As a pediatrician, I must share my experience: my 3.5-year-old son has just begun sleeping through the night. Yes, you read that correctly—3.5 years, not months.
Many may find this astonishing, but I know there are plenty of parents out there who can relate and perhaps breathe a sigh of relief. When I was expecting my first child, I naively believed that my baby would start sleeping through the night after just a few months. After all, that’s what everyone tells you—expect some sleepless nights, but the end is just around the corner.
However, I quickly learned how misguided that belief was. The reality of sleep deprivation hit me hard after my child was born. I felt like a zombie, struggling to function while nursing around the clock. As we approached the three-month milestone, I asked my own mother when sleep would improve. She confidently told me that I slept through the night around that age.
However, when the three-month mark arrived, my son was still waking every few hours for feedings. Then came the infamous four-month sleep regression, which turned our nights into a chaotic cycle of wakefulness.
Surviving the first year was a challenge. Yes, there were nights when my son would sleep for three or four hours at a time, but there were also nights filled with hourly wake-ups that left me feeling utterly exhausted. I tried gentle sleep-training methods, but they backfired; my babies seemed to prefer an alternative approach: screaming endlessly rather than settling down.
When my first child reached one year, I held onto the hope that sleep would magically improve, and while it did to some degree, “sleeping through the night” remained elusive. I later revisited the conversation with my mother, who admitted that my own sleep struggles lasted well into toddlerhood. I realized that many parents likely block out the challenges of sleepless nights, and I wished she had been more forthcoming about my own sleepless history—it might have alleviated my stress.
It’s important to acknowledge that while some lucky parents have what I call “unicorn sleepers”—babies who drift into slumber without fuss—most of us deal with the reality of unpredictable sleep patterns. The truth is that many infants do not sleep through the night (defined as 10 to 12 hours uninterrupted) for several months, and some may not achieve this milestone for years. There’s no universal timeline for sleep development, as every child progresses at their own pace, just like they do with walking or talking.
So, if you find yourself feeling guilty or inadequate, let me assure you: it’s not your fault. Every child has their own timeline, and some simply take longer to adapt to sleeping through the night.
When my second child was born, I had the knowledge and wisdom from my first experience. The sleep deprivation felt more manageable. I understood that it was perfectly fine to embrace the chaos, even if it meant having mac and cheese for dinner every night. I also knew that it wouldn’t last forever.
Now that my 3.5-year-old is finally sleeping through the night—though he still occasionally wakes to ask for water or to check on snack availability—I can appreciate the quiet moments. But I also recognize that parenting will always come with sleepless nights, whether from infants or eventually waiting up for teenagers.
In summary, once you become a parent, sleep becomes a precious commodity. However, with patience and understanding, you learn to cope, and the love you receive from your children makes it all worthwhile.
For those interested in more information on pregnancy and home insemination, you can explore excellent resources like WHO on pregnancy or check out this insightful article on infant care. And if you’re considering at-home insemination methods, you may find useful information at Make a Mom’s guide.