You are nearly six months old, and everyone says you should be sleeping well by now. But what does that even mean? Are other babies really not waking? Do they really just fall asleep independently in their crib? I decide to try a couple of “gentle” sleep training methods because I feel like it’s the only way, but you just cry and cry, and my heart aches. This can’t be how it’s supposed to be.
I go in and rock you and snuggle you, and your little body immediately relaxes as soon as I pick you up. So does mine.
One day, someone says to me, “Why don’t you just let her sleep in bed with you?” and my world is changed. People actually do that? But no one talks about it. I research safe bed-sharing for hours, and I’m angry that no one has ever mentioned this to me before. And I give myself permission to let you stay in bed sound asleep after nursing. You’re so peaceful. You wake a few times, nurse, and doze back off. So do I. I begin to enjoy my days with you, noticing YOU more instead of focusing on your sleep. I regret ever listening to everyone else.
Originally published here.
Taylor Kulik is an occupational therapist and a Certified Baby-Led Sleep & Well-being Specialist. After her own struggles to adapt to motherhood and discovering how little support and information there is for families who do not want to sleep train, Taylor shifted her career focus to supporting new parents in a way that validates their intuition. Taylor also has specialised training in perinatal mood & anxiety disorders from Postpartum Support International, as well as additional training in child development, postpartum care, and breastfeeding. She combines this training and her background as an occupational therapist to comprehensively and holistically help the entire family thrive and get more sleep through relationships and connection, without any sleep training. She also has self-paced eCourses which provide holistic and empowering information about postpartum recovery and infant sleep. You can find more information about the services & eCourses she offers at taylorkulik.com, or through her Facebook and Instagram pages.
