Sleep - Am I creating a bad habit for my baby?

I’m sat here cuddling my one year old as she naps whilst we’re all cooped up in a tiny one room Airbnb place thanks to Storm Eunice.

Society will probably tell me I’m creating a bad habit and I should put her down. But why?

Because I’m creating a rod?

Because she’s using me for comfort?

Because she should be self-settling by now?

Because I’m ‘spoiling her’?

Because she will never be independent?

But science tells us in fact that these myths are just that, myths. Babies and children become independent in their own time when they have established a secure attachment with their primary caregiver. Babies are incapable of manipulation or being spoiled, their brains are just not developed enough for such complex intentions.

All humans need physical touch, hugs, for their brains to thrive! A powerful hug can reduce stress, reduce pain and even improve the body’s immune system response. Imagine how much ‘good’ you’re doing to your baby or child’s body as you hug them to sleep! Hugging whilst they’re most vulnerable, hugging while their body repairs and recharges itself.

The reality is most days I don’t have the time to sit and cuddle my baby for two hours whilst she sleeps. I have two other children to parent, a house to run along with a business and all the other tasks that come with being a Mum in 2022! But today we’re stuck in a holiday home with nowhere to be, so I’ll cuddle my baby as long as she needs and catch up on emails and blog posts as I do!

If you’d like to know more about nighttime parenting and infant sleep patterns please get in touch.

Parenting is hard, parenting is 24hours a day and sometimes it can be totally overwhelming, especially with little ones who struggle to sleep as much or an easily as we might like! I’ll do another blog post another day all about the realities of nighttime parenting, when time allows.