I have two good sleepers. Kieran slept through the night from three and a half weeks, Taylor from seven weeks. When I attended baby clinic when Kieran was small I felt I almost had to hide this fact, as if I’d done something wrong. I remember being asked once, after a group of Mums were talking about how tired they were, what little sleep they were getting, how many times I got during the night. And I lied!! “Usually only once, sometime twice” just rolled off my tongue. It felt mean / potentially dangerous to tell this group of sleep deprived ladies that I’d slept uninterrupted for weeks!
Those I did mention it to, and the same goes now even, usually respond with:
Humph!
Now don’t get me wrong, I am NOT saying you are a bad parent if your child isn’t a good sleeper, far from it. Is it not possible though, perhaps just a little that both of mine have slept well in part due to my being able to work a routine that works well with their natures? No? Ah, clearly flukey then!
Own space. Both Boys went into their own cots, in their own bedrooms from day one. This was partly due to a space issue initially but worked so well with Kieran we did exactly the same with Taylor without thinking about it.
The right environment. Nurseries in our house are simple, unfussy, comfortable & dark! We have blackout blinds so regardless of the time, sleeptime is dark time. Each boy liked some music or a light show on briefly before they nodded off.
Routine. I’m a stickler for routine! I need it for me, and the Boys thrive on it. Our bedtime routine is the same every night, after tea a bath, cuddle, story and down to sleep (awake usually, this meant for mine that they could fall asleep/settle themselves down by themselves if they woke early, without needing to be rocked etc).
Sleepwear. Both were swaddled from birth, securely wrapped, feeling safe and warm. My two wrigglers didn’t wear this for long as soon swaddles were exchanged for sleeping bags, fantastic for babes with active legs that just love to kick the bed covers off!!
Most parent’s do the same, or similar, I’m sure, but these work for us, they compliment the Boys’ easy-going & settled nature. Fluke? Maybe… but I like to think I’m doing what’s right for my lads!
Were/ are yours good sleepers? If a baby is an unsettled sleeper, I’m guessing you can’t “fix” this, but perhaps other “flukey” (yes, this label does annoy me actually!), Mums & Dads have hints and tips that might help?
ADDITION: I’m adding this in because one of the comments left by someone I think a lot of, has struck a chord. It appears I’ve come across as a bit of a snot-bag, I just want to re-iterate that I don’t think in any way that someone whose little ones aren’t good sleepers aren’t cracking parents or not as good as me (trust me on THAT one lol). This is important enough to me, for me to add an addition (which I have never done before). Parenting is hard enough without ever being made to feel you are being told you are wrong or crap. This is partly why I’ve written the post, after being made to feel wrong and crap because my two have slept through (damned if you do, damned if you don’t). x