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My husband and I don’t fit the typical Babywise mold. We live in NYC, a mecca for Attachment Parenting. We are Jewish. But when one of my oldest, dearest friends gave me the book when I was pregnant and shared her love for the parenting philosophy I knew we had to consider it. My husband and I both read it and knew it was perfect for our family. We definitely wanted to parent with a purpose. We both read a lot of research on how important sleep is for a child, their developing brain and overall health. I was a Kindergarten/ 1st grade teacher before becoming a SAHM and knew how important structure was for a child’s day.
Here are some special circumstances that I feel demonstrate the power of Babywise in our family:
2nd PregnancyMy son was 13 months old when we found out we were pregnant with Baby #2. Morning sickness kicked in right away and I felt awful! Babywise made my 1st trimester so much easier despite the constant, all day nausea. My son was taking two 2 hour naps and happily engaged in Independent play time for 45 minutes every morning. I had plenty of time to rest! Also, thanks to the other Pre-Toddlerwise routines of table time and learning time – I had plenty of chances to at least sit down some more! I don’t know how I could have survived without it.
Moving
We recently moved to a new house. We left our apartment in the city for a house in the suburbs. This was a BIG change for my son. Our house is much, much bigger than our apartment. We have stairs. It is quiet! We have to drive everywhere. I expected sleeping in a new place to be difficult! Thanks to Babywise it was a breeze! I made his room look very much like his old room. Since he always has been so comfortable in his crib we really had very minimal issues! The first night he cried – I went in twice, rubbed his back and he fell asleep until DWT. His first nap in the new house was short. After that he’s back to sleeping his 3 hour regular nap. The second night in our new house I had to go in once at bedtime to rub his back. That was it! Now he goes to sleep happily and wakes up to play with his stuffed animals in his crib.
I cringe when I hear the criticisms of BW. My son dropped his nighttime feedings on his own, no CIO. He slept through the night from the DF – DWT at 8 weeks old. And from bedtime to DWT at 15 weeks old. My son easily learned to put himself to sleep for naps and night. My son LOVES Independent Play Time, Table Time and Learning Time. He is a great eater. He is in the 99th percentile for height and 75th for weight. He is 20 months old and knows his colors, shapes and many letters/ sounds. He is a JOY. His grandparents beg to have him for the day or for a sleepover. He is well rested and pleasant to be around. We could not be more bonded or attached! I am not nervous to bring Baby #2 into this world any day now. I know we can handle it and I know BW will help us immensely again!
I am so happy we implemented so much of Babywise. But, I have to say I could not have done it without this blog! It answered every question I had and helped me stay on track. I am so very grateful. Babywise is not just CIO like so many people think. It is a lifestyle. It is hard work. But, it is so so worth it.
By: J