Sleeping through the night.

I am constantly told that Michael should be sleeping through the night. I should let him cry in his crib. he should lie down at 9pm and not wake up until 9am, he shouldn't have a bottle before bed or be rocked to sleep, if he is sleeping in my bed now he'll still be there when he's 10, etc., etc., etc....

 Where did this idea of babies sleeping through the night come from? Do you sleep a full 8 hours without waking up every night? Ever? I have never had a night where I didn't wake up at least once. I am an adult and know nothing is going to happen. Michael is across the hall and John is at work, the doors are locked and the dog is on the sofa. Michael doesn't know all of that. So when he wakes up alone in his room he thinks he is truly alone. Of course he will cry until I pick him up, then he goes right back to sleep. Now that he is older and doesn't sleep much during the day and never stops moving I am more tired so I have just been letting him sleep in my bed. If he wakes up at night he just rolls over to find me and goes back to sleep. Now he doesn't have to get scared and cry and I don't have to get out of bed and get a stiff neck because I fell asleep in the rocking chair.


There are times I get frustrated that he doesn't sleep more and yes I am tired, because no one really has the time to "nap when the baby naps". If I did that the house would be a disaster and we'd never have dinner. But he is only little once and this will pass. Soon enough he'll be outside working on cars with his dad and playing with his friends. He'll only want Mommy when he's hungry.


Here is a great article about kids and sleeping patterns: Everything You Know About Sleeping Through the Night is Wrong