perspective

A week ago last Thursday Shawn and I decided it was time to get serious about Lauren's sleep schedule. She has never been a great sleeper but I guess I always thought she would just outgrow it. Well, she is now over eight months old and is still waking up in the night. According to her age and weight she is totally capable of sleeping through. Instead, she wakes up at least one time a night crying. We have tried everything. We've rocked her, soothed her, let her cry it out, gone back into her room every 5 to 10 minutes, and I've nursed her. The only thing that works is for me to nurse her. But then, I am afraid she is going to get used to eating and will never drop that feeding. It has been so frustrating, especially because I have so many friends who have babies who are sleeping soundly 11 to 12 hours a night.

My friend, Megan, did some research for me and pointed me in the direction of the book, The Sleepeasy Solution. I went to Barnes and Noble today and picked it up. I don't believe that it is the magic ticket to our little non-sleeper, but I am ready to try the ideas. The book tends to lean more toward helping your child learn how to sleep in a loving manner instead of letting them cry it out. I've been letting Lauren cry it out and it has been so hard because she is so upset and then I am so upset...it is not good.

Anyway, I am saying all of this because this is what we have been going through. If I am keeping it real, I can tell you that this issue has more than consumed my thoughts lately. I find that I am stressed out about it and that it affects my attitude when I start a new day. I've been feeling so out of control and out of sorts.

Today I read this post from Kelly over at Kelly's Korner and I realized that I needed some perspective. Right now as I am going through this little issue of sleep there are parents who are watching their baby fight for life. There are parents who just lost a precious child for no understandable reason. There are women who would give anything to be able to have a baby, even one who wakes them up at all hours of the night. What do I have to complain about?

Tonight as I face who knows what, I am going to try to keep it all in perspective. I am going to try to remind myself that this is my life for a short season.