youcantsitwithus
New member
This is also kind of an update to the previous post I made about Possums sleep program.
I had to make this post because of how nervous and anxious I was about my baby’s sleep. By around 4 months, I was certain we would not be sleep training even though I thought (before he was born) that we would go that route.
Even though intuitively it felt right comforting him and responding every time, parenting 24/7, not forcing him to cry to “learn to soothe himself” etc., I was always so nervous about what the future held. Would he ever be able to sleep without nursing? Was I hindering his ability to sleep more deeply? Was I going to be stuck with a 4 or 5 year old who couldn’t sleep without me while all my friends’ kids were sleep trained by 5 or 6 months old?
I was scared I was harming my baby by not having a strict sleep regimen. I didn’t know how we would grow out of this phase and find some kind of balance and predictability.
I know many of you can relate. Now, I truly feel like I’m on the other side and I am SO happy I allowed myself to fully trust my intuition and instinct, and respond to my baby and cuddle him and soothe and comfort him at every turn. It wasn’t always magical, it was rough during those heavy teething or leap weeks, but we always came back to the understanding that those were the times he needed us more than ever, and we showed up.
He turns 2 next month and he’s fully weaned, decides whether he wants to sleep in his big boy bed or mom and dad’s bed and either of us can do bedtime (this is very new and very exciting!) Best of all, he sleeps through the night! From 8:30pm until 7:30 or 8am (sometimes even 9!) I know his sleep habits are just getting better and stronger because he led the way! Bedtime routine takes 30-45 min and it’s all lovely and cuddly and just absolutely the best.
This post is for anyone doubting that what they’re doing may hinder their child’s sleep habits in the future, or tempted to sleep train because “it’s the only way.” It most certainly is not! And this post is for me because I’m damn proud of myself for going the road less traveled, trusting myself and my baby, and absolutely soaking in allllll the cuddles.
I had to make this post because of how nervous and anxious I was about my baby’s sleep. By around 4 months, I was certain we would not be sleep training even though I thought (before he was born) that we would go that route.
Even though intuitively it felt right comforting him and responding every time, parenting 24/7, not forcing him to cry to “learn to soothe himself” etc., I was always so nervous about what the future held. Would he ever be able to sleep without nursing? Was I hindering his ability to sleep more deeply? Was I going to be stuck with a 4 or 5 year old who couldn’t sleep without me while all my friends’ kids were sleep trained by 5 or 6 months old?
I was scared I was harming my baby by not having a strict sleep regimen. I didn’t know how we would grow out of this phase and find some kind of balance and predictability.
I know many of you can relate. Now, I truly feel like I’m on the other side and I am SO happy I allowed myself to fully trust my intuition and instinct, and respond to my baby and cuddle him and soothe and comfort him at every turn. It wasn’t always magical, it was rough during those heavy teething or leap weeks, but we always came back to the understanding that those were the times he needed us more than ever, and we showed up.
He turns 2 next month and he’s fully weaned, decides whether he wants to sleep in his big boy bed or mom and dad’s bed and either of us can do bedtime (this is very new and very exciting!) Best of all, he sleeps through the night! From 8:30pm until 7:30 or 8am (sometimes even 9!) I know his sleep habits are just getting better and stronger because he led the way! Bedtime routine takes 30-45 min and it’s all lovely and cuddly and just absolutely the best.
This post is for anyone doubting that what they’re doing may hinder their child’s sleep habits in the future, or tempted to sleep train because “it’s the only way.” It most certainly is not! And this post is for me because I’m damn proud of myself for going the road less traveled, trusting myself and my baby, and absolutely soaking in allllll the cuddles.
