Your Baby’s Schedule: Expectation vs. Reality

The Internet, particularly social media, is full of parenting and sleep "experts" who insist that baby's thrive best on a eat/play/sleep schedule. The truth is, babies are very unpredictable with their sleeping, waking, and eating patterns and rigid schedules can harm parent's mental health, reduce milk supply, and cause unnecessary stress and frustration for both parent and baby. Parents are also advised to avoid nursing baby to sleep to avoid "bad habits", but breast milk is MEANT to put your baby to sleep. Breast milk contains melatonin and tryptophan, hormones which modulate circadian rhythms for sleep, and the act of breastfeeding releases cholecystokinin, causing both parents to feel relaxed and sleepy.

This is very counterintuitive to our time-based, overly-structured Western society and the demands of work and other life responsibilities! It can be so hard to lean in to the ebb and flow of baby's changing rhythms, but it may also be a wonderful opportunity to tap into your body's own intuition and needs. Moderating expectations and trusting your own innate wisdom and your baby's cues can change your parenting experience from feelings of inadequacy and disappointment to empowerment and freedom. ❤️

More questions or need personalized support? Schedule an in-person or virtual consultation with me!