While in Washington DC earlier this year my clients came across this article in Parents magazine. I thought it was worth sharing because it think it’s important for new parents to keep a light heart and remember that their baby may not always know what they need. Even as a Newborn Care Specialist (the professional), I don’t always have the answers. The tendency for caregivers and parents is to want to always try and ‘figure it out’. I am here to tell you that it’s okay to not always know why your baby isn’t sleeping.
“She’s too hot. She’s too cold. It’s too quiet in her room. The white-noise machine is keeping her up. The white-noise machine is set to the wrong noise. The one you bought doesn’t have the noise that would actually make her sleep. She is teething. She isn’t teething. She ate too much. She didn’t eat enough. She didn’t eat what the woman in the grocery store told you she fed her babies 30 years ago, back when babies never woke up at night. She had a bad dream. She had a good dream and wants to tell you all about it, but she can’t really talk yet. She needs to go to bed earlier. She needs to stay up later. She needs a sleep schedule. She needs to sleep on demand. She needs to sleep on 1,000 thread count sheets decorated with baby chinchillas. She wants you to play with her. She is glad to finally have a few moments to play alone. She doesn’t think you really cherished every moment during the day. She is getting sick. She is getting sick of you trying to make her sleep all the time at night. She needs her arms swaddled. She wants her arms free. She is trying to figure out what her arms are. There is no real reason. She is just messing with you.”
I hope this made you smile! Please try to not be so hard on yourself. Sleep is a skill that your baby learns. If you are tired, frustrated and at your wits end, reach out to an Infant Sleep Consultant in your area. Please don’t loose hope. You and your baby can be both be sleeping well each and every night!
Disclaimer:
The content contained in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or to replace the advice of any medical professional. It is based on our opinions and experience working with newborns and their families. Other’s opinions may vary. It does not represent the views of any affiliated organizations. The reader understands that term “Babynurse” is often a word used to describe a newborn caregiver. However, unless otherwise disclosed, we are not licensed nurses in any state. By reading and/or utilizing any information or suggestions contained in this blog, the reader acknowledges that we are not medical professionals and agrees to and waives any claim, known or unknown, past, present or future.
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