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I never felt like it was that bad. Until LO was 4 months, he'd wake up at midnight and 3 a.m. for feedings. Around 4 months he started STTN. It depends on the baby. My son was 6 weeks premature so that's probably why it took him awhile to STTN, he needed to get his weight up.

Oh man, I remember the end of preganancy lack of sleep too! I feel you! With a busy/stressful work schedule it must make it even more difficult :(. Although I do agree that the weeks following birth were definitely worse in terms of sleep deprivation, you are correct in the fact that atleast you won't have to worry about staying on top of things with regard to work! horray maternity leave!
For us, sleep got way way way better at around 3.5 months when he began sleeping 12 hours with no wake ups. He is 8 months old now and hastn't had even one night wake since back then, even with traveling, late nights, etc. Although every baby is different, there is definately light at the end of the tunnel! I'm 8 weeks pregs again right now, so i'm trying to enjoy as much sleep as i can before the frequent peeing kicks in again :). best of luck!

I'm going to be completely honest. If you are a person who hates waking up early or having interrupted sleeps, then ANY wakings through the nights absolutely SUCKS. I remember when my LO woke up every two hours in the first couple weeks. I didn't even want nighttime to come because I hated being woken up. When it eventually stretched out to 3-4 hours, even though it was longer stretches, it still sucked and on occasion, I cried. On a happier note, my LO started sleeping through the night once we transferred her to her crib and let her cry it out at around 4 1/2 months. She's been great ever since and she's around 7 1/2 months. All I can say is if you cherish your sleep, it's a tough go. I hope I didn't scare you, but it's just an honest answer

To be honest, and hopefully not jinx myself, my sleep is better after LO than it was at the end of pregnancy. I really expected the sleep deprivation to be worse. LO at 18 days is sleeping in two 4-5 hour stretches which is wonderful.

Our LO was actually a better sleeper as a newborn than she was as a 3-4 month old. Her sleep finally improved recently around 5.5 months when we sleep trained and nap trained her.

My LO slept well as a newborn. During colic, not so much. We've had a couple of weeks of good sleep, then getting sick, more good sleep, then teething right now. So, periods of good sleep and bad sleep at 5 months old.

I know it makes you want to punch people in the face...been there! But it is soooo true. M did not start sleeping decently till 7 months! And those that had babies that were good sleepers at the beginning usually get hit with a bout of bad sleep at some point.
Her sleep was b a d no matter what we did. Getting 3 hour stretches were a good night and made me feel revived! There was a period of 2 months she work every hour on the hour. I had to work full time. On no caffeine. That's when I finally bit the bullet and starting drinking decaf. Amazing that little bit of caffeine kept me going!
Being home with a baby/newborn is way more exhausting than work. My husband has a physical job and he's more tired after a day with m than working a 10 hr job! Hahha

Dd started sleeping 6+ hours at 6 weeks old.
DS is sleeping 8-10hours at 5 weeks old.

@regberadaisy: I'm very thankful! And I hope she keeps doing it forever lol

I've been more rested the last two weeks of having a new baby than the last two months of my pregnancy. With my poor upper arm circulation and crushed bladder, I was waking up every 1-2 hours and never getting deep sleep. Now when she's sleeping for 2-3, sometimes a 4 hr stretch, I'm passed out as well! I know it wont be like this forever since I'm on maternity leave now but I'm enjoying the change.

Oh and it's really amazing how smart the body is when it comes to functioning on virtually zero sleep due to a newborn. If you went out and partied all night and only got 2 hours of sleep, you'd feel wrecked until you slept it off. Somehow your body just knows that lots of sleep is not an option for those first few weeks and most of the time, it really wasn't that bad! DH and I discussed this often:)

@septemberlove: I hardly got any sleep towards the end of my pregnancy and I was dying at work. Pure torture trying to think hard while SO tired!!! When baby was born, it took me a little while to catch up from the lack of sleep during the days surrounding my little one's birth (I went almost 72 hours without any sleep). At first J slept 1-2 hours at a time and was up for quite awhile between feedings. After a month or so, she was still getting up as frequently, but she was going back to sleep more quickly (nuring more efficiently, etc.). Around 6 weeks, she started sleeping 4 hours at a time and stopped pooping at night (which meant that I stopped changing her when she got up to nurse, so I didn't have to get out of bed). She's just 7 weeks now, so we'll see what happens...

The bottom line for me is that I am less tired now than I was towards the end of my pregnancy while I was working. Or at least it's less painful because I don't have to think too hard, lol! I can also nap if need be, as my LO takes long naps during the day. I am planning to go back to work 28 hrs/week, so I'll let you know how it goes!

ETA: My husband started sleeping in the basement when I was 9 mo pregnant because he talks in his sleep and was waking me up all the time! He continued to stay down there after J was born so she wouldn't wake him up (because he does not do well when sleep deprived and I'm nursing anyway)... so my experience is based on me doing 100% of care during the night.

Wow, my little one slept 7 hours straight last night, after I just said the longest was 4 hours (she did sleep 5 hrs once before, I think)...that is a new record! I wish I'd been asleep that whole time and not on HB!

Depends on the baby--but honestly I have a not great sleeper (still never STTN at 8 months) and I still was much more angry at my lack of sleep while pregnant.
Anyway there is no sleep bank. If you sleep now you can't save it up and check it out when you're tired of your 4 month old waking up all the time.
Enjoy date nights and don't worry too much about sleep. You will either be able to handle it, or ask for help.
You can do it!