Primal Baby Sleep

I had to leave all the mommy groups on Facebook because it was just too upsetting for me. Every time I read a post from a new mom who was asking the group for advice about sleep training, I would get so triggered and it caused me so much anxiety. I would read all this terrible advice telling a new mom that you should let your baby cry it out because it’s good for them. And if you told the mom not to do it, ALL the moms would come on and attack YOU because how dare you have ...a different opinion then all of them! One of the worst things I read was about a mom doing CIO and it lead to the baby vomiting from so much stress...and all the moms said that it was good and you just keep going. Like seriously, what the f***! A baby should NEVER vomit when crying that much. Their bodies are in SO much stress and pain that it’s causing them to vomit. That is NOT okay! If someone ever tells you this advice, please run far away and don’t look back. #honestmotherhood #babysleeptips #babysleepconsultant #babysleepcoach #holisticsleep #gentlesleep #infantsleepeducation #toddlersleeptips #toddlersleep #babyledsleep #sleepwithoutsleeptraining #normalizeinfantsleep #normalizetoddlersleep #firsttimemom #justmomlife

As a first time mom, you get bombarded with so much advice from friends, family, doctor and even strangers. It can be so overwhelming hearing all this noise. If the advice doesn’t seem right to you, you have no obligation to follow it. ... If something worked for your friends baby, it probably won’t work for your baby. Just trust your gut, listen to your heart and cuddle your baby. Remember only you knows your baby best. Drop a if you needed to hear this today.

We are one of those families. We live in a one bedroom apartment in the city, so we didn’t have the option to put our babies in another room. Bed-sharing was our only option and yet I was never once told how to safely bed-share with my babies. I didn’t think to look up any guidelines because I didn’t think they even existed. We have one good friend who was also in the same situation with their babies so I just followed what they did. When Jack was born, I just winged it and... followed my instincts, but now I know that some of the things I was doing wasn’t the safest. We had a pretty wide couch, so I would lie down and he slept on my chest and I surrounded myself with pillows and we would both sleep that way. I always woke up if I felt him start to wake or if I was getting uncomfortable. I never felt I was doing anything unsafe, because I was in a very light sleep. But I know now that that wasn’t the safest position to be in, because I could’ve dropped him. It is normal for babies to want to sleep on their mothers chest, so if you want to be safe in case you do snooze, look into getting the SleepBelt. After a weeks though we moved into the bed and I ended up instinctively doing the cuddle curl position with Jack, which is the safest position to be in with your baby, if you are breastfeeding. When Milo was born, I ended up doing the exact same thing I did with Jack, first he slept on my chest and then the cuddle curl position. I wish someone had taught me about safe bed-sharing while I was pregnant though, so I would have made the safest choice right from the start. My goal as a Baby-Led Sleep Coach is to eventually teach how to safely bed-share and about normal infant sleep at prenatal classes. I want expecting parents to feel empowered and confident about their baby’s sleep before the baby arrives and to know how to safely bed-share if they don’t have any other option.

Confession: Jack is 3.5 years old and isn't fully potty trained; Potty training has defintely been the same as sleep training, in regards to feeling the pressure from society. Society tells us parents that our child needs to be potty trained by 3 or else they will be in diapers forever. I fell for this pressure and it has caused me so much stress and anxiety to get Jack out of diapers and into underwear. ... Last year, when Jack was just over 2.5 I felt so much pressure from mommy facebook groups and meeting others mom who had toddlers who were potty trained by 2. I bought the "oh crap! potty" book and in there she says that if you don't train by 2.5 years it will become super difficult when they turn 3. I was like shit, I have to get this done ASAP or else Jack will be in diapers forever! We started the 3 day method and it was actually working, he was understanding the concept and I was super excited. Whenever he had accidents, I would get so frustrated with him and it was just not healthy. I went on a facebook group and questioned if I was doing something wrong, one mom replied telling me to just wait for him and follow his lead. It made so much sense and I decided to let go of the pressure I was putting on myself and Jack and just go with the flow. Once I started to follow his lead, he actually started to tell us that he had to go to the potty, I was super proud and happy. For several months, he was doing great, just having the occasional accident here and there, but I wasn't making a big deal about them. But recently, just after the holidays, he has stopped telling us he has to go to the potty. I, once again got so upset and frustrated and getting mad at him. I started to stress out again and then I realized that these things happen and I shouldn't get so stressed out on him. It's been a month, and I've let go of the pressure on myself and Jack to have him fully potty trained;. He will come around when he is ready again. If you are struggling with this too, just remember that each child is different. Some children will want to go on the potty at 2 years and others will take much longer. Just go with the flow.

