Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged...The Sleep Issue

When you are a new parent, as I am, you often question what you're doing. When my son was an infant he had his days and nights reversed. He would stay up all night and sleep/nap all day. I heard talk that this was normal, so I bared with this process. Until he hit four months and he was still doing the same thing; staying up at night and sleeping all day.

I was going out of my mind. hysterically crying for lack of sleep, unable to function during the day because I was awake all night long walking him, singing to him, rocking him.

So I decided to try the sleep training method. When he would wake up at midnight and 3am, I would let him cry for 15-20 minutes and he would fall back asleep. It was excruciating. It was very hard to listen to my own son cry, but I knew that he needed to learn the difference between day and night. It is took 4-5 days, but eventually he learned to sleep at night.

I know that each parent has a different sleep philosophy. Sleep training isn't for every family. Some people choose to utilize the family bed, where everyone sleeps together. Others don't believe in letting a baby cry to fall asleep. I am just sharing what worked for me.

I will tell you this: I hear a lot of judgment out there with regard to how parents choose to let their children fall asleep.

The bottom line is, whatever works for you and your family is fine; but judging another person's choice in parenting is hurtful and unproductive. What works for you and yours may not work for someone else and theirs.

I say, however you get your child to sleep the best, stick with that method!