to stay down longer.If I did I would be rich!

Good luck and know that they do sleep through the night eventually :)