grow ready, set mama stressors

story by | sheri kleinsasser stockmoe

These kiddos allow us to experience the greatest love possible. But along the way there are also plenty of nail biting, hand wringing, hair pulling experiences. Here are some tips to get through some common stressors.

Seriously, could there be a cuter wee one? Those cheeks, that tuft of hair, those long fingers & little toes…cutest ever! But, man it would be so sweet if he could sleep longer at night! Can you even imagine a full night’s sleep? Heck how about 5 hours in a row… heaven [sigh]!

nitey nite

While sleep deprivation is a rite of passage for new parents, it doesn’t make it any easier to go through. Your new wee one is just following his internal job description: get through this most vulnerable stage and grow up big and strong. As adults we sleep much differently than our wee ones. We enter stages of deep sleep, but our wee ones spend a majority of their sleep in an active state where they can be easily aroused. Research has shown this to be a survival mechanism that allows your wee one to meet his basic needs. If he slept too deeply, he may not easily wake when he needs to eat or is cold or not feeling well. So, while a full night’s sleep sounds fabulous to you, remember your wee one needs to wake often. seriously!

OK, for some reason there is an unwritten rule that an exceptional parenting style will result in respective wee one sleeping longer, sooner…we call BS! Don’t get caught up in the bragging match of ‘my wee one sleeps longer than your wee one’ and don’t be one of those mama exaggerators! There are tons of books, sleep aids and other mamas with advice on how to get your wee one to sleep through the night such as:

• you hear that? Comfort sounds or white noise such as radio static, a sound machine or fan.

• plug it A pacifier may have multiple benefits as research has found a strong association between pacifier use and reduced incidence of SIDS.

• step by step Get a bedtime routine: bath, bottle, bed.

• crib or no crib Some swear by swaddling and others the car seat.

There are companies and authors that have made millions offering wee one sleep advice. It’s always important to remember every wee one is different and you need to follow your heart and try the techniques that fit your family.