Honouring Your Baby’s Sleep Needs

Sukkie

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As you know by now, I am a huge advocate for baby’s sleep! LOL!  In fact, I consider myself a bit obsessed with it.  If a baby is cranky, I instantly think “that baby needs to sleep.”  My friends and family give me a hard time, because they think I choke everything up to be about baby’s sleep – but in all honesty, I am correct about 90 percent of the time.  If a baby is well rested (and well fed), they don’t need much else to be happy.

I know it’s exciting to take a baby out and about – but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – arrange your baby’s outings around their sleep time.

Here’s a perfect example of what I’m talking about.  I went to a baby’s birthday party last weekend and the parents arranged the party SMACK in the middle of the baby’s naptime.  Uhhhmmm, really?!??

Guess how much fun that birthday party was for the baby and the parents?  Mom had to carry a cranky baby around all afternoon because the baby was clingy due to being overtired.  Of course, the baby was not willing to be held by anyone else – when a baby’s not feeling well, they just want mommy (sorry dads but it’s true).

When it came time for cake and picture time, we got NO good pictures because the baby was definitely not interested in smiling for anyone.

Mom tried to put the baby down for a nap but babies are smart! Who wants to sleep when there are guests and party fun?!? This baby was no exception, she was not going to miss out.

Overall, Mom was busy with an overtired, clingy baby and Dad was busy with the party details such as food and cleaning up.

I wonder who had fun at that party? Definitely not Mom, Dad or baby.

So, as much as you think babies can just go with the flow, they really can’t.  They need their sleep.  Of course as your baby gets older (over two years of age) they will be more flexible and you may be able to push them out of their sleep comfort zones moreso but for now, please keep your baby’s sleep schedules tight and HONOUR their sleep needs – even if it is their birthday!  You don’t want the theme song to be “it’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to” (Lesley Gore song).

Here’s to sleeping well!

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