We use outside world situations as an excuse to feel our primary emotions.
If you are a worrier (I am a worrier), no matter what the situation, you will feel worry. So when my babies didn’t sleep, I worried that I was harming their development somehow. I worried that I was failing them. If they were sleeping, I would have worried about something else.
What can we change?
So what we can change is the worry, or the frustration, or the anger and we do that by accepting the current situation for what it is, finding a way to feel grateful (if you are not doing a daily gratitude practice, I challenge you to write down those five things we talked about every day this week – it will change your life), then changing our state. “All of your emotions are controlled by the emotional state you are in. If you change your state, you will change the follow through.” If you wanted something as a child you instinctively did this – I am sure most of you buttered up your parents with big ‘I love you’ and ‘you are the best’ comments before asking for the car keys. You changed your parents state to impact the outcome of what you wanted.
How do we change our own state? MOVE YOUR BODY. Yup, that is right, MOVE YOUR BODY.
Don’t take my word for it – I have another piece of homework for you. Download ten songs that make you want to scream at the top of your lungs and dance in your living room. When you feel tired or frustrated or worried, put on your music and MOVE YOUR BODY/dance. This is within your control, you can control your state.
The Solution…
So the solution for a sleepless year with a new baby who is doing everything they should – accept it, be grateful and dance!
If you are looking to make changes around sleep, because what is happening in your home is not working for you, check out my Comprehensive Sleep and Feeding Courses.
Originally published here.
Lauren Heffernan, founder of Isla-Grace, is a certified sleep and well-being specialist and certified sleep educator. After giving birth to her first daughter, Grace, Lauren learned the many challenges of navigating motherhood. These included the multitude of books, information, and people with strong opinions on the right way to be a mother. She quickly learned that the best parent to her child was herself and that in trusting her instincts, she would never go wrong. With this belief, and after certification with the International Maternity and Parenting Institute’s Maternity and Child Sleep Consulting Program, Bebo Mia’s Infant Sleep Educator Program and Mohawk College’s Breastfeeding Program, Lauren launched Isla-Grace and co-created the Baby-Led Sleep Approach. She provides information and support to women at different stages of motherhood and walks each one through the personal journey to become a more confident mother.
It’s a phase that will pass. In the meantime, plan your self around your baby’s nap time so you won’t be overwhelmed.
Sleep deprivation is a major issue for nursing mothers. However getting a hand will be of great help and will give you time to grab some sleep. Nice article.