12 Month Sleep Progression Some parents may notice that their babe is going through another sleep regression at the one year mark, mostly because of a lot developmental milestones. What’s happening at this sleep progression? ... they are learning how to walk, they may start to take their first steps another peak of separation anxiety nap time battles, baby might be refusing the second nap and the parent wants to switch to one nap parent might be going back to work How to handle this progression? practice new skills during the day extra cuddles and snuggles consider capping the morning nap to 30 minutes, so you can still have the afternoon nap You might not notice any changes at this age or it might be a difficult time. Remember, do lots of self-care for yourself so you are able to show up 100% for your family. Is your babe going through the 12 month sleep progression? #toddlermomlife #newborn #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising #motherhoodthroughinstagram #motherhoodjourney #firsttimemom #teammotherly #newmom #newmomlife #mumlife #ohmother #momsofinstagram #motherhoodishard #babymilestones #babydevelopment #babystages #motherhood #torontomomsandbabies #torontomommy #mommyandme #momlifeisthebestlife #momentsinmotherhood #momandbaby #mommyandson #mommyanddaughter #motherhoodmoments #newmama #newmamalife

Thank you for standing by me watching what I’ve gone through. I forget sometimes through teary eyes that you’ve had to go through it too.... The labor and the birth while that pain was mine. Your hand was never far away Your eyes never so wide. My fear of being a new mother. The onset of baby blues. All the while you stayed strong for me while you were fearful too. The early days of breastfeeding. The trials and the tears. You were always helping with the latch while I was screaming in your ear. See sometimes I forget, as hard as it was on me You had to watch me in this pain As you sat there helplessly. Trying to remember things from antenatal Taking turns getting up in the night Feeling the fog of the fourth trimester In your own given right. The daily battles I have at home Which you feel as you walk in the door. But always with a smile and open arms Taking the weight off me once more. You’ve seen me raw and at my limit. You’ve seen me vulnerable and small. All the while you’ve remained my rock And loved me through it all. You don’t sit on the sidelines Instead you sit by my side While we learn this all together On this beautiful but bumpy ride. Even though you say sometimes You don’t know what you can do. You’ve done it without even knowing for being their father and just being you. ................ Words @jessurlichs_writer ‘From One Mom to a Mother’ poetry book

The 8-10 month sleep progression is a big one! They are experiencing so many new changes, that it will affect their sleep in some way. It will affect all babies differently. What’s happening during this progression? learning to pull to standing, cruising and crawling... teething, starting solids increase in their ability to communicate peak of separation anxiety any new changes (baby classes etc) transition from 3-2 naps How do you handle this sleep progression? lots of self care for the caregiver, always ask for help practice brief, safe separation: say I’ll be right back! go around the corner and then pop back saying here I am! With joy and excitement always say goodbye when leaving practice standing and cruising in the crib and around the house this is not the time to implement any new sleep changes, everything must be consistent with the routines Once again, this is a big progression and can last for a couple of months. Be patient with yourself and with baby. Is your baby going through the 8-10 month sleep progression? #babymilestones #babydevelopment #firsttimemom #babystages #motherhood #momsofinstagram #torontomomsandbabies #torontomommy #mommyandme #momlifeisthebestlife #momentsinmotherhood #momandbaby #mommyandson #mommyanddaughter #motherhoodjourney #motherhoodthroughinstagram #motherhoodmoments #newmama #newmamalife #newmom #newmomlife