Last night, was one of those nights. You know the kind. The kind where you're in the "just before a deep sleep, sleep state" most of the night. It's like I was sleeping, but still aware of everything going on around me. The dog licking his paws, Daniel's heavy breathing, Dawson's light snores, and my mind just wouldn't shut off. Finally at 4 I went and climbed into bed with Dawson thinking that maybe I'd sleep better if I were in a different bed.
Let me back up. When D climbed out of the crib at 16 months we tried the toddler bed for 2 nights. It was NOT successful, and if you know anything about D's sleep habits before 16 months, you know that we were still getting 3 or 4 times a night and I was getting maybe 5 hours of interrupted sleep each night. It was not good. So I said, fine, no toddler bed, I'll go ahead and bring his double mattress and box springs in his room. So we went and got his mattress and box springs, set them up on the floor in his room. Bought him some Mater (from Cars, his FAVORITE) pillow cases and blanket and we've had sleep success ever since. He was still getting up once a night in most cases, but he pretty much sleeps a solid 11 or 12 hours a night now. 8PM-8AM on the weekends 8-7 on the weekdays. I have my sanity back and it's amazing.
Anyway, instead of bringing Dawson into my bed, anytime he cries out or needs something, I'll lay down with him in his bed and comfort him or fall asleep with him in his room. I must admit this now, my "I'll never" moment when I was pregnant was that "I'll never put the baby in my bed or sleep with him" well that went out the window as soon as I realized that D being in the bed with me gave me a little bit of extra sleep. Now I miss him. I know he needs his own space, but I honestly miss cosleeping with him and sometimes I'll climb in his bed just to be close to him. And, I will most definitely 100% co sleep with our next baby from day one. Safely, of course with baby in the assigned co sleeper and me in the bed. Isn't it amazing how we, as parents, can go from one extreme to the next? Something I swore up and down I'd never do is the one thing that I absolutely LOVE.
What was the one thing you swore you'd never do as a parent and you've actually ended up doing?
8 comments:
I swore I would never give my kid food in the car for fear of choking and not being able to reach them in time. That went right out the window when there were two of the screaming their heads of for a snack. I'm not perfect, but it keeps sanity in the car sometimes.
I never thought about the choking thing with food in the car. I let D eat in the car all the time. Oh well.
Isn't it funny when we are first time moms, we think we know everything and say "I'll never do this" or "I'll never do that". Easy to say before we've experienced it! One of the only things I *did* stick with was the "no more bottle after 12 months" and "no co-sleeping". I completely understand why co-sleeping can be wonderful. I LOVE when guests come over and use Blake's bed, because that means he gets to sleep in bed with me as a special treat. And that cuddling is priceless. But I couldn't do it on a regular basis only because I know it would be an issue when I want to leave him with the babysitter and go see a movie with my husband... or if we have people over and we want to play dice after the kids go to bed. I have too much of an independent personality to feel committed to going to bed when the kids do. That being said, I TOTALLY get why people WOULD want to cosleep. You can't get back that cuddle time, and pretty soon they will be at an age where they may not even want to be in the same room as us parents! That is sad to think about :(
I was wondering how sleep was going at your house! So glad to hear you found a solution!
I said no TV. That went out the window long ago. Now we're trying to wean them off of PBS. They get 30 minutes in the morning (Super why) and 30 minutes at night (more Super Why, it's their favorite). And some days when I just need a break it might be on all afternoon. I know, I'm a bad mom.
Oh man, there are at least a dozen things that fall into this category for me. I, too, swore I would never co-sleep but was already doing it before we even went home from the hospital. I'm sure I'll be doing it for the first couple months with the next baby, too. I'm still a little worried about the safety aspect when they're tiny, but the cuddle time (and the extra sleep!) are priceless!
No junk food...but at 18 months Layla had her 1st McDonalds chicken nuggets. Sigh :/
I have broken all of the parenting rules I made for myself before having children. I was a superior idiot before having children.
All the rules have been broken except one . . .
I have NEVER EVER let my children open or eat something in a grocery store before paying for it.
I am all awesome and accomplished!
I'm with Lauren - there are a hundred! I said I'd never sleep train (ha!), CIO, let Ben watch TV, let him eat junk food, etc. I did it all! In moderation, of course, but definitely had that first time mommy syndrome where I thought I knew so much more than I actually did. I'm going into parenting the next one with a WIDE OPEN mind!
Post a Comment