Why do parents expect their infants to sleep through the night?

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   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   Why do parents expect their infants to sleep through the night?
   
   Scrolling through facebook feed I see parents asking for advice on how to get their infants sleeping. Why do so many parents expect an infant to be sleeping through the night in a bed of their own before they've even been in the world for the same amount of time they were growing in the belly?

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   renegadetoryposted 11 years ago

   I think it's more along the lines of they just really wish their baby would sleep longer so that they can get more sleep.  As a mom of 3, I can understand this, being a new parent is exhausting!  What parents sometimes fail to realize is that sleeping through the night for an infant usually consists of 6 hours straight at the most and really shouldn't take place before 6 months of age or even older.

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      peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I guess as a mom of 3 that didn't sleep through for quite a while I just ran with what I had. Getting any of them sleeping through was never even a thought before 1 year for me.

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   fpherj48posted 11 years ago

   Well, peeples, this is interesting.  I am not a Facebooker, so I miss out on reading what you read.
   LOL....There must be a lot of impatient, as well as disappointed parents out there, desperate for their babies to sleep through the night.  And of course, they can "wish" all they want, but it just doesn't work that way, does it?
   Each and every baby is different.....in pretty much every aspect.  Sleep issues, feeding issues, scheduling...it's all a brand new game to the little Angels, as they adjust to being a little person in a great big world.
   For parents, especially "new" parents, it's a matter of trial and error.
   It's always nice to refer to books on child care and magazines dedicated to parent & child...& having helpful discussions with family and friends, with a bit of experience and wisdom under their belt.
   The bottom line is that parents do a disservice to themselves by "expecting" particular things, or becoming overly concerned with an issue.  Eventually, they have a way of working themselves out, even before they conjure up a solution.
   In time, parents begin to realize, that all things work out and that the adjustment period for them AND their baby, can vary from one week to the next.
   As all Veteran parents discover, looking back......For the most part, for 98% of all babies.....and their parents.....It's a wonderful time of learning, growing and bonding together.  Before we know it, they're packing for college.
   In the meantime, relax, save your strength for the really Huge things, and enjoy & treasure your child, even at 3:00 in the morning.....Right?, peeples?

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      peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Lol, my youngest is pushing 2 and still wakes up half the time atleast once a night. I think after a while reality sets in that it's really no longer about mom's sleep and just about keeping lil one happy and healthy!

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   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   The same impatient people who expect a puppy to know the difference between carpet and grass. 

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      peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly!!!

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      .............. 

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   cat on a soapboxposted 11 years ago

   I think these parents are used to instant gratification and want uninterrupted sleep!  My husband and I were lucky. Our daughter began sleeping through the night at 3 mos but changed pattern again at 8 mos w/ a midnight wake-up until she was a year-old. Sleep patterns for infants vary for many reasons just as they do for adults. Parenting is not about convenience.

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   CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years ago

   That was never an expectation of mine. My little people were restless sleepers for the first two years of their lives. As soon as the babies came along...I was a zombie for the next 6 years (neither living nor dead).
   
   I think many new parents want things to get back to normal as quickly as possible and they do not want to lose their "sense of self". They need to understand that being a parent is the toughest job you'll ever love. Sadly, many don't have the patience or heart for it. Good parenting is becoming a lost art.

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