Just a little whinge

[Susan Mac]

I just wanted to have a whinge about the 'experts' that keep coming on TV (they seem to favour breakfast television and current affairs programs) telling me how I should put my baby to sleep.

They all have the exact same method, which may work for some babies and that is fantastic, but what really bothers me is their method of presentation.

They all seem to suggest that if you are guilty of the horrible behaviours of cuddling your baby to sleep or, worse still, feeding your baby to sleep, then you must be a bad mother and you must rectify your ways immediately. :shame:

If I see Sheyne whatever-her-name-is tut-tutting another mother for writing in to ask if it is a bad thing that she rocks her baby to sleep I think I will hunt her down and give her a talking to.

My baby is 9 months old. I feed him to sleep in the day (but love it when he goes to sleep in the car after a busy shopping trip!), and usually my husband rocks him to sleep at night. He wakes up less often for a night feed - some nights he doesn't wake at all.

I know that I'm not a bad mother, because I am the only mother that my son has and know what he needs. Since the day he was born he has just wanted to be cuddled and I'm okay with that. Patting him to sleep, talking him to sleep etc basically just gets him all worked up.

It is politically correct at the moment to teach your baby independence from as early as possible. I think so that mothers can get on with their lives and not let the baby interrupt them.

But I'm a full time mum and proud of it, and will put all the time in that I have to to give my son what he needs. I hope other mummies out there feel the same.

Sorry about the gripe, and good for you if the popular methods have worked wonders for you and your little ones! :D

[the_queen]

Good on you! :D
I feed my boy to sleep, I can think of only 3 ocassions where he has fallen asleep without his Bitty (except for in the car, he falls asleep very easily and quickly every time we get in the car)

I hate "sleep trainers" too, I think they prey on vulnerable mum's who already feel overwhelmed. Why can't they just say "lay down with bubby, cuddle, feed to sleep, sleep with your bubby" what the hell is so "naughty" about that???

[Africamum]

Well Said Susan Mac - great post. Your DS has everything he needs, a mother whom loves him and is there when he needs her.

I am also guilty of feeding / cuddling / rocking and co-sleeping and proud of it

[Aquamarine]

I feed, rock and co-sleep with my children.

I don't care what anyone says, I know I am an excellent mum.

Everyone is different.;)

[nic28]

Well all I can say is THANK GOD i found the bubhub because thanks to the experts, I started to think I was a terrible mother feeding my daughter to sleep, and now thanks to all you wonderful bubhubbers, I have learnt to just do what I feel is right and be proud that I am a mother who tends to my daughters every need, and dammit I will continue to allow her to go to sleep gently and peacefully for aslong as she needs to!

[punkbaby]

Well said :) i rock mine cuddle mine sleep with mine and i wouldnt have it any other way

[Susan Mac]

The other thing is that every baby is different. Some babies love cuddles, others - yah whatever mum. Some need a little extra comfort, some will quite happily go to sleep on their own in their own bed.
I love seeing my boy with other babies and seeing their own little personalities developing.
Hurray for diversity and individuality!

[RaryGirl]

My little man fell asleep during his bedtime feed tonight! But usually we sit in the rocking chair and cuddle/rock to sleep .... I love that closeness to my little man.

Too bad what the "experts" say .... they are little for such a short amount of time, I'm going to enjoy the cuddles as much as I can.:yes:

[ourfirstbubba]

such a great thread!

my little bubba is nearly 9 months old and when its "sleepy time" I take her to her beautiful room, wrap her (just like I did when she was a wee baby), give her her milk (she has a bottle) and I stroke her beautiful face and watch her as she drinks her milk and falls asleep in my arms..I then put her in her cot and she sleeps very happily.....the experts would suggest that I wake her up just so that I can ensure that she "falls asleep on her own"

to me this is garbage...there are some days when she doesnt fall asleep on her bottle and I pop her in her cot and she talks herself to sleep..but other days she falls asleep....honestly, these experts!
they are so little for such a short time..

one ECHN suggested that if my baby wakes up before the sun is up I should not feed her??? at 5am when she has been sound asleep for 10 hours how can I not feed my bub? I listen to the advise, nod my head and then go home and do what my heart tells me....have never gone wrong...

[Funtimes]

Im another one for whinging about this too!! Drives me crazy hearing the same thing all the time!! Im glad that myself and everyone else does what they feel is right for their own baby. I rock my DS to sleep during the day and he falls alsleep at night with his bottle. He loves it and I treasure it, as I know it wont last forever, he's only a baby once. It works for us, so this is how it's done. :)