You love your child, you really do. But you also love sleep and personal space. So once you’ve decided it’s time for your little bundle of joy to sleep on his own, you’re going to have to come to terms with some serious issues.
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Desperation
Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. You’re running on 9 hours a week. If something doesn’t change soon, you’re going to have permanent circles under your eyes and your blood will be replaced by coffee. So away the little one goes to the crib for the night. Godspeed and good luck.
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Paranoia
Is he breathing? Can he sleep on his stomach? Is it too hot in here? Should he have that blanket over his face? After checking on your baby a million times those first few nights, you realize you are getting less sleep than when the baby was still in the room with you. As you curl up in bed with the video baby monitor, you fight the urge to sleep, just waiting for something to happen. Because if the house is ever going to be hit by a falling meteor, tonight’s the night. And you better be ready.
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Guilt
As your child screams himself to sleep you wonder if this is really the right choice. Why not let him sleep with you for one more night? One more month? One more year? If he keeps crying like this he’s going to throw up all over the crib. Do you really want to deal with a screaming baby AND yucky throw up? Maybe you better move him back.
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More Guilt
The word abandonment springs to mind. Is he crying because he misses you? Or because you’ve always been there and now he realizes what alone is and he’s terrified? Are you emotionally scarring your child by making him understand and accept the concept of loneliness?
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Assurance
Your fellow mom friends tell you repeatedly that their family went through the same trauma and things got better. One day you will only be checking on him five times a night instead of twenty. He will only cry for five minutes once you put him down instead of three hours. Hold on because it will get easier. You got this.
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Acceptance
Things are getting better. Baby has accepted his new sleeping arrangements and doesn’t fight going to sleep. You are now able to enjoy the simple pleasures that come after 8:00 p.m. A bowl of ice cream with the husband while binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix sounds pretty good right now.
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A Good Night’s Sleep
For everyone. Pure bliss.
