3 Years In: What Would I Change?

As my child hurtles towards her third birthday and the end of infancy, I have been reflecting on my parenting and its evolution so far.

What am I satisfied with? A fair bit.

What would I do differently if I had my time over? Some things, for sure.

One thing I would absolutely not change however is supporting my child’s sleep through nurture, night and day. We have been close, responsive and watching her rather than a clock, through the non-linear process that is biologically normal infant sleep development.

This afternoon, snotty and with a high temp, the child who dropped day naps well before age 2 asked me to pick her up. “Walk me”, she sobbed. I held her body against my tummy, her head resting on my shoulder, and paced to the same beat in the same hallway I had done when she was 5kg, not 15. Within minutes (luckily, because my arms were cactus) she was asleep.

So that’s where we’re at. It’s 3 hours before bedtime, and she’s out to it. Whether this is a nap or the start of the night, I don’t know. I could get worked up about it, project the rest of the night’s tortures and 4am start tomorrow, or I could celebrate that she was able to articulate exactly what she needed from me to help her sleep so she can fight off this bug. Just like every other day and night for the past (almost) 3 years, I am choosing to roll with the punches.

Yes, it’s been tiring (hello, understatement of the year) at times.

Yes, I’d love a night away.

Yes, some people will think I’m making life harder for myself than I need to.

And, as the Big 3 looms... I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Apr 3, 2022 09:44am

By Anna Cusack

Under Sleep, Post-partum, Breastfeeding, Parenting & Motherhood

2 min read

3 Years In: What Would I Change?

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