Sleep training a 11 month old and coping with mental health
I have alot of support from health practitioners and family support services because of my depression, and recently they've all been saying that I shouldn't be co - sleeping, (after 11 months of doing it)
we ignored them and carried on but came to the conclusion on our own that it would be best that we get him used to settling in his own cot at bedtime.
we ignored them and carried on but came to the conclusion on our own that it would be best that we get him used to settling in his own cot at bedtime.
We don't have any strict routine, just that around 7/7:30 we go up for a bath (every other night) then book cuddles and bed, we try not to overstimulate bed time so we can all relax and with Lilli it took me a good couple of years of sitting at the bed til she was asleep and having to creep out, totally missing the creaky floor boards and the squeak of her door or baby gate! Now she is 4 and goes to sleep all by herself, so parents. ..IT DOES GET EASIER!
With Olli he is totally different and so relaxed he has his milk and a story and goes straight to sleep wether I'm in the room or not ( if not I'm still upstairs sorting stuff out). It's amazing and alot easier :)
Hopefully after Olli's injections at a year he won't go through that horrible change and stay awake for ages or being too grumpy, so me and Michael can still have our time to chill :) It's really important to couples or even single parents to have that time to yourself, I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have babies or toddlers attached to you 24/7 because I went through it and loved it, but alone time is good for the mind and especially when dealing with mental health problems too.
Most mental health problems trigger from sleep, not getting enough sleep is always a problem when you have a baby, getting up to feed and change and burp or just to settle them, I remember crying after lilli was born because she was going through a growth spurt and I was breastfeeding and I ached and I just cried and cried at 3 am and that's when I took the first step to get some help! Not all mental health problems trigger from sleep and some are really difficult to deal with but the answer is to never give up!
So I done it both ways and I love them both the same, but it's always up to you at the end of the day, as long as your baby or toddler is happy then you should be too! Just remember, everything takes time and maybe even a few tears too but your not alone! We've all been through it or will go through it at some stage!
What are your sleep tricks or thoughts?
Let me know in the comments below.
Let me know in the comments below.
Mumma
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