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There’s always that one parent in your circle who boasts that their baby started sleeping through the night at just six weeks old. While you genuinely want to celebrate their success, it’s hard to muster up the enthusiasm when you’re running on fumes.
They share their so-called magical sleep-training secrets, and suddenly, you begin to question your own parenting skills. Determined to improve, you vow to implement these tips and transform into a more effective parent.
As night falls, you give yourself a motivational speech. Tonight is the night you’ll toughen up. You plan to get a full seven hours of sleep, no matter how many times you have to lift and lay your little one back down.
You place your baby in their crib, and immediately, the cries begin. You shush and sway gently, picking them up and setting them down repeatedly until your back feels like it’s about to snap. You even try a counterclockwise pat on the back while reciting a mantra you picked up in a yoga class. After 76 minutes of a lullaby on loop, you contemplate a quick bathroom break but decide to soldier on.
You bounce around the room like an overgrown rabbit, and miraculously, your little one starts to calm down. Hope begins to flicker within you. Maybe you’ve just been too soft on enforcing sleep routines. You lay them back down and quietly tiptoe out.
Finally, you reach your own bed and feel a wave of relief wash over you. It’s been ages since you could stretch out without a soggy sippy cup ruining the moment. You drift into a much-needed sleep.
But just two hours later, you hear rustling. You attempt to ignore it, just as the other parents advised. But soon, the rustling escalates into crying.
At first, you try to convince yourself it’s nothing. Your thighs are still aching from that exhausting routine you did earlier. The crying begins to diminish, and you think maybe your baby is finding their own way to sleep. You nestle deeper into your pillow, savoring the moment.
And then the crying crescendos into a full-blown wail. You can’t ignore it anymore; your little one is too powerful. With a defeated sigh, you head back into the nursery.
As soon as your baby sees you, they burst into laughter, fully aware that they’ve bested you. You feel foolish for even trying to stand your ground. They want to play, and your resolve crumbles.
You can’t help but wonder where you went wrong. The other parents made it sound so simple. You conclude that peaceful sleep might be a distant memory. It feels unjust, and you harbor secret resentment towards those seemingly perfect parents.
You end up engaging with your little one for another 108 minutes. They demand a taste of 12 different snacks and want to explore the lower shelves of the fridge. You oblige, too drained to argue, convincing yourself that ketchup is an acceptable bedtime snack.
After what seems like forever, your baby finally yawns. Hope ignites once again. Perhaps this time they’ll settle down for the night. You carry them to your bed, where they’ve claimed their territory. They stretch out on your pillow, and you curl up around them. To your astonishment, they lie down peacefully and close their eyes.
It’s really happening! You glance at the clock and realize you have three hours before you need to wake up. You swear off conversations about sleep with other parents for good. You even daydream about waking your child up early when they become a teenager. Maybe you’ll need to research intravenous caffeine delivery for those mornings. Your baby snuggles into your chest, their tiny hand resting gently on your face, and you can’t help but melt. Remembering how adorable they can be, you slip into a crowded yet tranquil sleep.
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Summary
Navigating the sleepless nights of parenting can be a challenging journey filled with moments of frustration, exhaustion, and unexpected joy. From dealing with cries to finding hope in fleeting moments of calm, every parent faces these trials. Remember, you’re not alone in this experience, and it’s okay to lean on resources and support as you navigate this wild ride of parenthood.