NEED SLEEP NOW?

There is a lot of information in this blog which explains the need for these suggested sleep methods.

This link will take you to SLEEP NOW ideas

If you are confused by the suggestions which seem to go against what other people, family and friends are suggesting please do come back and read through the material I’ve found.

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Many posts will have a links to another site with some information that I have found very helpful or interesting.

How do you listen?

When we hear a Dharma talk or study a sutra, our only job is to remain open. Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say that it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing. If we read or listen with an open mind and an open heart, the rain of the Dharma will penetrate the soil of our consciousness.

While reading or listening, don't work too hard. Be like the earth. When the rain comes, the earth only has to open herself up to the rain. Allow the rain of the Dharma to come in and penetrate the seeds that are buried deep in your consciousness. A teacher cannot give you the truth. The truth is already in you. You only need to open yourself - body, mind, and heart - so that his or her teachings will penetrate your own seeds of understanding and enlightenment. if you let the words enter you, the soil and the seeds will do the rest of the work.

From the book "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching"

By Thich Nhat Hanh

Monday, April 26, 2010

Desperatly trying Co-sleeping in the hope of sleep

This seems really odd to me. We are four years down the track...wow what a ride.
I'm now hearing little whispers around me of people/parents with 4 year olds and older still dreaming of sleep.
I keep thinking 'Yup that could be us' but its not at the moment.
The amount of rubbish I got for wanting to and going a head with co-sleeping is just ridiculous, saddening and very stressful. But thanks to the Sears wonderful web site and books we did and stuck too it. And thanks to Elizabeth Pantley for her wonderful book I understand how to work with tired babies and tired me.
I know everyone is different and we all do and learn at different times.
The whispers I here are
"Oh it didn't work as the kids got older...it got harder to use the routines"
"So frightened of the dark and sleeping in their room"
"I find them playing with the lights on"
"Still screams all night...at this age"
"I have to hold the door shut....but I can't do that all night"
I now hear that kids are in the family bed and sleep is being had because they are co-sleeping...I suppose we all do it at some time...maybe thats what people say "Oh you'll never get them out of your bed"...cause they have to make up for the time they didn't have?
I think it's pretty cool that it is happening...you can build a connection.

As for our children...well Hamish can scream in Ara's ear in the middle of the night now and she will not budge....last night he threw up all over the place and I slept in the lounge holding a nappy under his chin and Ara didn't come down to find me until morning.
Every child is different.

Posted by at 5:02 PM

2 comments:

The Chansburys said...

Hi Megan, I just wanted to let you know that we co-slept with our firstborn since birth and although we naturally bemoan all the distrupted sleep and lack thereof, it was much easier to be next to him and reach out to resettle than to get out of bed, pad down along corridors to another room. It felt a 'lazier' and easier option and much more comfortable. And because no one else in my mums group did this, we felt like 'pariahs' for so long, but he is now 4 and has moved into his own room by his own choice when he was ready. So don't let others tell you what to feel or do, because they really will move out and then you will be sad cause we still sneak into his room for cuddles in the early hours of the morning and we still lie next to him till he falls asleep. I actually miss holding his little hands and feeling his soft warm breath on my face whilst falling asleep. But now, I am co-sleping with my second son and he's 13 months now. So much easier to just roll over and feed and drift back off to sleep. Although never had a full night's sleep, I know this time will pass too and I will miss the closeness. I just treasure being able to be together. I will always treasure these special times I suspect. Because they grow up, and leave us holding these memories in our hearts forever. And absolutely yes, every child is different - amazingly :) Kind regards, Eileen

April 30, 2010 9:17 AM
Abigail Badillo said...

Hi Megan,

I wanted to say thanks for all the info and encouragement on your site! I stumbled on your blog shortly before my little one was born (June 1 last year), right around or before the time Hamish was born, and what I read really confirmed me in my decision to cosleep. We've had our daughter in a "side-car crib" since she was born, where she starts the night out, and then when she wakes up she's with us for the rest of the night. Having experienced this now, I wouldn't want to do it any other way - I don't know how moms function who have to actually get up in the middle of the night to nurse their babies! I sat up to nurse for maybe the first two weeks, then couldn't take it anymore and learned to nurse lying down; now I don't even legitimately wake up, just rouse enough to move her over to my other side.

We hear the "whispers" occasionally too, especially from family members who don't understand our decision, and sometimes I worry about when she'll be ready for her own bed... but then I visit your site and realize that yes, it is possible to keep going.

Anyway - I especially loved your description of Ara "moonwalking" on the walls as she tries to fall asleep. It was so encouraging to know that that's a normal phase - my daughter went from nursing to sleep, to sort of tossing and turning and trying to crawl/pull up/etc before going to sleep, and it was good to hear someone else going through it say "patience, approach each night like the first time".

Thanks for being a voice for gentleness in a "cry it out" world..

May 5, 2010 6:24 PM

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