If you’ve successfully sleep-trained your little one, then huge congratulations! This is a big step in your parenting journey that will lead to more restful sleep for everyone in the family. But while you deserve a big pat on the back for your progress so far, this is really just the beginning of your journey.
Consistency is a hugely important part of sleep training, and without it, you can very quickly undo much of the progress you’ve made. So your next job is to think about how you can accommodate a consistent schedule of regular bedtimes and naps without it completely dominating your life.
The marathon and the sprint
I often tell my clients to think of the first stages of sleep training as the sprint and the months afterwards as the marathon. After those first intense couple of nights, your job now is to settle into a groove and establish a steady and maintainable pace.
A marathon is gruelling work, and the restrictions your baby’s sleep schedule places on your life will feel like it sometimes, but it can also be very rewarding. The reward is your baby continuing to nap like a superstar and sleeping through the night, or at least for a good few hours at a time.
The truth is that you will miss out on some fun stuff and at times you will have to stay in when you might prefer to go out. But that doesn’t mean you have to be chained to your baby’s crib.
What does life after sleep training look like?
In short, it’s a compromise. If you have plans, like a play date, and your friend is only available during your baby’s nap time, you might be tempted to shuffle your baby’s schedule to accommodate it. Yes, it’s nice for you both to do something different and for your little one to spend time with another baby, but if they’re tired or overtired during the playdate, it could end up in a lot of tears and be more trouble than it’s worth.
The same can be said for holidays. The last thing you want is to have to go home during the middle of the day so your baby can have a nap. But skip a nap and it can very easily lead to an overtired child that results in a terrible bedtime, which can dampen the next day.
So sure, there are plenty of things you and your little one could be doing that are more exciting than napping. But you really have to get those naps and consistent bedtimes in to make sure your little one is well-rested enough to enjoy the fun times when they come around.
A consistent sleep schedule can improve your social life
So far, it might sound like a lot of sacrifice on your behalf, but ..wait for it.. regular naps and bedtimes can actually make your social life better!
Having a baby that sleeps well makes it much easier to leave your baby with relatives overnight or with a babysitter for the evening without having to worry that they’ll wake up crying and need you to nurse them back to sleep.
That frees you up to enjoy that time however you like, whether it’s date nights with your partner or beach days with your friends. That makes a baby with independent sleep skills a win-win for all the family. As long as you stick to their sleeping schedule, you can still enjoy a rewarding social life, special occasions and family gatherings, but without the drama of an overtired baby.
Schedule your free consultation to discuss any of the issues that you or your baby are having with your sleep.
