We cannot expect too much of our babes
This was a lesson that took more than 6 months to learn. This morning I woke up and I just realised... 'I expect too much of my bub!'
I was so determined to teach him to 'self-settle' and go to sleep in his own bed, I was trying so hard to 'be consistent' with my settling techniques and not let him fall asleep in my arms or on the breast all the time. And while I think self-settling is great, it is a constant battle with my little 6 and a half month old. Tobias takes on average 2 hours to settle to sleep, EVERY time I put him to bed. It's gotten to the point now where I have what I like to call 'bedtime anxiety'. "Oh man, bedtime is coming. God HELP me. I need your strength!' It often ends with us both in tears, me feeding him or rocking him to sleep.
Poor Toby has seemed to be unwell since he was about 2 weeks old. There always seems to be something bothering him, from colds, flus, croop, teething, congestion, allergies, reflux, vomiting, tummy pains, hives, eczema, over-tiredness, ear-aches, itchy eyes, and I could go on!
To sum it up (time to go give Tobs his lunch), this morning I thought 'Stuff it. I am throwing all the expectation, all the books, all the pressure, all the feelings of failure out the window. I am just gonna listen to my Mumma instinct, sit and cuddle my babe until he is sound asleep.' And that's what I did. It took around half an hour (better than 2 hours) and lots of lullabies but when I looked down at my sleeping babe, with tears in my eyes I said 'Sorry darling for expecting too much of you. I love you'.
One day he will go to sleep on his own in his own bed, but for now I am going to enjoy the cuddles.
I was so determined to teach him to 'self-settle' and go to sleep in his own bed, I was trying so hard to 'be consistent' with my settling techniques and not let him fall asleep in my arms or on the breast all the time. And while I think self-settling is great, it is a constant battle with my little 6 and a half month old. Tobias takes on average 2 hours to settle to sleep, EVERY time I put him to bed. It's gotten to the point now where I have what I like to call 'bedtime anxiety'. "Oh man, bedtime is coming. God HELP me. I need your strength!' It often ends with us both in tears, me feeding him or rocking him to sleep.
Poor Toby has seemed to be unwell since he was about 2 weeks old. There always seems to be something bothering him, from colds, flus, croop, teething, congestion, allergies, reflux, vomiting, tummy pains, hives, eczema, over-tiredness, ear-aches, itchy eyes, and I could go on!
To sum it up (time to go give Tobs his lunch), this morning I thought 'Stuff it. I am throwing all the expectation, all the books, all the pressure, all the feelings of failure out the window. I am just gonna listen to my Mumma instinct, sit and cuddle my babe until he is sound asleep.' And that's what I did. It took around half an hour (better than 2 hours) and lots of lullabies but when I looked down at my sleeping babe, with tears in my eyes I said 'Sorry darling for expecting too much of you. I love you'.
One day he will go to sleep on his own in his own bed, but for now I am going to enjoy the cuddles.
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