Customised front-loading
Front-loading looks different for different families. Some families may pile the dishes in the sink so the first one up in the morning can wash them. Other couples may work together to clean up, prep for the next day and get children ready for bed so everyone can wind down together afterwards. Single parents or those whose partners aren’t often available may need to find creative ways to cut back on chores, like pulling clean clothes out of baskets instead of folding them.
I remember many evenings lying in the dark nursing my oldest to sleep, feeling frustrated that I couldn’t be downstairs watching TV with my husband or getting a chore done.
Some nights I was able to unlatch and ninja roll away, only to have her wake up after an hour or two, or sometimes only twenty minutes later.
Once we let go of a fixed bedtime, things became so much easier. We all got the rest we needed and everyone felt more relaxed. Of course, if an early bedtime works for your baby or toddler, that’s wonderful! If not, you may want to give front-loading a try.
Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family by La Leche League International
Our Babies, Ourselves by Meredith Small
”Don’t Tell The Kids, But Bedtime Is A Social Construct” by Maggie Koerth-Baker, July 12, 2017, fivethirtyeight.com
Originally published here.
Mary Francell is a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in private practice in Washington state, USA. She and her husband are the parents of three grown children. Mary founded and administers the Biologically Normal Infant Sleep group on Facebook and is an occasional guest host on the Untaming podcast. She has been a La Leche League Leader for over 25 years and currently serves as the Associate Area Professional Liaison for LLL of Washington state. Find out more on her website whatdobabiesneed.com and follow her on Facebook.
